Please Help my sick clownfish

[clawson]

Help I noticed 2 nights ago my Maroone clownfish had symetrical bumps on either side of his dorsal fin. The next day the bump changed colors and became white lumps on both sides of fin. The bumps now look lumpy like a tumor and are still symetrical. He is eating and behaving normally but the tumor seems to be growing. Has anyone seen this before? Please help me cure him. See attached photo.
Thanks, Holly

 

[elfdoctors]

I believe that this could be a case of Lymphocystis. This is a probably viral infection which can pop up unexpectedly. It is often described as cauliflower-like growths on the fish which is what I see in your photograph. Most fish also usually do not appear ill with this disease.
Feed the fish well and limit other stress to the fish. Most fish will get over this.
Beth may even want to use your picture. I think it is better than the sample picture of Lymphocystis on the Diseased Fish sticky at the top of the forum.
Welcome to swf.com!

 

[clawson]

Does Lymphocystis usually occur on matching side of the fin ie symetrical? He is in the tank with a small tellow Tang. Do you think this may be stressing him? I also do not have a anemone in the tank with him. I am just trying to analyze how he may have gotten this and what causes him stress.
Thanks for all info,
Holly

 

[beth]

Lymph is what I thought too. You say the fish seems fine otherwise? What are your water readings? What are you feeding the fish? How long have you had this fish?

 

[clawson]

Hi Beth,
Thanks for the info. The readings in the tank ie ammonia, nitrite, nitrate are all zeros and the PH is 8.3 but we have recently been adding a buffer to Stabilize the PH due to recommendation from a local fish shop who also tested our water.
Until about a week ago, we were feeding him Formula One Ocean nutrition but with the addition of a small tang we switched to Formula Two and we occasionally feed both of them brine shrimp. We also put on clip seaweed selects for the tang and the clownfish will eat pieces if they break off and are floating.
We have had the clownfish for one month and the tang one week. We don't have a QT yet but are considering after reading on this forum.
Questions we have:
How to increase his diet to be more nutritional and how do we reduce his stress level? Also what do you suggest we should keep the tank temp at? We have been between 80-82 is that right?
Thanks, Holly and Mark
Ps. Feel free to use my pic if needed and I have others that show the symetrical look.

 

[beth]

Try using a variety of the frozen foods and seaweed sheets for the tang. Clowns are more carnivores, where tangs eat more seaweed. a diet of a single food just isn't healthy enough. How many times a day are you feeding? With a tank, you should feed at least 3x a day. Also add a grounding problem. Add zoecon to the food for vitimin supplementation.
If your pH is stable why buffer more? Do you have a reef tank? 80-82 is fine.
Can you get a lighter picture of that clown for me?

 

[clawson]

Hi Beth,
Yes we have a reef tank and we were told to feed the fish once a day. You say we should feed them 3x a day and more of a variety. Should we use a mixture of the two formula flakes 2x a day and then frozen brine 1x a day? Do we add Zoecon to the flakes or to some other type of food?
"Also add a grounding problem" How can we test for this? We have 2 powerheads (penguin 660's) and a 200 watt Visi-therm heater. After testing, if there is a problem, what probe type do you suggest we use to ground the tank.
Again thanks for the info,
Holly and Mark
PS. I included a lighter picture. I can make more adjustments if needed.

 

[clawson]

Hi again,
We watched the yellow Tang start to pick at the clownfish's "tumor" and it actually looks like it was pulled through from one side to hang out of the other side as though the tang was pulling the tumor out of the clown.
Our tang picks at everything but normally has shown no aggression to our clown. We fully expect the tang will pick it off sometime soon.
How much of a problem is this for the tang. Do you think he will be affected?
I included best picture I had.
Thanks, Holly

 

[clawson]

Sorry forgot picture