Clownfish symptoms

[ebbaxter0422]

I bought two true percula clownfish today from my LFS. In my excitement, I didn't realize that one of the clownfish is peeling in two small areas (looks like two hangnails) and also has somewhat retracted fins. Is this something that I should be worried about? (I would contact my LFS but they are closed now until tuesday). The other clownfish appears normal and has no peeling at all so I don't think it is my aquarium. I've had inverts for over a few months before getting my fish.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Peeling? Like skin peeling? Pics would def help with this one.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

Its like a white outside layer. he is the one on the right.

is there anything i can do immediately? I have no chemicals or anything

 

[b0bab0ey]

Looks like the beginnings of Brooklynella to me. Anyone else concur (or disagree)?

Google it, look at some pics and make a comparison. If you think it's Brook, read these articles:

http://www.fishvet.com/Brooklynella.htm

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/ichparasiticdiseases/a/aabrooklynella.htm

 

[JHawlz9989]

FWIW, one of my clowns just went through a phase of "skin peeling." His scales, especially around the head/first stripe started peeling away. He was very lethargic, had a swollen mouth, and was not eating. I treated with praziquantel, metronidazole, and maracyns 1 and 2 and he is showing an improvement.

With that said, your second photo seems to show it's an actual film covering the body, and not just peeling scales. I think b0bab0ey may be right, or it may be velvet. I've never been good at distinguishing the two.

Either way, I would consider setting up a hospital tank to at least have it ready. I used a 10g for my oscellaris pair.

Best of luck

Josh

 

[ebbaxter0422]

Here is where I am stumped though. I just got these fish today. My LFS and I have the same parameters, 1.024, 8.3pH etc. Even so I acclimated them over the course of two hours.

I have no way of accessing formalin in this short notice... will freshwater dips help at all? I also don't really have a QT, and won't until this next weekend (I have a 2 gallon tank that has freshwater guppies.... but I don't want to kill the guppies to try to save the clownfish, they were a gift). I ordered a bunch of stuff for my 20L on wednesday, but none of it will be here until next weekend.

What can I do!!! My LFS is closed on mondays.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

I attempted to do a freshwater dip over the past hour and a half, trying to make the ph and temperature as close as possible... I had him in for about 3 and a half minutes and then I couldn't take it anymore....

Seeing as I wont be able to have my QT until this weekend I have to try to do freshwater dips and hopefully my livestock can hold out and maybe my LFS can help on tuesday since I bout the fish today :/

 

[steelhead77]

If the skin is sloughing off and looks like it is trailing off the fins, then it is Brooklynella. 100% certain. The ONLY cure is formalyn administered in a hospital tank immediately. If it is not done within probably 12-24 hours of first noticing it, then unfortunately, your fish will probably not make it. Unlike ich, Brook is a fast killer, and also unlike ich, they cannot fight it off and get better without treatment. Freshwater dips will help, but will not cure it. Do not treat the other fish unless it too shows signs of infection.

Good Luck

 

[ebbaxter0422]

The fish vanished overnight... There was a 30 minute period I didn't check on him and when I came back he was gone. Not in filter, LR, or on the floor anywhere.

 

[MrTuskfish]

The fish vanished overnight... There was a 30 minute period I didn't check on him and when I came back he was gone. Not in filter, LR, or on the floor anywhere.

Maybe your inverts ate him, they are quick scavengers. I agree with the posts above, I think this was brooklynella. I'd sure have everything you need for a QT and some formalin on hand. There is a product that contains 37% formalin and mal.green that should work on brook. Formalin seems to be getting hard to find. (Drs F&S have it). I think its ''Rid-Ich", which doesn't cure ich. I think there's a good chance brook will reappear. BTW, no decent LFS would ever let these fish leave the store. Do you know if these were tank-bred or wild caught clowns? If they were in a tank with many juvis, they were almost certainly tank bred. Just curious. Also, I'd strongly suggest you use a QT on all new livestock; the day will come when you regret not doing it.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

It's all good to know now. I am going to contact my LFS as soon as they are open (which sadly isn't until tomorrow). They kept telling me how they were good fish yesterday and that they would be awesome. As for inverts, I only have 2 snails (one which has been on my filter for the past two days, and a stomatella that stays on my liverock only.), a somewhat large hermit crab, and a peppermint shrimp. The fish was completely gone in 30 minutes that I didn't see him. I don't think that the little guys could have done that much damage in that little of time.

Do you recommend me taking the other fish back to the pet store?

 

[b0bab0ey]

It's all good to know now. I am going to contact my LFS as soon as they are open (which sadly isn't until tomorrow). They kept telling me how they were good fish yesterday and that they would be awesome. As for inverts, I only have 2 snails (one which has been on my filter for the past two days, and a stomatella that stays on my liverock only.), a somewhat large hermit crab, and a peppermint shrimp. The fish was completely gone in 30 minutes that I didn't see him. I don't think that the little guys could have done that much damage in that little of time.

Do you recommend me taking the other fish back to the pet store?

Brook is highly contagious amongst clownfish, so there's a good chance your other clown will get it next. You need to do something. Even if the other clown doesn't have visible symptoms yet, I would treat him w/Formalin ASAP. You don't have a PetCo or PetSmart anywhere near you?

 

[ebbaxter0422]

Neither the PetCo nor PetSmart carry saltwater fish. I am going to call them as soon as I get out of class.

This would be the only thing I can do...

I have...

3 - 5 gallon buckets

1 - small powerhead for a 1.5 gallon tank

eight four - to raise the ph.

about 2 gallons of R/O with salt and pH at same levels as my tank but not in the tank.

water wouldn't be hard to get, I can get cheap DI.

what are the steps I can and should take?

okay so I just called petsmart, petco, a pet care place, and my LFS even though they are closed. The first three do not have anything at all. They don't even carry saltwater fish. I got employees to actually go look at the products to just to be safe. One of the pet stores said they had a "quik care" brand with something green and 11% formalin to treat ich. Thats not strong enough right?

The fish isn't looking good

 

[1geo]

Are you sure your fish have Ich or do they have Brooklynella? To tell them apart you have to take a tissue sample and examine it under a microscope. The treatment of choice for Ich is copper but copper will not cure Brook. For Brook you have to use 37% Formalin. Formalin will also cure Ich. So if you are treating for Ich and your fish are not getting better they may have Brook. To treat with Formalin you give your fish Formalin baths. Where you put 1 cc of 37% Formalin (Formaldehyde) in 1 gal of water and dip your fish for a minimum of 45 minutes up to 60 minutes. You do this five times once every other day after 5 dips your fish are rid of Ich and Brook. I also put Formalin in the QT tank. I put 1 cc to 10 gals of water every day during the period I give the baths. Formaldehyde evaporates out of the water within two hours and is not accumulative. It does deplete the oxygen in the water so you need vigorous aeration with air stones in the bath water. Do not use Formalin on fish that have open wounds, it will kill them. After 10 days of Formalin dips, once every other day they are cured of Brook and Ich. The tank the fish came out of has to be fallow, fishless, for at least 8 weeks. The eggs of Ich are in the bottom of your tank and can lay dormant for up to 8 weeks. When they hatch they have to find a host within hours or they will die. Brook's parasite divides and the new cell becomes a free swimmer looking for a host. The swimmer can persist up to four weeks without finding a host before it dies. So a eight week fishless tank can say it is free of Ich and Brook. IF ONE FISH IN YOUR TANK HAS A PARASITE ALL HAVE THE PARASITE EVEN IF THEY SHOW NO SYMPTOMS AND MUST BE TREATED. Don't go through this in the future, QT all new arrives for at least 4 weeks. One more thing, Formalin has a short shelf life so use fresh product and ONLY use 37% Formalin, 15% will do you no good.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

I am getting some formalin from the school, luckily I am in good standing with one of the chemistry professors. I will keep you guys updated. Wish me luck. The brooklynella just started getting bad on the other fish.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Brook kills fast, so he probably won't last until morning without formalin treatment. Even then this still might be a long shot. So move fast.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

Okay so here's my plan. Its the best I can do on this short of notice.

Putting 5 gallons of low sg probably around 1.12 into a 5 gallon bucket, making sure that it has a pH of 8.3, which is the pH of my aquarium. I'm using DI water for the QT. I also bought a chemical that removes chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and also detoxifies nitrite and nitrate. It is supposed to also help give him his slime coat back after the dip.

I managed to get a solution of formalin from my chemistry department, its chemical composition matches the ones that are found in the store bought ones.

For dipping I am using a one gallon aquarium that I just bought at petco... it came with a powerhead so it was a necessity. using about .6 mL per gallon of formalin.

Any last tips?

 

[b0bab0ey]

I would match the SG in the bucket with the SG in your tank. It's the Formalin that's going to work the magic here, the lower SG will just stress him even further. Why not just use water direct from your DT? And why do you need 5 gals for a Formalin dip? 1 or 2 gals should be fine. Just run an airstone. Btw, be careful mixing Formalin with a dechlorinator. I know copper + dechlorinator = dead fish, not sure how it interacts with Formalin. Sorry, not trying to be a nag, just trying to give you a few tips.

 

[ebbaxter0422]

he just took his last breathe, that disease sure kills fast its so sad

i tried guys but i couldn't do it...

What should i do about my LFS...

1. this means that their tank is infested with the parasite
2. they sold me sick fish (first time i've bought saltwater fish from an LFS)

 

[b0bab0ey]

he just took his last breathe, that disease sure kills fast its so sad

i tried guys but i couldn't do it...

Sorry to hear that. I know it can be depressing.

What should i do about my LFS...

1. this means that their tank is infested with the parasite

And your tank too... Unfortunately, most LFS could give a crap. They're there to flip fish, nothing more. I've actually had LFS owners tell me (with a straight face) that they've never had Ich, etc. in one of their tanks. Hopefully the LFS you're dealing with is the exception to the rule.

2. they sold me sick fish (first time i've bought saltwater fish from an LFS)

Most LFS I know of don't offer any guarantees. The fish can die in the bag on your way home and they'll still argue with you about it. Again, I'm not trying to sour you, maybe your LFS is the exception to the rule.

I've pretty much stopped buying from LFS where I live, except when I need snails or something. What I do is group buy (to get free shipping) from Liveaquaria.com. They usually have excellent quality livestock and offer a 2 week guarantee. If you can get a few other people from your area together and do a group buy, it's the way to go IMO.