Strange growth/spot under clownfish mouth.

[Stingray122]

Hi, just picked up two clowns yesterday to begin my quarantine process while my tank cycles. They were both drip acclimated and are doing swell. They are also both eating. This morning I noticed that one has a strange red bump (could have been there yesterday but not entirely sure if it was) under it's mouth. The Midnight clown does pick on the mocha a little bit, but its never full blown aggressive, it sort of just swims at it to spook it. They were both in the same tank at the LFS for a decent amount of time. It seems he only picks on him when I watch from up close too which is odd ha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYXxWibD4UE&feature=youtu.be

Heres a video I took of the bump. Thanks guys! I do have a bunch of medications on hands incase it is something that I need to take care of, but cant find anything that looks similar to this online. Is it possibly just an injury? I did have to drive them an hour home in traffic.

 

[Stingray122]

Params if you need them. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate all undetectable (water is only about 16 hours old). Temp 79F. Salinity 1.026-1.027 (in the middle of both on the refractometer).

 

[Sk8r]

It could be ich, could be lympocystis. The one is a parasite, the other a virus. I would assume ich, and treat accordingly. Go to the Disease forum for advice and specifics.

 

[Stingray122]

Sounds good, thank you! I was planning on TTMing these guys, but just noticed it on the first day. I also noticed what I thought was definately ich on the Midnight clown, glad I quarantined! My first reef tank so I wanted to start off strong.

 

[Stingray122]

Also, I know its hard to see in the potato video, but the bump seems to have some reddish coloration to it, would that be seen in ick? Always associated ich with the white salt/sugar like appearence, but im no expert!

 

[fishkeeprian]

Also, I know its hard to see in the potato video, but the bump seems to have some reddish coloration to it, would that be seen in ick? Always associated ich with the white salt/sugar like appearence, but im no expert!

I had similar experience. Mine had a similar blemish in the same spot. No redness tho.

I think it's viral rather than a parasite. I've had mine for months now and never developed any symptoms of ich.

Keep it well feed with a good food and supplement with selcon, keep water good and it will go.

I used also used api fungal medication to help. I would suggest you use both the bacterial one as you are showing signs of redness along with the fungal they can be used together.

 

[Uncle99]

The fish appears to swim normal, eyes are not cloudy, breathing appears easy.
If your fish eats well, while it does not rule out Ick, IMO it is not.....watch for any sign of increase or behavioral problems, I treat only when I have a reasonable suspicion of the cause. TTM and Hypo are stresses on there own, just not as stressful as copper. Any Ick I have ever seen looks like a dusting of flour, or very fine grained salt, appearing anywhere on the fish but many times starts in the gills as this is where the mist contact with the water is thus more the chance the free swimming parasite can attach to the host...that's why breathing becomes difficult and eating stops...this part can happen with no other visable signs.

 

[Sk8r]

Redness is not a feature of ich, generally.

 

[Stingray122]

He eats like a champ, he does have some stringy poop, which I have been researching. Would I want to treat him with some metro dosed in the water since theyre in QT or would binding it with the food be more effective? I was thinking maybe trying to feed some mysis to see if it was just the proteins giving him problems. I have been feeding them fauna marin medium clownfish pellets. They both eat about 3 pellets or so.

 

[Stingray122]

Today the bump is gone, looks like just some healing skin (ever so slightly discolored, orange-brown), possible maybe it was just an abrasion? Ill keep an eye on it closely for the next month of QT, but I think hes healing.

 

[fishkeeprian]

He eats like a champ, he does have some stringy poop, which I have been researching. Would I want to treat him with some metro dosed in the water since theyre in QT or would binding it with the food be more effective? I was thinking maybe trying to feed some mysis to see if it was just the proteins giving him problems. I have been feeding them fauna marin medium clownfish pellets. They both eat about 3 pellets or so.

Prazi Pro is well we recommended it also treats flukes.

 

[Joe0813]

I had a redish bump on my watchman goby.... it would get worse and then he started swimming in circles around the top of the tank and would not eat. came home from work one day and he was snail food.

 

[Uncle99]

Yup, just watch him, No need to medicate if he can heal himself...

 

[Stingray122]

It seems the red spot has returned, this time appearing more linear rather than a bump. More along the lines of a scratch, the midnight (larger of the two) was being slightly aggressive towards the smaller mocha ocellaris. Will these two eventually sort out their differences? Anything I can do to speed the healing process? The Mocha was showing his submissiveness by doing that little shake they do.

 

[fishkeeprian]

It seems the red spot has returned, this time appearing more linear rather than a bump. More along the lines of a scratch, the midnight (larger of the two) was being slightly aggressive towards the smaller mocha ocellaris. Will these two eventually sort out their differences? Anything I can do to speed the healing process? The Mocha was showing his submissiveness by doing that little shake they do.

submissiveness of one clown is a good sign. Nothing you can do really other than keep your eye on the aggression. If things get out of hand and they are causing injury you may need to separate.

Clownfish heal really quickly. I've seen wounds heal within 24-48 hours.

 

[Uncle99]

Hum....these are two different clowns...or at least in colour.
This of course is a little harder....if fighting continues, separate for 48 hours and reintroduce.
Same species, same pattern, 1 large femal, 1 small male......works virtiually every time..