My clown has a pop eye and small white spots

[ramey70]

What is this? I've seen ICK in a freshwater tank and from what I remember the spots were very pronounced and close to the scales. This are almost like little bubbles and the are all over the dorsal area. The clown also has a large pop eye. I have noticed this over the past several days. The only other fish in the tank is a clown and he seems to be doing fine with no spots or anything.

 

[beth]

Ick looks like salt sprinkled on the fish. The appearance of ick may seem to look like bubbles on a fin area. I suggest that you use a magnifying glass and look closely. We want to be clear on a diagnosis before proceding with a treatment.
Additionally, give us some info about your tank. If you have LR, LS or inverts you can not treat fish in your tank. If you have a hospital tank or can get one set up this is the best thing.

 

[ramey70]

30g, 45lb live rock, 1 Clark's clown, 1 percula clown, 2 scarlet crabs, 3 blue crabs, deep sand bed. When I added the liverock an ammo spike occured. This was about a week ago just before the problem started. Could that have something to do with it?

 

[beth]

That is exactly what happened. Live rock, even "curred" needs to be cycled. While it is fine to allow LR to cycle in a tank wo animals in it, naturally, LR cycling in a tank with animals is going to be problemmatic.
If you are going to treat the fish, prepare a separate hospital tank.

 

[ramey70]

If I set up a hospital tank, what do I treat them with? There is a ***** right across the street and they have just about everything.

 

[beth]

Did you do what I suggested about looking at the fish closely to confirm or rule out ick? [See above, my suggestion].
If you are sure it is ick, then setup the hospital tank and then treat using hyposalinity. No medication. Note, that if you are dealing with ick, then all of your fish should be treated as they have all been exposed, whether they are symptommatic at this point or not.
Hyposalinity: Make sure that the ph and temperature in your hospital tank equals that of your tank. Over the course of 48 hrs, incrementally drop the salinity in your hospital down to 1.009. Keep a watch out for PH drops in particualarily due to the hyposalinity. Feed your fish garlic soaked food and, if you can get some Zoe supplements, use this as well. Once the ick cycles into the free-swimming stage, then the reduced salinity will kill the parasites off. Continue the hyposalinity for 3 weeks AFTER all signs of disease have disappeared from your fish. If all is well, then, over the course of another week, reaise the salinity in the hospital tank back up to normal levels. This should do it.
Again, make sure you are dealing with ick.

 

[ramey70]

I tried Kent RxP yesterday and the popeye is already gone. Most of the spots are gone and the fish is swimming normally and eating. I'll continue the treatment for the suggested time and do a major water change at the end of medication. Thanks for the help!