Please help ID

[momars]

Hello,
Need some help please in ID what is wrong with my Clownfish. I noticed discoloration on body (highlighted in the picture) 4 days ago but the fish was very active and normal so kinda ignored it.
However since last night, it mostly stays at one place, does moves here and there but not like before (playful)
Still eats but not like before (quick to grab)
Started gasping.
Not at surface of tank.
Not coming in line of wave maker.
No flashing or scratching.

About Tank & mate.
Tank is 150 Gal FOWLR and about 10 months old.
Water parameters - Salinity - 1.024, Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate was 80 when I checked last week, since then did major water changes to bring it to 50, will do some more water change once the water is ready to bring it under 20.
No sump.
Canister filter

Tank Mates
1 clown fish
1 Bird Wrasse Female
Was Almost ready to get in another Male Bird Wrasse and Emp Angelfish but now not sure if this is just fish issue or my tank is infected.
No new rocks, sand or equipment added.
Any help please, thank you.

PS: 1. New on this forum and on lower side of saltwater fish knowledge. 2. The white dots in the picture are on the glass of the tank and not on the fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,
Need some help please in ID what is wrong with my Clownfish. I noticed discoloration on body (highlighted in the picture) 4 days ago but the fish was very active and normal so kinda ignored it.
However since last night, it mostly stays at one place, does moves here and there but not like before (playful)
Still eats but not like before (quick to grab)
Started gasping.
Not at surface of tank.
Not coming in line of wave maker.
No flashing or scratching.

About Tank & mate.
Tank is 150 Gal FOWLR and about 10 months old.
Water parameters - Salinity - 1.024, Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate was 80 when I checked last week, since then did major water changes to bring it to 50, will do some more water change once the water is ready to bring it under 20.
No sump.
Canister filter

Tank Mates
1 clown fish
1 Bird Wrasse Female
Was Almost ready to get in another Male Bird Wrasse and Emp Angelfish but now not sure if this is just fish issue or my tank is infected.
No new rocks, sand or equipment added.
Any help please, thank you.

PS: 1. New on this forum and on lower side of saltwater fish knowledge. 2. The white dots in the picture are on the glass of the tank and not on the fish.

This is a common clown disease known as Brooklynella. The
heavy presence of mucus suggests brooklynella which commonly affects clowns especially wild caught versions.
The most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate 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 problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

What is odd to me is that this clownfish looks very old. Did you buy it from somebody else who had owned it for some time? If you bought it as a juvenile from a store 10 months ago, I am struggling to figure out how it could look like this; the pinched nape and belly, pale coloration and discolored areas all point to a fish that has a chronic health issue, most likely Mycobacterium.

Can you post a video of this fish, as well as a picture of the other clownfish?

Jay

 

[momars]

This is a common clown disease known as Brooklynella. The
heavy presence of mucus suggests brooklynella which commonly affects clowns especially wild caught versions.
The most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate 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 problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials

Oh man, my worst fear came true.
Thank you so so much for the detailed reply.
Follow up question.
What can cause brook, when nothing external was introduced?
When you say move all inhabitants into QT, you mean all 3 fishes in one QT tank and treat them with same treatment as you advised? or sick one in one QT and other 2 who are so far OK in another QT?
Leaving display 4-6 week - You mean drain all the water and leave it dry for 4-6 weeks? What about the equipment like canister filter, wave makers etc?

Thank you.
I guess Brooklynella is not fish specific but can spread to the other two fishes correct?

 

[momars]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

What is odd to me is that this clownfish looks very old. Did you buy it from somebody else who had owned it for some time? If you bought it as a juvenile from a store 10 months ago, I am struggling to figure out how it could look like this; the pinched nape and belly, pale coloration and discolored areas all point to a fish that has a chronic health issue, most likely Mycobacterium.

Can you post a video of this fish, as well as a picture of the other clownfish?

Jay

Hi Jay,
Thank you. Never knew about this forum and the great help I can get.
To answer, I got it from a LFS and it was not really a juvi at that time. The pale coloration and discolored area as marked in the picture developed in last 4 days.
Will post a video once i get back home.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh man, my worst fear came true.
Thank you so so much for the detailed reply.
Follow up question.
What can cause brook, when nothing external was introduced?
When you say move all inhabitants into QT, you mean all 3 fishes in one QT tank and treat them with same treatment as you advised? or sick one in one QT and other 2 who are so far OK in another QT?
Leaving display 4-6 week - You mean drain all the water and leave it dry for 4-6 weeks? What about the equipment like canister filter, wave makers etc?

Thank you.
I guess Brooklynella is not fish specific but can spread to the other two fishes correct?

No - allow tank to run while you treat the clown. Without a host, the disease will succumb to die off and yes requiring a host fish it can spread to others as it is a cilia protozoan that can multiply quickly.
Causes can be improper water quality/contamination, stress, compromised immune system and even old age.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Jay,
Thank you. Never knew about this forum and the great help I can get.
To answer, I got it from a LFS and it was not really a juvi at that time. The pale coloration and discolored area as marked in the picture developed in last 4 days.
Will post a video once i get back home.

Yes, a video will help. This sure looks like an older spoticintus clownfish. Those often have genetic issues, and if it is an older fish, the mycobacterium is a very real possibility.

I just don't see the mucus associated with Brooklynella, if anything, the skin looks dry and worn - which is what keeps taking me back to myco.

Jay

 

[momars]

No - allow tank to run while you treat the clown. Without a host, the disease will succumb to die off and yes requiring a host fish it can spread to others as it is a cilia protozoan that can multiply quickly.
Causes can be improper water quality/contamination, stress, compromised immune system and even old age.

Sad day for me. By the time I got hold of medicines I lost my clown . Uhhh it hurts.
This disease kills fast.
Few more questions please
1. I now move the two fishes into my QT, Should I still treat them with meds though they exhibit no symptoms at all?
2. With my DT, i just allow it to run fishless for 4-6 weeks. Like filter, wave maker, skimmer on correct?
3. Where does the parasite resides or live on? Like sand or it can be anywhere from rocks to wave makers, heaters etc. Sorry if my questions are dumb.
Grateful for your help.
Thx

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sad day for me. By the time I got hold of medicines I lost my clown . Uhhh it hurts.
This disease kills fast.
Few more questions please
1. I now move the two fishes into my QT, Should I still treat them with meds though they exhibit no symptoms at all?
2. With my DT, i just allow it to run fishless for 4-6 weeks. Like filter, wave maker, skimmer on correct?
3. Where does the parasite resides or live on? Like sand or it can be anywhere from rocks to wave makers, heaters etc. Sorry if my questions are dumb.
Grateful for your help.
Thx

Sorry to hear. Most disease require a host fish to be able to thrive and multiply. the fishless cycle will be of benefit