New clown has a white fluffy growth on his face

[Gup_King]

I bought a pair of clowns on Sunday and they seem to have settled in nicely.

A couple of days ago I noticed a white 'fluffy' looking growth on his face, initially I saw it at a glance and just assumed it had some food stuck to it but a day later and upon closer inspection I now know this is not the case.

I've done a bit of research but every page/thread I come upon seems to have a different answer.

I've attached the best pictures I could manage but I'm aware they're not perfect.

One thread I saw suggested it is something that can simply be pulled off with tweezers but I don't want to do anything too drastic without seeking further advice.

Any suggestions as to what I should do?

EDIT: I've uploaded a small part of the full resolution photo but it's still not fantastic; it is by far the best I've managed to get though.

EDIT 2: Another marginally better image added; again, it's a section of the full-res photo, rather that a shrunken image

 

[Deinonych]

Really hard to see from the pictures. Can you get a closer/more detailed shot of the affected area? How is the fish behaving otherwise? Any flashing/rubbing or heavy breathing?

 

[Gup_King]

Behaviour-wise the fish seems happy but like I've said it very new in the tank and I'm very new to the hobby so I don't really have any points of reference.

 

[Gup_King]

Sorry, I missed the sticky when I first posted but will include the suggested details now.

1. How old is this aquarium? Almost 2 months

2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level? 0

3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured? 1.025 with a refractometer

4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium? Sunday

5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How? No. With the setup being so new and funds being an issue I sis not quarantine

6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When? /N/a

7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer? N/a

8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color? See original post

9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish? The fish seems perfectly happy (though I have no point of reference), he swims fine and is happy anywhere in the aquarium, he possibly spends more time in the top half.

10. Is the fish eating? What? He eats well, both flake and brine shrimp

 

[Gup_King]

Just a quick update.
After showing the guy down at my LFS he said it looks like a cut/bump, probably from moving the fish between tanks.

I've been advised to keep an eye on the clown but to expect an improvement over the next week or so.

 

[Deinonych]

I've been advised to keep an eye on the clown but to expect an improvement over the next week or so.

That's likely a good plan. Sometimes the best action is to do nothing (but be prepared to treat if necessary).

 

[Gup_King]

That's likely a good plan. Sometimes the best action is to do nothing (but be prepared to treat if necessary).

From my experience so far I couldn't agree more. Anything that hasn't gone to plan has been because of impatience or trying to cut corners.

That said, the reason I was concerned is that I'm still cutting a corner by not having a quarantine tank but I just don't have the space or money for another setup.

 

[Deinonych]

Well, if you want peace of mind and long term success, having a quarantine plan for every new acquisition is the way to go. QT doesn't have to be costly, nor does it need to take up a lot of space. All you need is a tank, heater and something for water movement (powerhead, HOB filter etc.) and you're good to go. You can tuck the aquarium in a closet or under a table if space is limited.

Not using a QT is like playing Russian Roulette, IMO.