Red spot on clown

soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
One of my clowns have a very small pinkish/reddish spot on the white side near his gill. If I hadnt seen that I wouldnt even know anything could be wrong. The clown is the more active of the two, eats really well. I wasnt sure if its just some color or if something might be wrong? I cant get a pic of it, so I fig I would just ask general questions. Nitrite, Ammonia are both zero, Alk is 3, pH is around 8.0, Ca is 400 Nitrate is like 5, water is 1.025 81 degrees. Right now I am feeding them ocean nutrition flakes twice a day ( small pinches)
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
soccer, do a better job with nutrition. Try adding lots of variety and some real meat to the diet. Try frozen foods sold in the hobby and adding minced garlic [soak the food in it]. If you really want to think about improved diet, try making up your own fish food. There is a receipe in the FAQ Thread.
Lets see if the improved diet and the garlic resolves this problem. Have you noticed any aggression going on?
 
soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
I will look into improving the diet. I had a feeling that just flakes didnt seem like it would provide all it should. There is no aggression in the tank at all. Besides the two clowns there are two emeralds, a fire shrimp, and a fighting conch, and then some snails. The two clowns are a pair. They lay on eachother and swim together. So I havent seen any type aggression.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Is the pink area on the clown raised or swollen at all? Does it look like it is just pink skin, or like it is festering?
Can you get a pic up? Do you have a QT?
 
soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
The area doesnt look raised. There was alittle more unusual behavior out of him last night. The area just looks like a light pinkish...almost as if maybe its really a red spot under the skin. Its very light in color. yesterday he spent most of his time in his normal spot except he spent most his time on the bottom of the tank, and his top fin was layed back. When i fed or once in awhile he would swim out and then act fine, but his top fin still stayed lowed. It was very obvious when he was next to his mate. I do in fact have a QT. Its been up and going for about 6 weeks now. I checked the water param at all though. I add a pinch of flake food a couple times a week. After your advice I put together a QT with my first fish....so I have tried to go ahead and maintain it. I am going today to get some things to vary his diet tonight. I wasnt able to get there last night. Im also still working at trying to get a pic of this. ( I used this as an excuse that I need to buy a camera soon :) ) Advice?
 
soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
Do you think I need to pickup any other stuff at the LFS? any type medicine or something? I plan on getting some type vitamin drops or something to add to some food as your sticky suggest. Do they make any tray food that is good, so that i can get the tray to use to make my own?
 
soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
OK Beth... I went to the LFS and he thought it sounded like a fluke? He thought it sounded like it was some type parasite or something. He sold me some Formula 2 and some vitamin C drops for the food. Also sold me some Para Guard. Said it s parasite medicine thats an alternative to Formaline. Its made by Seachem. Should I treat the fish in the main tank with this or pull him out and put him in the QT? Also, should I go ahead and just put both clowns back into the QT and treat them both? They are a pair.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
How is the fish breathing? Do you have a magnifying glass so that you can really get a good look at the area? Note if the gill is at all swollen, or if the gill tissue is redder than the other normal one.
Its hard to say without even seeing the problem. I would go ahead and begin hypo to reduced stress, and then add Maracyn Two for SW fish. Just before each redose of M2, do a water change, and/or, add carbon filtration.
Parasites, I just don't think so.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
If there is only one sick fish, then just treat one fish. Maracyn Two is an antibiotic. Check your LFS.
 
soccer4life94

soccer4life94

Member
Before I went out and got the Antibiotic, I started feeding Formula 2 with some vitamin C drops added. The next day the clownfish was more active. He spend a good portion of the day out and swimming against the current. So it def looks like he is feeling alot better. Im going to keep giving him the formula 2 vs the Flakes and see if he continues to do better. If this was the problem, it is good proof for a healthy combo of nutrition for your fish.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Agreed. Try soaking the food for now in fresh garlic before offering it to the fish. Fresh garlic has a natural antibiotic quality.
 
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