Can anyone help me with my clowns?

[ReefArtist]

Hi Everyone,
I just purchased these two clowns and have them in QT before putting them into my display. I noticed white spots after a few days and asked my LFS (John) about treatment. At the time I didn't have great photos for him to look at and he thought it might be ICK or a secondary bacteria. He had me start with copper and formalin treatment which I'm doing now. The problem is I'm not really sure if it's really ICK after getting better photos. I have a question posted on the Fish Disease Treatment forum but I really don't think it's monitored closely. I'm very concerned about these guys and want to help them the best way I can. This is the link to the other fourm with parameters and QT setup:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/newthread.php?s=&action=newthread&forumid=72

Here is what the white spots look like:

Thank you very much!

 

[gatorolsen]

have you tried posting in the clownfish forum - not that I think it is a clownfish specific problem, but their forum seems to be pretty active.

 

[ReefArtist]

Hi GatorOlsen,
No I haven't but that is a great idea - I'll give this great forum a few hours and then I'll post there. Thanks for the idea.

 

[conchead]

Doesn't look like ick, to me. Ick looks more like grains of salt.

 

[kybreos]

just looks like some missing scales to me, probably from netting and transport. do some anti fungal and anti bacterial treatment and they should be good to go.

 

[ReefArtist]

Wow - thanks for all this information. John from (Fish and Other Ichthy Things) thought it might be bacterial but first photos weren't that great. I really respect John and feel it was the way to go with what he had to go by (poor photos on my part). I've heard so many horror stories about peoples fish just getting some spots and it seem the next day they are dead.

I've always have used Maracyn-Two for my freshwater fish infections and I know they also make a saltwater version. Does that sound like it would help?

I'm might go up to see John today and talk to him and show him the new pictures (It is a drive from Largo). I feel a little better about their care now, but I'll feel much better when the spots are healed.

Thank you so much for all the help you've provided.

 

[TAMike97]

Are the fish eating at all?

 

[ReefArtist]

Hi - yes they are eating great and have from the beginning. I did go back to see John at (Fish and Other Ichthy Things) and he had me start the Maracyn-two treatment. He's still having me give them the copper and formalin just in case and now they are getting a good complete treatment. I'm going to wait about 3 days and if no improvement, I'll have to seek out more advice. At this point they are not getting worse - which is great news.

The spots are very strange because they are raised and not like they just rubbed against something. They are acting normal, swimming, eating etc.

 

[triggerfish1976]

I bought a percula clown that developed something similar around his mouth. Looked like large grains of rock salt stuck to his upper and lower lips. I got some of the medicated food that John sells and it cleared up in about a week. I came to the conclusion that it was some sort of bacterial infection.

 

[ReefArtist]

That's a great description "rock salt" grains. That's exactly what it looks like. John also gave me some medicated food to give them,they don't really like it but they'll eat some. I wait about an hour and give then just a little frozen food with vitamins, just to make sure they stay healthy. I do believe this is a bacterial infection also- I just hope it starts to clear up in a few days.

 

[triggerfish1976]

I had to not feed the tank my regular prep. food for about 2 days so they would eat the flake but it seemed to work.

 

[ReefArtist]

Hi Triggerfish,
That's what I'll start doing. I know all my parameters are good and they look real health, a little less food won't hurt them. Thanks for the idea- I do feel better about them.

Carol

 

[triggerfish1976]

The first time I ever used the medicated food I got worried because the fish wouldn't eat it. I was told to not feed them for a day or so and that just didn't sit to well with me. I bit the bullet and held out and they started to eat enough to sustain them.

 

[ReefArtist]

Thanks, I just feed them a little and they grabbed it and then spit it out - LOL. But now it looks like they're going back and eating it. I'll leave them alone for about 10 minutes and see if anything is left - then clean out the left overs. It's only a 10g so I'll have to be careful about anything they leave.