is there something wrong with my clown fish?

[ewkgirlie]

on my clown this morning i foung that he has somewhat clr white spots on him. i'm a little concern.. does anyone no whats happening?
~help

 

[818]

Is it a white film or white little granules?

Sam

 

[myusername]

you need to buy this fish. it will help you out. I had your Por. and I bout that fish, and he cleand all the fish.

 

[NicoleC]

Any rapid breathing? Gasping at the surface?
Slime on the clown?
Stringy poop?
Rubbing up against or flashing rocks and sand?
Eating normal? What is he eating and how often?
Activity normal? Lethargic? More active?
Any tank mates?

How long have you had him, and was he QT'd?
Prophylatically treated with anything before introduction to the tank?

Also, we need a full set of water parameters and a clear photo would be a huge help.

 

[myusername]

Is it like this? If so, that fish wiil take care of it.

 

[NicoleC]

Please do not add any livestock until you have your sick fish under control.

 

[GTR]

That picture doesn't look like it's from a parasite but instead an infection. And I thought Labroides dimidiatus were pretty much doomed to starve in captivity?

SteveU

 

[GTR]

Parasite distribution on client reef fish determines cleaner fish foraging patterns
ABSTRACT:
Recent evidence suggests that cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus effectively control parasite densities on client reef fish that actively visit them to have parasites and dead or infected tissue removed. These findings support the hypothesis that clients benefit from cleaning. However, they do not show how cleaners reduce the parasite load of their clients. Cleaners could selectively feed on parasites or parasite removal could be a side product of cleaners foraging indifferently on the client surface, resulting in the removal of healthy mucus and scales also. To investigate cleaner fish foraging behaviour, we infected individuals of the surgeon fish Ctenochaetus striatus, with parasitic monogeneans on one body side, while the other body side was parasite free. We then allowed these clients to interact with L. dimidiatus. We found that the duration of interactions depended on parasite load, and that cleaners spent both more time and took more bites per time unit on the infected than on the uninfected side. Our data thus support the idea that parasite abundance determines food patch quality for cleaners. The overall outcome of cleaning interactions is thus likely to benefit the clients.
Full text (PDF)
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2002/235/m235p217.pdf

Interesting (at least to me) and may show there could be other reasons for the behavior. Not the suggestion by Losey (1977) that a turning brush brought on the same response by client fish and that Losey (1987) proposed clients visited cleaners for hedonistic reasons, but rather healthy tissue may also be effected.
SteveU

 

[NicoleC]

The picture appears to be lymphocystis to me, which is a viral infection that would cure itself given good quality water and food.

 

[818]

I had a cleaner wrasse. Though he became a nice lunch for my RBTA.

They are readily available at petco for $8.00.


I can tell you one thing though. Cleaner shrimp IME are the easiest and natural way to get rid of ich fast. Its worked for me everytime.

Sam

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

sounds like ich get a cleaner wrasse but make sure to watch out for the "false cleaner wrasse" they will eat the scales of the un expecting fish

 

[ewkgirlie]

oh manh thank guys for all the info. and for some answers:
there was some rappid breathing but note any more.
i did see him at the surface a few times. no slime.
he's eating a little less. less activity and the only other mates he has so far are are just hermit crabs and like 3 snails.
i had him for like a month and a half. i'm sorry i don't have a picture yet. but on the tail he does have like maybe 3 white spots like in the picture above but like that it's only in the tail part. but on the back half of him is where i noticed the somewhat clear white spots kind of like see thru but not completly.

 

[NicoleC]

Please look up photos online if ick, marine velvet and lymphocystis and see if you have a match. The rapid breathing is worrisome, and the eating less and reduced activity is critical.

I would definately prepare a FW dip for the fish. You will need to match temp and pH (with buffer) and carefully monitor the fish (keep your eyes on him) for ~10 minutes. If he gets very agitated, remove him and place him back in the tank.

A FW dip will provide some temporary relief from parasites, especially in the gills. After the dip check the bottom of the dip container for residue, take detailed notes and view under a microscope if possible.

 

[818]

I wouldnt do a FW dip on an already stressed fish. You will just add to its pain very quickly. Plus hes weak since you said he isnt eating. A weak fish that hasnt eatin in a while wont make it past 5 minutes in a FW dip IME. They will just go down hill from there.

Look up Hyposalinity. This works great. I had more tragedies doing FW dips, Hypo is definatley a winner.


Sam

 

[NicoleC]

It depends on the fish. Clowns are extremely tolerant of FW dips when properly administered. If you do not match the water parameters, FW dipping is ruthlessly stressful.

Hypo is a great technique but a very slow one, but if the gills are badly infected with parasites, the fish may suffocate before the parasites die.

This is why docs and vets don't diagnose over the internet.