What is happening to my clownfish?

[mjaquarium02]

I bought a 6 line wrasse on 08/13 from my LFS and they have supposedly already treated it with copper for a month. I added it to my DT that already had 2 clownfishes and a cleaner shrimp. I just found out today that my female clownfish presents with some weird stuff on her body. I don’t know if it’s me overanalyzing it or she might actually have something. Whenever I put my blue lights it is more noticeable but I can’t get a good picture of it. So attached are pictures of my clown under white light. Hopefully you can see something. The 6 line wrasse seems fine. No visible symptoms. Nothing to be concerned. Same as my female clown. It’s just the “stuff” that’s on her body…. She isn’t gasping for air, breathing fast, scratching, or looks stressed. She is still eating normally too. But obviously, if this is something that could cause a concern I would like to treat it asap. Im setting a hospital tank as we speak. My male clownfish looks great. No visible symptoms as well. Everybody seems fine (including my invertebrates) except her.. Maybe it is the start of velvet...maybe?? Any advice?

Also just to make sure we are all seeing the same thing.. i see some small white dots on her body mainly on the bottom half so far.

THANKS!

This is a 40 gallon reef tank.
Been up and running for 4 months
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: between 5 and 10
pH: 8.2
***all done with red sea test kit***
salinity: 1.025

Currently have:
2 Clowns
1 sixline wrasse
1 cleaner shrimp
2 hermit crabs
Zoa
Pulsing Xenia
**starting off slow of course**

 

[vetteguy53081]

I bought a 6 line wrasse on 08/13 from my LFS and they have supposedly already treated it with copper for a month. I added it to my DT that already had 2 clownfishes and a cleaner shrimp. I just found out today that my female clownfish presents with some weird stuff on her body. I don’t know if it’s me overanalyzing it or she might actually have something. Whenever I put my blue lights it is more noticeable but I can’t get a good picture of it. So attached are pictures of my clown under white light. Hopefully you can see something. The 6 line wrasse seems fine. No visible symptoms. Nothing to be concerned. Same as my female clown. It’s just the “stuff” that’s on her body…. She isn’t gasping for air, breathing fast, scratching, or looks stressed. She is still eating normally too. But obviously, if this is something that could cause a concern I would like to treat it asap. Im setting a hospital tank as we speak. My male clownfish looks great. No visible symptoms as well. Everybody seems fine (including my invertebrates) except her.. Maybe it is the start of velvet...maybe?? Any advice?

Also just to make sure we are all seeing the same thing.. i see some small white dots on her body mainly on the bottom half so far.

THANKS!

This is a 40 gallon reef tank.
Been up and running for 4 months
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: between 5 and 10
pH: 8.2
***all done with red sea test kit***
salinity: 1.025

Currently have:
2 Clowns
1 sixline wrasse
1 cleaner shrimp
2 hermit crabs
Zoa
Pulsing Xenia
**starting off slow of course**

As we've been seeing lately, another case of ich parasite. I assume these guys were not quarantined and will have to be treated in a separate quarantine setting and treated with coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

 

[mjaquarium02]

As we've been seeing lately, another case of ich parasite. I assume these guys were not quarantined and will have to be treated in a separate quarantine setting and treated with coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

Noted. Should i quarantine and dose copper to all of my fish? what about my cleaner shrimp and coral in my DT… Will ich have an impact on them?

 

[Pickle_soup]

Noted. Should i quarantine and dose copper to all of my fish? what about my cleaner shrimp and coral in my DT… Will ich have an impact on them?

Don't dose your DT. Take the fish out, and leave the DT fallow (inverts stay in).

 

[vetteguy53081]

Noted. Should i quarantine and dose copper to all of my fish? what about my cleaner shrimp and coral in my DT… Will ich have an impact on them?

Shrimp are fine and you want to leave all coral and inverts as mentioned in display tank for 4-6 weeks to allow any parasites to die off. they will be safe

 

[vetteguy53081]

Don't dose your DT. Take the fish out, and leave the DT fallow (inverts stay in).

Please - this is only confusing person seeking help

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I agree - this looks like the start of ich. Although the dealer said they treated the fish with copper for 30 days (which should have eliminated any ich) we see a couple of issues from that - some dealer say they use copper, but they use it at a low dose that doesn't control disease as well. the second issue we see is invertebrates carrying ich into a tank. They don't catch that disease themselves, but if they are house in a tank with a sick fish, the disease can get carried with them into your tank.

It is pretty common for one fish to show ich signs before another. The spots may also come and go over time, but generally get more numerous and tend to spread to all fish in the tank.

As far as options - that shrimp is going to hamper any effective treatment. Setting up a quarantine tank and treating with copper is the best option - but you must ensure that the treatment tank has a properly operating biofilter to manage ammonia.

Jay

 

[Pickle_soup]

Please - this is only confusing person seeking help

So, you suggest that he doses the DT with copper? Got it.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So, you suggest that he doses the DT with copper? Got it.

I'm not sure that anyone said to dose the DT with copper, they were talking about the DT laying fallow.

Jay

 

[stonerpadre]

As we've been seeing lately, another case of ich parasite. I assume these guys were not quarantined and will have to be treated in a separate quarantine setting and treated with coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

What if you gotta do a water change do you need to restart the 30 days ? And does a Powerhead work or is an air stone better ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What if you gotta do a water change do you need to restart the 30 days ? And does a Powerhead work or is an air stone better ?

No - simply mix the new water with coppersafe at same copper level as quarantine tank
So if quarantine tank is.2.23 as an example, mix new water at 2.23

 

[stonerpadre]

No - simply mix the new water with coppersafe at same copper level as quarantine tank
So if quarantine tank is.2.23 as an example, mix new water at 2.23

Ok thank you and what about the wave maker ? Is the air stone a better option ?
Thanks for the help !

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok thank you and what about the wave maker ? Is the air stone a better option ?
Thanks for the help !

Air stone provides a great surface air exchange