Lymphocystis on my B&W clownfish??

[Nikky.Werr]

Hello, I bought this clownfish last week at my LFS. It seemed perfect physically, I sorted through their new shipment of fish and chose the least stressed out looking, and least damaged (complete fins, no apparent abrasions, etc). It seems, however, that I missed this lesion on its face somehow... I've googled everything from brooklynella to velvet, ich and lymphocystis. You can't notice how this protrudes from its cheek, it comes out about 1.5mm from cheek. This is the only lesion it has. What do you guys think it is and how could I treat it?

 

[Dmorty217]

Do you have another picture? Lympho doesn't typically start on the fishes body. Usually starts on a fin and can spread from there

 

[Dmorty217]

Enriched, varied diet coupled with prestine water quality is the only way to get it to go away if it is in fact lympho

 

[Nina51]

Enriched, varied diet coupled with prestine water quality is the only way to get it to go away if it is in fact lympho

this ^

had a kole tang in qt with lympho. started soaking his food in selcon and/or vita-chem and it cleared up quickly.

 

[Nikky.Werr]

Hello, I just saw these posts. Unfortunately my lights are out so I cant take anymore pictures but the lesion is very visible since it's a black and white ocellaris and I searched all over its body when I noticed the one on the cheek and it doesn't have anything elsewhere. My water conditions are nearly perfect, even my nitrates are at less than 1 and boy was that a feat (during fishless cycle, I use Dr. Tim's Active Pearls in my canister filter). My water temp does fluctuate though between 78°F-80°F. My pH is at a consistent 8.1. Salinity is at 1.024-1.025. I'll try to stabilize the temp to a constant and i'll use the selcon on every feeding. I prepare fresh mixtures of minced shrimp, squid, clams/oysters and freeze on a weekly basis, is this all right, or should I try something commercial instead?

 

[ca1ore]

Doesn't really look like lympho to me. I've only ever had it manifest on the ends of the fins, so have limited experience. Good news is that it doesn't look like ich, velvet or brook. Although usually clear, could it be a fluke?

 

[snorvich]

While Lymphocystis normally is found on fins, it can be on the body of the fish. If the lesion looks a bit like cauliflower, that would be lympho. Selcon and Vita-chem supplements coupled with good water will cure it. Your other parameters are fine. However, it would be beneficial if you developed a quarantine protocol. And used it.

 

[Dmorty217]

However, it would be beneficial if you developed a quarantine protocol. And used it.

^This is of most importance, it's lympho this time next time you may not be as lucky

 

[Nikky.Werr]

It does look a bit like a cauliflower, so I guess I am lucky. The reason I didn't quarantine this little gal is because this is a small 20g I'd been cycling for about a month and then added CUC that's been there for another month or so, so she's the first fish I've added. I assumed it would be okay, I know what they say about assuming though... So now I know better. Thanks for all your replies. I'll keep this updated with photographs of her progress. I've turned on the UV light in my filter, would that assist or impede or do nothing at all to water quality? I've rarely used that UV because of all the mixed thoughts on its benefits. If you think it'll do no good, I'll just turn it off.
Again, thanks for all your replies. It has been a big help.

 

[Dmorty217]

Most fish will get sick when stressed ie. when shipped. Whole sale fish places simply have too many fish coming in and out to prevent disease and most fish aren't at a whole sale place long enough to show signs of a disease. Some will use a low dose of copper which only masks the problem short term

 

[Nikky.Werr]

Too true Dmorty217.
I've already started using selcon. I'm going to update this with more pictures periodically. I'll try to get some full body ones today.

 

[Nikky.Werr]

Here are pictures of the rest of the body. She was kind of afraid of my lens so please excuse the blurriness, but even so you can tell the rest of her black body is clean.

 

[tylersarah]

If it's not lympho, it could be a little infection. What you're doing sounds good, maybe add a pellet food to your frozen mixture and keep an eye out for redness (streaking or blotchy) on the fish - in that case I would look into treatment.

 

[Nikky.Werr]

(tylersarah) all right, i'll keep that in mind, thanks!

 

[Nikky.Werr]

Hey all, new pictures to add! The lesion is getting smaller, check it out (please excuse the blotchy aquarium glass, I need to get one of those "magnet" glass cleaners for the inside of the glass)

 

[tylersarah]

Good, good! Keep on with the good nutrition/water quality

 

[Nikky.Werr]

All right everyone, the white lesion has completely disappeared but now she won't eat at all... ill upload a photo as soon as possible.

 

[Nikky.Werr]

omg what now

omg what now

All right here are some photos, white lesion completely gone but is it me or do her white stripes seem like they're fading/raw/pinkish at the top??? Oh and she still wont eat. I tried everything from spectrum pellets to various frozen mixes to the frozen caviar for fish my LFS sells.... Hasn't eaten since yesterday.

 

[Nikky.Werr]

Rip

Rip

just checking on her, was about to offer more food. She's dead. i took some post-mortem pics but dont wanna be gruesome and post them unless anyone asks. I didn't find anything on her body, but I didn't autopsy to check out the inside. I really thought she was doing great, she had a big appetite till last night and the white lesion had gone away completely. HUGE bummer. :sad1:

 

[Sk8r]

So sorry to hear.