What is wrong with my Clown Fish

[ChicagoReef]

Is this a disease or infection?
Thanks for any help.

 

[ChicagoReef]

I should have mentioned I have had him for 8 years, although recently introduced an anthias and a dottyback.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hard to see, any chance that the dottyback has been tagging it? What species of anthias, how does it look? Not always, but generally, when new fish bring a disease into the tank, they show symptoms first.
Jay

 

[ChicagoReef]

New fish look fine. Here are hopefully better pictures.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So - grossly, this could be Brooklynella, a common issue with clownfish. The trouble is that this is almost always seen in newly acquired clowns, not long term captive animals...same questions from my earlier post - how do the other fish look?

Jay

 

[ChicagoReef]

Thanks Jay. Just looked at the new fish again and the Anthias was dead. Trying to fish him out from behind liverock to look at him.

 

[vetteguy53081]

behind middle stripe- The signs of brooklynella.
Time for two baths. First a freshwater dip for about 5 minutes, then daily formalin baths. General cure and Ruby Rally reef are two effective treatments for brook.

 

[ChicagoReef]

Tried a freshwater bath. Boy this moved fast. It was too late. It looked like it was breathing really fast. Just like the new Anthias before it passed. I should know to always use a QT. Really stupid. Will watch the rest of the fish and get medication tomorrow. Really appreciate the expertise. Been very lucky on fish with few changes for years. Change was to replace a fish who jumped out.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Tried a freshwater bath. Boy this moved fast. It was too late. It looked like it was breathing really fast. Just like the new Anthias before it passed. I should know to always use a QT. Really stupid. Will watch the rest of the fish and get medication tomorrow. Really appreciate the expertise. Been very lucky on fish with few changes for years. Change was to replace a fish who jumped out.

Sounds like perhaps the anthias brought something in (brook) since it was the first to succumb. What options do you have to treat the tank? What else in addition to the dottyback remains?

Jay

 

[ChicagoReef]

I have 15 fish left in the tank. It is a mature 80 gallon reef, so catching the fish proved to be impossible. I dosed Ruby Rally reef for 3 days (debating if I should go an extra day). Notice my pods seemed to disappear, but did not lose any corals or inverts. I lost a 2nd clown that had also been in the tank a long time. The first clown died before I could treat the brook (nobody locally had treatment in stock, so had to overnight). Fish look much better now. Can't thank you enough for the help! I have also ordered a QT for future fish replacements.