clown fish

[huckleberry]

both my clown fish have white stuff on them...
kind of looks like slime, but more like lots of white dots of them..
they are the only fish that have them... (or it)
i have a 55 gallon set up....
2 perc clowns (nemo and nema)
1 domino damsel (elvis)
1 yellow tang
2 green chromis
2 bangai cardinals
1 canary blenny
1 scooter blenny
1 sharknose goby
1 blue neon goby
2 scarlet cleaners
2 peppermint (peppermint patty and friend)
2 camel backs
1 fire red shrimp (nancy- she really does look like she has boots on and yes, they're made for walking)
and 2 serpent stars
Ph 8.0
nitrates 10
nitrites 0
ammonia .50
going throgh a little spiek b/c of adding live rock from my LFS
any thoughts about what might be goign on with my 2 clowns?
whatshoud i do?
i know, i know, everything should be at zero

 

[smokinstarfish]

Ammonia spikes are always a problem. Such spikes can weaken fish and make them more susceptible to ailments too.
If you just got the clown fish, maybe it's brooklynella. Maybe it's ick or lymphocystis.

 

[huckleberry]

the clowns have been in there for about 2 weeks.
what is that "brooklyn" disease? any ting i can do to prevent it/ treat it?

 

[smokinstarfish]

Do a search for it. There's things you can do to treat it, including hypo-salinity, if indeed it's a parasite.
As far as prevention goes, the only thing you can really do is quarantine the fish so the other tank inhabitants don't get it. I found this out the hard way real quick.

 

[beth]

Do a serach for brooklynella. There is a good deal of discussion here on it, and also someone posted a pic recently of a clown with the disease. If you find this pic, you can ID it to see if that is what your fish has.
The treatment is formalin baths. Look at the FAQ thread above and go to the 3rd discussion that has a link for the procedures for formalin bathes.

 

[beth]

Here's a pic of a clown with brooklynella:

 

[huckleberry]

wow, thanks for your replies...
yep, that looks like what he has... nasty little stuff, huh?
at first, i thought, well, my fish can't have this disease, they have never been to brooklyn... LOL..
are clown fish the most suspectible fish to this disease, it seems i hvae only heard of clowns getting it.... also,
can the other fish get it from the clown?
thanks

 

[beth]

Yes, the other fish can get it, and this is a disease that kills quickly, thus you need to run to the LFS ASAP and get formalin and proceed with the treatment that is in the link in the FAQ Thread.

 

[naturelover]

try with paint thinner if you can't find formalin.
here is how to use it but be carefull using it.
(dip a brush in paint thinner slightly and wipe the spots with brush carefully and gently without hurting the fish. don't touch it near mouth,eyes or gills when they are open).
Keep fish out on its own bowl while treating like that.

 

[huckleberry]

paint thinner?

 

[naturelover]

yup. just be carefull with use of it.