Disease - Challenge to ID (Tomato Clown)

[r0cksteady]

Hi All,

Ive spent about an hour now trying to ID this disease with no luck. Either I can find any disease that is relevant or there are a few that it may be but the description is too vague.

To give you some back ground I noticed the Large Tomato Clown had about 4-5 thin cotton looking worms extruding from the edges of his mouth and eyes which were about 2-3mm in length.
Its hasn't effected his behavior and they seem to disappear completely after a few days only to come back a week later. Im not sure if perhaps the temperature has anything to do with it as normally the tank is running at 25.5 but went up to 29 this weekend when my fans didn't switch on.

The other clown hasnt been effected in the 2-3 odd weeks now that Ive noticed it and the infected clown seems to be eating and acting normal hosting in his Red BTA.

Ive personally witness the Red Bta actually pinch one and remove it off the Tomato itself and ive also witnessed both a peppermint shrimp and my pair of coral banded shrimp be within very close proximity to the anemone and clown so that could be why after a few days they disappeared.

Heres some photos below hopefully they are clear enough for someone to ID. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/?action=view&current=_IGP2346.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/_IGP2346.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/?action=view&current=_IGP2349.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc108/r0cksteady_scarlett/_IGP2349.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[JHemdal]

It looks superficial to me. It isn't a worm, I'd say that it is just mucus. Has there been any change in the heirarchy between the two clownfish? Sometimes clowns will argue by biting each other, and that can cause issues like this as a result from a "lip lock" one might have had over the other...just an idea.

Jay

 

[r0cksteady]

Umm.....no I dont think so at all. If you see there are worms\strings protruding from his lips and ive seen them actually hanging from his eyes as well.
The bottom picture probably shows it clearer I may have to get some more pics but I do believe its something more than a battle scar as he is much larger than the smaller clown (see 1st pic).

Surely theres something else that it could be?

 

[JHemdal]

Sure it could be something else, but nothing comes to mind from the pictures. When mucus cells go into "overproduction", they can extrude as worm-like white strings, especially around a fish's face. Think like when you squeeze a whitehead....

 

[r0cksteady]

Oh ok I get your meaning. Is there a specific name for it so I can try and google some other images etc

 

[r0cksteady]

Anyone else able to jump in on this?