Need Help Diagnosing Clownfish Ocellaris

[Awkwilla]

Thank you for taking the time to review this case. I would appreciate any advice.

Since my tank is still young I will provide some basic info

Set up: Tank 100 gallons with 30 gallon sump running aqua vitro protein skimmer and 36 watt aquatop UV connected to pump set to approximately 400gph. Set up using wet live rock taken directly from the store and added to tank with live sand tank was cycled for a week and tested every day using Red Sea test kits. All water is sourced from a 6 stage RO/DI mixed with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. 3 days after ammonia and nitrites dropped to 0 and small amount of nitrates were detected 2 small clownfish were introduced. Water was tested every day and all parameters remained stable.

Water parameters These parameters have been consistent with less than a 5% change for 2 weeks

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate >2<0
Specific Gravity 1.026
Salinity 35
Temperature 79.5F-81.4F
Magnesium 1360
Ca 490
Alkalinity 10
PH 8.2

First sighting. Approximately 3 days after clownfish were added orange storm ocellaris presented with small faint nodules mostly only visible under blue light. Keep in mind my vision is quite poor. I am very familiar with ich and noticed that it did not look like ich so I decided to continue monitoring and read up extensively on brook and marine velvet disease. The next day the spots were clear. Fish remained helthy swimming normally and eating vigorously.

Second sighting Four days after clearing the spots reaapeared in pretty much the same location. Again I monitored the progress and began the process of acquiring the supplies for a quarantine. Before I had QT set up the spots were gone again and the fishes breathing, swimming, and appetite remained normal.

Third sighting 8 days after the spots appeared the second time they are back and relatively in the same position. The main difference this time is the behavior is different. It is hard to tell if the clownfish has labored breathing but it is occasionally surfacing for air and is not its usual chipper self. Typically it comes up to the front and begs for food and swims quite normally. Today it is not coming to the front and is occasionally darting at the back of the tank. It is still eating although less vigorously than before. It's fins remain clamped and it is hovering around the top corner.

I included photos and attached 2 videos one with the blue light (the spots are easier to see) and one with white light

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for taking the time to review this case. I would appreciate any advice.

Since my tank is still young I will provide some basic info

Set up: Tank 100 gallons with 30 gallon sump running aqua vitro protein skimmer and 36 watt aquatop UV connected to pump set to approximately 400gph. Set up using wet live rock taken directly from the store and added to tank with live sand tank was cycled for a week and tested every day using Red Sea test kits. All water is sourced from a 6 stage RO/DI mixed with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. 3 days after ammonia and nitrites dropped to 0 and small amount of nitrates were detected 2 small clownfish were introduced. Water was tested every day and all parameters remained stable.

Water parameters These parameters have been consistent with less than a 5% change for 2 weeks

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate >2<0
Specific Gravity 1.026
Salinity 35
Temperature 79.5F-81.4F
Magnesium 1360
Ca 490
Alkalinity 10
PH 8.2

First sighting. Approximately 3 days after clownfish were added orange storm ocellaris presented with small faint nodules mostly only visible under blue light. Keep in mind my vision is quite poor. I am very familiar with ich and noticed that it did not look like ich so I decided to continue monitoring and read up extensively on brook and marine velvet disease. The next day the spots were clear. Fish remained helthy swimming normally and eating vigorously.

Second sighting Four days after clearing the spots reaapeared in pretty much the same location. Again I monitored the progress and began the process of acquiring the supplies for a quarantine. Before I had QT set up the spots were gone again and the fishes breathing, swimming, and appetite remained normal.

Third sighting 8 days after the spots appeared the second time they are back and relatively in the same position. The main difference this time is the behavior is different. It is hard to tell if the clownfish has labored breathing but it is occasionally surfacing for air and is not its usual chipper self. Typically it comes up to the front and begs for food and swims quite normally. Today it is not coming to the front and is occasionally darting at the back of the tank. It is still eating although less vigorously than before. It's fins remain clamped and it is hovering around the top corner.

I included photos and attached 2 videos one with the blue light (the spots are easier to see) and one with white light

This fish shows secondary bacterial lesions often confused with ich and a sign of early to secondary stage brooklynella. Tank looks awfully new and did you quarantine fish at all?
Assuming not, at minimum a ruby rally pro bath would have made a difference. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment would be a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater but now scarce. Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue. Note, you can use Ruby rally pro, In-tank.
Since a formalin solution is often not available for use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration

 

[Awkwilla]

This fish shows secondary bacterial lesions often confused with ich and a sign of early to secondary stage brooklynella. Tank looks awfully new and did you quarantine fish at all?
Assuming not, at minimum a ruby rally pro bath would have made a difference. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment would be a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater but now scarce. Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue. Note, you can use Ruby rally pro, In-tank.
Since a formalin solution is often not available for use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration

Thank you for your feedback and the advice. Unfortunately I did not QT. I am in the process of cycling a filter sponge in the sump to set it up and will have a hospital tank shortly. I may be able to get the formalin before the Ruby Rally pro, but will acquire both to have on hand. And the tank is in fact "awfully new". They all need to start somewhere.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for your feedback and the advice. Unfortunately I did not QT. I am in the process of cycling a filter sponge in the sump to set it up and will have a hospital tank shortly. I may be able to get the formalin before the Ruby Rally pro, but will acquire both to have on hand. And the tank is in fact "awfully new". They all need to start somewhere.

With tank new, be sure to monitor ammonia and nitrate with reliable test kits and offer good diet ( tdo pellets mysis\i shrimp brine shrimp, plankton and LRS nano frenzy

 

[Awkwilla]

With tank new, be sure to monitor ammonia and nitrate with reliable test kits and offer good diet ( tdo pellets mysis\i shrimp brine shrimp, plankton and LRS nano frenzy

I test every day as stated in my original post with red sea kits. parameters have been perfect since the completion of the cycle
Currently feeding a variety of mysis, hikari pellets, keratin gut fed brine, spirulina brine, ocean nutrition roe, and emerald entre. Of course their favorite is the pellets, but they don't get those unless they eat their vegetables.

 

[Awkwilla]

Update: 15 hrs after 5min freshwater bath RO/DI ph bufferd with sodium bicarbonate behavior has normalized. Clownfish is back to begging for food ate keratin brine and Hikari pellets vigorously this morning. Fins are no longer clamped and the white spots are barely visible.

If I am not mistaken this response pretty much confirms it's brook correct?

I have Formalin and Ruby Rally both arriving tomorrow. The hospital tank is running and I am dropping in some used filter sponge, a sponge filter that has been running in DP tank sump, and dosing with bacterial supplement to try to introduce some bacteria as soon as possible but I have not yet tested to confirm yet. Although I suspect dosing formalin will likely interrupt the cycling process.

My thinking was to temporarily remove sponge filter aerate with a power head and air stone add affected fish dose 25ppm of formalin and wait for 24 hrs then do a large water change likely 50%-75% and then treat with ruby rally pro and add sponge filter back. I am not sure how long to treat with Ruby rally as I have never used it before would a week be appropriate? I bought a large enough bottle to dose hospital tank and display tank approximately 9 times.

 

[Awkwilla]

Actually based on my test I don't think the hospital tank is going to be ready. I am going to move forward with treating the whole system with Ruby Rally and monitor for improvement. Then when the hospital tank is habitable I will move to formalin bath for the most affected fish. If I can not get the hospital tank stable within a few days I will attempt a shorter formalin bath for 6 hrs in a separate container.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Thank you for taking the time to review this case. I would appreciate any advice.

Since my tank is still young I will provide some basic info

Set up: Tank 100 gallons with 30 gallon sump running aqua vitro protein skimmer and 36 watt aquatop UV connected to pump set to approximately 400gph. Set up using wet live rock taken directly from the store and added to tank with live sand tank was cycled for a week and tested every day using Red Sea test kits. All water is sourced from a 6 stage RO/DI mixed with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. 3 days after ammonia and nitrites dropped to 0 and small amount of nitrates were detected 2 small clownfish were introduced. Water was tested every day and all parameters remained stable.

Water parameters These parameters have been consistent with less than a 5% change for 2 weeks

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate >2<0
Specific Gravity 1.026
Salinity 35
Temperature 79.5F-81.4F
Magnesium 1360
Ca 490
Alkalinity 10
PH 8.2

First sighting. Approximately 3 days after clownfish were added orange storm ocellaris presented with small faint nodules mostly only visible under blue light. Keep in mind my vision is quite poor. I am very familiar with ich and noticed that it did not look like ich so I decided to continue monitoring and read up extensively on brook and marine velvet disease. The next day the spots were clear. Fish remained helthy swimming normally and eating vigorously.

Second sighting Four days after clearing the spots reaapeared in pretty much the same location. Again I monitored the progress and began the process of acquiring the supplies for a quarantine. Before I had QT set up the spots were gone again and the fishes breathing, swimming, and appetite remained normal.

Third sighting 8 days after the spots appeared the second time they are back and relatively in the same position. The main difference this time is the behavior is different. It is hard to tell if the clownfish has labored breathing but it is occasionally surfacing for air and is not its usual chipper self. Typically it comes up to the front and begs for food and swims quite normally. Today it is not coming to the front and is occasionally darting at the back of the tank. It is still eating although less vigorously than before. It's fins remain clamped and it is hovering around the top corner.

I included photos and attached 2 videos one with the blue light (the spots are easier to see) and one with white light

Dude............I think this is the best disease post I've ever seen. While I cannot help here, I can say great job.

 

[Awkwilla]

It has been a month since the original post. But I am happy to report that both clownfish are doing extremely well. The other clown did not show symptoms and everything was cleared up within a few days. I carried through with a six day treatment of Ruby rally but after day 4 the affected fish was no longer scratching. All water parameters remained stable throughout water changes.
c

 

[PharmrJohn]

That is great to hear. Must be a load off!!!