Identification Help: Clown w/a large worm under head & anal streamer w/pics+params

[charlesgage]

Identification Help: Clown w/a large worm under head & anal streamer w/pics+params

Hi All, thanks in advance for your advice. I have successfully treated this fish twice over the last 12 years with the help of this forum.

I have a sick Clown that has been in a 10 gallon QT for 7 days being treated with EM and recently Cu, has not eaten in 10+ days. It has some kind of work like thing on it's head subdermally and now an Anal streamer. Ity's breathing heavily, but otherwise active like usual. I need help with identification to assist in creating a treatment plan.

It might be easier to just look at these pictures and their comments on Imgur, but I will summarize below as well: https://imgur.com/a/gHrOvVo

A worm type thing appeared under the skin of the head. Also a newer symptom is this white streamer from the anus. This happened after hitting the theraputic dose of Cupramine.

Fish has not been eating and breathing heavily, but is otherwise active and acts normally. Treatment is Currently Erythromycin and recently Cupramine (ramping over the last 3 days). I am not sure that my treatment is appropriate, and I cannot identify the disease.

I have had this fish for 12+ years and there have been no additions, losses, or changes to the tank in 4+ years. Excepting a refractometer which began to drift in calibration resulting in Salinity of 1.018 for likely an extended period. The tank has been on cruise control and all of my quality test kits are expired, there are some test strip readings below.

QT Diary: fish stopped eating for 3-4 days before QT and the worm type thing on the head appeared. Moved to QT and began treatment with Erythromycin on advice of the LFS. After no improvement by Day 4 I started to Ramp Cupramine over 3 days, ending in .4-.5 mg/L by the Evening of Day 6. Anal streamer appeared Morning of Day 7 (today Jan 28th).

Nitrate and Nitrite were high on Day 6 but after adding half a capful of Seachem Stability they stabilized by day 7. sg 1.021 (recently calibrated refractometer) pH 8.1-8.2 by calibrated digital meter and Apex Classic. Ammonia ~.05 (recently spiked but plan large WC tonight)

Day 7 (jan 28th): Just saw ammonia come up in the last day, dosed bio spira today.

Day 7: Cupramine is about .4 mg/mL, it's been on a 3 day ramp

More pics:

 

[monkeysee1]

Is he any better now from the Cupramine?? How are your nitrates now??
I think he might need some Prazi-Pro.

 

[charlesgage]

Is he any better now from the Cupramine?? How are your nitrates now??
I think he might need some Prazi-Pro.

Thanks for weighing in! It was as crickets in here…

I came to the Same conclusion thankfully on the prazi-pro and overnighted some of it. I began treatment with prazi last night. This is because yesterday she had some kind of thing sticking out the top of her head that looked like tiny clear tubes busting out. How this fish is still alive and very active is beyond me at this point! She is a pig though so apparently had two weeks of energy stores to go without food. That can’t last much longer I suspect.

after 7 days of Erythromycin I stopped the EM yesterday when I switched over to prazi pro. I also have some furan 2 in the fish supplies but I’m leaning away from bacterial at this point. I’m not sure if it will do any good but al of these treatments seem to have no interactions. Thoughts on furan?

the bio spira blasted the nitrates and nitrites for sure! One good thing I guess. It also took a good chunk of the green out of the ammonia alert badge. It has just the faintest hint of green and only in a certain light. It’s also not showing up on test strips but with cupramine I think you can only trust the alert badge and Seachems own “ammonia dots” in their kits. I’ll see if I can get a picture of the head later today. I had to take a short road trip this morning.

Im doing 33% water changes every other day and sucking out uneaten food. Not sure what else I can do except hope that the praxi performs fish healing magic.

 

[monkeysee1]

Furan is great for treating bacterial infections and is gentle on the fish. It won't hurt your little clownfish while your dosing with Prazi-Pro but I have concerns about it REDUCING the EFFECTIVENESS of the Prazi-Pro. I would leave it out at this point.
Like I said, it DOESN'T LOOK or SOUND like it's an Ice or a bacteria problem, or a velvet problem. MY money is on FLUKES!
Good with the water changes, that will keep the ammonia from spiking. Add a little Prazi after each change to keep the dose constant.
Sounds like you're doing good work.