Help what's this on my clownfish?

[ibrat82]

Hi

I just got a pair of clownfish on Monday and never noticed this white fuzzy spot on him until now. The picture is not the greatest but it's hard to get this stupid iPhone to focus. It's maybe 1-2 mm and it looks like a fuzz ball. It's only on his back no where else and the other clown doesn't seem to have it. Has been acting fine and always seems hungry. I hope it's not brookynella. These are pretty small too maybe an inch long.

 

[blazend]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisart.htm

"loose cottony growth"

"Most often the result of parasitic infestation, but can be just excess mucus production from chemical exposure, poor water quality."

 

[ibrat82]

Well that sucks. Just got these fish 3 days ago. Should I quarantine this one? I did call my lfs and they said to bring him back to treat him. Would this pass on to the other clown would it be better to bring them both back?

Also as per your link it saying this could be due to to poor water quality.

Here's what my water is like

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm
Phosphate .1
Salinity 1.025
Ph 7.6-7.8

Could this have happened from being in my tank for only 3 days or more than likely from the lfs?

 

[ibrat82]

Anyone?

Well that sucks. Just got these fish 3 days ago. Should I quarantine this one? I did call my lfs and they said to bring him back to treat him. Would this pass on to the other clown would it be better to bring them both back?

Also as per your link it saying this could be due to to poor water quality.

Here's what my water is like

Alkalinity 101 as per hanna
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm
Phosphate .1
Salinity 1.025
Ph 7.6-7.8

Could this have happened from being in my tank for only 3 days or more than likely from the lfs?

 

[ibrat82]

After doing some reading would you say it's Lymphocystis?

 

[pyithar]

it's possibly lymphocystis imo. if that's the case, provide the fish with good food(also soak the food in selcon) and good, stable water and it should go away.

 

[leviburns89]

Your phosphates are 4X the recommended level of .025.

This very well could lead to harmful bacteria populations.

I am reading more and more on the issue phosphate plays in our tanks. It's staggering.

Do a WC, and try adding phosban, or GFO to the system.

 

[ibrat82]

Here's the weird part. When test kits don't give accurate results how's one to know if it truly is the case. I tested phosphate for the first time yesterday after cycling my tank over the weekend. It read .24 on Hanna and 0.16 on Red Sea. Tested it again and today Hanna was 0.08 and Red Sea still the same around 0.16. I even tested the water coming directly from my gfo reactor to see if my media had exhausted itself and it too measured 0.16 so I changed the media and increased the flow to the reactor to get more contact with the media. I only put new media in 4 days ago and it looks like it exhausted itself in that short period of time.

It's frustrating when all these test kits give such varying results.

Your phosphates are 4X the recommended level of .025.

This very well could lead to harmful bacteria populations.

I am reading more and more on the issue phosphate plays in our tanks. It's staggering.

Do a WC, and try adding phosban, or GFO to the system.

 

[leviburns89]

Well, if the Hanna is correct, those levels are insane high.
If the red sea is correct, you're still way way high.

This could very well be exhausting your gfo that quick.

This is why most seasoned reefers don't recommend running gfo until your rock has fully cured (sometimes 6 months) and purged itself of all the excess phosphates. You would spend a million dollars replacing gfo before you got anywhere.

Are you using pukani rock? If so, I would almost guarantee this is the issue. It has insane phosphate issues, due to the immense pore network.

A more cost effective route, that many reefers have had success with is introducing lanthanum chloride. It is cheap, $12, and can be purchased online, or in most pool and spa stores.

Others have had success dosing a carbon source such as vodka or vinegar. But these methods take time.

Lanthanum chloride will instantly precipitate any phosphates in the water column. But if this is the route you choose, do some research, as you can't just dump it in and have a fix. You have to dose it accordingly.