Clownfish - please help identify illness

[richardinparis]

Hello,

I have a couple of clown fish since about a month. One of them started to develop a grey/pinkish scab-like growth. I was told it might be a parasite so I gave it a fresh water bath of about 7 minutes but it didn't fall off.

About a week later the growth was much bigger so my local aquarium recommended a 60 second bath with antibiotics which didn't do anything at all.

Now the growth is more of a hole, I fear it's actually eating into him. I read might be lymphocystis. Can anyone help ?

Also, he keeps trying to rub himself against the other fish.

Please help !

 

[bang guy]

It looks like an infected wound to me. The antibiotics should be the answer. Did the instructions just say one 60 second dip? I would have thought twice a day for a week or so.

 

[richardinparis]

That's what they said in the store. They also said that I needed to isolate him to administer the antibiotics because they would kill the corals.

So you reckon I should buy some more and dip him twice a day for a week? I was afraid that it might cause him too much stress.

 

[beth]

I think its aggression. Can you separate that fish from all the others? You can see in that vid that the clown is being nipped at right at the wound site. He must be separated to see if he heals up. Also, are those clowns mated?

 

[pegasus]

I think its aggression. Can you separate that fish from all the others? You can see in that vid that the clown is being nipped at right at the wound site. He must be separated to see if he heals up. Also, are those clowns mated?

IMO, I don't think the yellow clown goby is cause of the wound. It appears the clownfish just got too close to the goby, and the goby did what they naturally do. Never the aggressor, but they definitely don't want any other fish in their "space". Get too close, and you'll get popped. I've witnessed this behavior countless times with the pair in my tank.

 

[richardinparis]

I'm not sure that it's agression. In the video it looks that way, but when I observe them they seem to get along, and it's always the clown going towards the yellow goby. I've even seen the goby attach himself to the clown with the sucker on his underbelly. Or am I misinterpreting all this?

 

[pegasus]

I'm not sure that it's agression. In the video it looks that way, but when I observe them they seem to get along, and it's always the clown going towards the yellow goby. I've even seen the goby attach himself to the clown with the sucker on his underbelly. Or am I misinterpreting all this?

I don't think you're misinterpreting it at all. I believe it was just a coincidence that the clown happened to have the wounded side towards the goby when it got too close. There are certain movements that fish make when they get close to the goby that seems to trigger a response. Fish swimming around the gobies doesn't seem to bother them. It's when they get very close, and usually pause sideways next to them that initiates a defensive reaction. I have a McKoskeri flasher that tends to irritate my clown gobies. As long as it's swimming by, or around, nothing happens. When the flasher turns sideways and closes in on the gobies in what appears to be an intimidation maneuver, sometimes accompanied by a slight wiggling, the gobies will always react. Other than that behavior, they are extremely peaceful tank mates.

 

[beth]

The goby could be secondary....but he knew exactly where to hit the clown (coincidental?). Also, IMO, no fish can be eliminated from the cause of aggression in a fish tank. All are capable of it.

It looks like aggression (unless I am seeing those pics wrong). The only solution is removal/separation.

 

[pegasus]

I agree that it could be secondary, and I think it should also be separated from the other fish. It definitely needs to be quarantined where it can be treated for infection. Looking at the pictures, it appears that the wound is very deep... possibly to the spine. If that's the case, it may be too late. It's still worth every effort to save the poor thing...

With an open wound like that, which is possibly an ulcer, I'd try an antibiotic treatment such as MelaFix Marine.

 

[beth]

Its opened up and looks pretty bad, but it does not have obvious signs of infection. Nevertheless a course of antibiotics would be good, but I'm thinking you don't have a quarantine tank?

 

[richardinparis]

I don't have a quarantine tank but I can go buy one - I'm in France though and the stores are closed on Sundays. I'm pretty new so for the moment I just have a 60L (15 gallon) tank with 3 fish. I have a breeding box which I use for acclimation.

I have two clown fish - one male and one female. I don't know if they are mated. Would the separation cause stress for them ? The store told me they didn't like to be alone. Should I put them both in quarantine ?

 

[beth]

He needs to be separated completely for now. In France, it will be difficult to recommend a medication since I don't know what is available there. Also, medication in a new uncycled tank will be difficult to maintain. How is he behaving? Is he still eating? I would recommend using a quarantine tank permanently because you do not want to introduce fish diseases to a new tank. Min. you will need a good powerhead, heater hiding places for fish (better to use fake rocks or decoration rather than live rock. Leave the bottom of the tank bare; however, the bottom tank should be placed on a table so that there is not reflectiveness coming through bottom glass.

Can you say when this problem first began?

How big is the breeding box?