Please help diagnose - thought I had crypto

[billag]

I have been treating two false percs for what appeared to be crypto for the last week in QT with cupramine. They had small white specs that were there for a few days, disappeared, came back.

Last night they were out and active, happy to eat. No visible signs of infection. This morning, they have no appetite. They are being reclusive in the PVC. They do not appear lethargic. They do have something other than white spots, but I'm not sure what I'm seeing? Slime? Sloughing skin? Fungal infection?

I've attached photographs. Sorry they are not of the greatest quality. Hopefully they will be helpful.

I would appreciate any advice.

 

[MrTuskfish]

This is almost certainly brooklynella (clownfish disease). Its very contagious deadly and quick-acting. The only cure (that I'm confident with) is formalin or a med containing formalin. They need to be treated ASAP. Were these new fish, or in your DT?

 

[billag]

They were in the DT for 2 years w/o issue (only inhabitants in a 75G after a bad pump caused a crash) ... I was starting over and got overzealous. I added a Klein's butterfly after only 3-4 weeks of quarantine (no prophylactic hypo or copper) He looked fine and was eating and active. A week later, he was showing small white, grain like spots. The spots disappeared, and then a few days later showed up on all three fish. I removed all three fish started cupramine in the QT. The butterfly died a few days later, clowns seemed ok (active, out and about, eating) until today.

Can early states of brooklynella look like crypto?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Yes, early brook can look like crypto; but it progresses much faster. Copper will not kill brooklenella. Your DT must remain fishless for at least 4+ weeks while all fish are treated.

 

[billag]

Since I've got cupramine in the QT, I cannot dose formalin. Do you suggest a formalin dip or should I run carbon and do water changes to remove the copper and then dose a formalin based med in the QT?

 

[snorvich]

This is almost certainly brooklynella (clownfish disease). Its very contagious deadly and quick-acting. The only cure (that I'm confident with) is formalin or a med containing formalin. They need to be treated ASAP. Were these new fish, or in your DT?

Absolutely.

 

[billag]

With the holidays, I was unable to find formalin. Hopefully tomorrow. I gave the clowns a 30 minute freshwater dip (pH and temperature matched to the HT). That seemed to give them some relief and they appear a better this evening than they did in the morning.

From what I understand, the best treatment is formalin dips (as opposed to a formalin based med in the HT) so that will be my next step, assuming I can find it.

Since I'm now treating for brook and not crypto, I'm assuming that I should go ahead and run carbon in the HT to remove the cupramine. If it's not doing any good, I don't see the point in applying that stress, do you agree?

What isn't clear to me about the formalin dip treatment for brooklynella is the potential for free swimming parasites in the HT once the dip has completed. How do I combat these? Should I be running a hypo environment in the HT with the formalin dips?

 

[billag]

24 hours later the fish have gone from reclusive, not eating, and just trying to remain upright on the bottom of the tank to free swimming and begging for food. They still have visible signs of infection, but not as bad as the pictures.

I'm under the assumption the fresh water dip gave them some relief. Is this consistent with a brook infection?

 

[MrTuskfish]

A FW dip, even without formalin may provide some short-term relief for brook; certainly not a cure, though. (Also velvet, but not ich). Yes, remove the copper. not only is it not doing much/anything; it stresses the fish.