Sick clown

[bob on this]

Yesterday, my wife and I had to remove all the LR from our 55 gal tank.
We needed to catch a damsel with Ick, and get her into the QT tank for treatment.
The tank is only about 2 months old, and very lightly stocked.
All water tests are good. I did a 5 gal water change during this disruption.
This morning my male clown began to "pant" and just hangs around the back of the tank at the bottom. He stopped eating as well.
The other fish (one clown, two other damsels, and a lawn mower) are doing fine.
We have a couple crabs and a shrimp, some tube worms and a bunch of snails and hermits. Everyone is fine but the clown.
I don't think he will make it through the night, unless someone has any ideas of what could be the problem, or something I can do?
Thanks

 

[mr. limpid]

If one fish has ick they all will get it. You need to move all fish to QT. No quick cure for ick it has a life cycle that lives on the fish. Alot of good info about curing ick at the top of this forum. Good luck

 

[sepulatian]

Mr. Limpid is correct. If one has it then they all need to be treated. Just because you do not see ich on their bodies does not mean that they do not have it. Ich infects their soft gill tissue, which could be why your clown is breathing heavily. Do you notice anything else on him? Did the ammonia spike when you moved the rocks?

 

[beth]

It may be brooklynella, and not ich. Notice any white film forming?
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127010/diseased-fish-pictures#post_914673

 

[bob on this]

Well, we had to leave town for the last three days, and the clown looks a lot better, but still not himself.
We are still not sure the damsel has Ich, she has one spot (or whatever) on her fin, and it looks more like Lymphocystis.
We did not see a spike when we moved the LR, but it did stur things up quite a bit. Maybe released some gas from the substrate????
I have not seen any film on the clowns at this point.
The shrimp gave us quite the start when we got home, but is was a molt, and he is doing fine.

 

[beth]

Dismantling a tank to catch fish with diseases just is always a very bad idea. Fish tanks are delicately balanced ecosystems.
To avoid this in the future, you should seriously consider setting up a quarantine tank.

 

[bob on this]

OK, now the poor clown has some clear or whitish film on his underside.
I'm guessing Brooklynella.
The damsel is still the QT with the meds.
Can I dip the clown, and then return him to the DT after each dip, or does this need to be done in a QT?

 

[bob on this]

Mybe I should treat both fish for Brooklynella?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655098
OK, now the poor clown has some clear or whitish film on his underside.
I'm guessing Brooklynella.
The damsel is still the QT with the meds.
Can I dip the clown, and then return him to the DT after each dip, or does this need to be done in a QT?
You can dip the clown and then put him into the display but it will be a hassle each time you have to catch him. That will be pretty stressful on both you and the fish, not to mention the rest of your tank. Can you set up a temporary tank?

 

[bob on this]

I don't have the resources to set up yet another tank.
I was thinking of changing out the copper medicated water from the QT and refilling with water from the DT (Then re-filling the DT with aged SW), then treating both fish with the dip.
I really don't think we have Ich. The white things on the Damsel are about 1 to 1.5 mm long, not spots, so maybe this is Brooklynella or Lymphocystis???
I just checked the local store (worthless) and they don't have the Formalin.
I may need to drive to Durango (one hour each way) to get some tomorrow.
Will I be too late?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655226
I don't have the resources to set up yet another tank.
I was thinking of changing out the copper medicated water from the QT and refilling with water from the DT (Then re-filling the DT with aged SW), then treating both fish with the dip.
I really don't think we have Ich. The white things on the Damsel are about 1 to 1.5 mm long, not spots, so maybe this is Brooklynella or Lymphocystis???
I just checked the local store (worthless) and they don't have the Formalin.
I may need to drive to Durango (one hour each way) to get some tomorrow.
Will I be too late?

The spots on the chromis are long? Do they resemble worms? Where are they on the body? How bad does the clown look?

 

[bob on this]

The clown was looking better yesterday, but now has a white/clear film on his lower jaw and belly. Not eating, and breathing hard.
The things on the Damsel are white about 1/4 mm wide, and 1 to 1.5 mm long.
They are on this dorsal and Pelvic fins. Nothing on his body.
The damsel seems fairly happy and is eating.
Does not seem like the same ailment.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655297
The clown was looking better yesterday, but now has a white/clear film on his lower jaw and belly. Not eating, and breathing hard.
The things on the Damsel are white about 1/4 mm wide, and 1 to 1.5 mm long.
They are on this dorsal and Pelvic fins. Nothing on his body.
The damsel seems fairly happy and is eating.
Does not seem like the same ailment.
No, neither sound like ich. Formalin will make the worms drop off, if that is what they are. It sounds like it to me. While you are going out pick up some cupramine and a salifert copper test. If the formalin does not remove the worms then you can treat the QT with copper after the clown is done. The formalin baths should do it though. Copper is good to keep on hand, one of the other fish may get this as well.

 

[bob on this]

Thanks for the help.
I think I will change out the QT water today, and pick up the supplies tomorrow and start dipping them both, and leaving them in the QT.
Thanks again.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655315
Thanks for the help.
I think I will change out the QT water today, and pick up the supplies tomorrow and start dipping them both, and leaving them in the QT.
Thanks again.
I just looked over this again. The damsel is already being treated with copper? What is the copper reading and what kind of copper are you using? Are the things on him clumpy looking or long and smooth?

 

[bob on this]

Using CopperSafe.
Dosed as per the recomendations. (I don't have a copper test kit)
The stuff the damsels is too small for me to see that clearly, But I think they are smooth an a little grayish in color.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655398
Using CopperSafe.
Dosed as per the recomendations. (I don't have a copper test kit)
The stuff the damsels is too small for me to see that clearly, But I think they are smooth an a little grayish in color.
The directions on coppersafe do not bring the level up high enough to kill the parasites.The directions are for "preventative" purposes. Notice that it says it is good for a month? The copper level for coppersafe is 2.5. Take a look at these things with a magnifying glass.

 

[bob on this]

Thanks,
I will get the copper out of the QT for now, and try the dip for a couple weeks on both fish.
If the stuff is still on the damsel by then, I will get a test kit and do the copper again.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Bob On This
http:///forum/post/2655429
Thanks,
I will get the copper out of the QT for now, and try the dip for a couple weeks on both fish.
If the stuff is still on the damsel by then, I will get a test kit and do the copper again.
I would really like you to get a good look at this stuff on the damsel and tell us what it looks like. I don't suppose you can get a close picture of it, can you?

 

[bob on this]

Sorry I can't get a photo, but the longest of these things (on his fin) has fallen off. Left his fin a little torn up, but not bad. Will leave him in the QT for another couple weeks.

The clown is getting the mucus on his lower head again. I will do a fresh water dip today.