Brooklynella

[Jason Roth]

Can I use general cure since it has Metronidazole in it or is that not enough? Would dosage be the same? Or should I just get the Seachem metroplex? I have formalin and GC already but I’ll buy the seachem metroplex if it’s recommended instead.

 

[Big G]

Clowns are known for being able to be carriers of parasites. Their immune systems adjust to a unknown level of resistance to parasites. But then the fish get stressed and immune systems lower a bit and the parasite becomes viable again.

 

[Big G]

Can I use general cure since it has Metronidazole in it or is that not enough? Would dosage be the same? Or should I just get the Seachem metroplex? I have formalin and GC already but I’ll buy the seachem metroplex if it’s recommended instead.

I avoid using Formalin unless it is absolutely necessary. Less stress on your fish if you use just metro. Plus it's good to have metro, furan2, kanaplex if you ever need to dose the "trifecta" for a bacterial infection.

 

[Jason Roth]

I avoid using Formalin unless it is absolutely necessary. Less stress on your fish if you use just metro. Plus it's good to have metro, furan2, kanaplex if you ever need to dose the "trifecta" for a bacterial infection.

I have furan2, kanaplex but not metroplex.

Well the fish visible look great and have been eating fine since I bought them. They went through 30 days of therapeutic copper with cupramine.

Another established member here thought it was brook and said copper would only subdue it I think. So I’m confused on what to do.

 

[Big G]

Yes, copper does not treat brook, is just appears to suppress it. So metro is the standard treatment used by most. It can also be treated with an acriflavine product like Ruby Reef Rally, which is very gentle on fish. I always worry about harsh treatments like formalin that can cause kidney damage and ultimately shorten the life of the fish. Here's Humblefish's thorough treatment advisory with some pics as well: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/#post-2913287

 

[Jason Roth]

Yes, copper does not treat brook, is just appears to suppress it. So metro is the standard treatment used by most. It can also be treated with an acriflavine product like Ruby Reef Rally, which is very gentle on fish. I always worry about harsh treatments like formalin that can cause kidney damage and ultimately shorten the life of the fish. Here's Humblefish's thorough treatment advisory with some pics as well: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/#post-2913287

Thank you. That thread linked me to this one. lol. And it reads as though metro isn’t the cure by itself and is a follow up supplement to the formalin?

 

[Big G]

If it was my fish, I'd dose the QT with metro and then also do the Ruby Reef Rally baths. Metro for 10-14 days as needed and RRR bath every 2-3 days. No doubt formalin products work but at what cost to the fish's long term health.

 

[Jason Roth]

If it was my fish, I'd dose the QT with metro and then also do the Ruby Reef Rally baths. Metro for 10-14 days as needed and RRR bath every 2-3 days. No doubt formalin products work but at what cost to the fish's long term health.

And with that would you feel confident they are free of the disease? I agree, I don’t want to shorten their life if it isn’t a dire need. They just got done with cupramine and eating great. But I want my DT disease free and these guys healthy. If you think your process will rid the disease, maybe I go that route. I just need to order those two medications.

 

[Jason Roth]

If it was my fish, I'd dose the QT with metro and then also do the Ruby Reef Rally baths. Metro for 10-14 days as needed and RRR bath every 2-3 days. No doubt formalin products work but at what cost to the fish's long term health.

Is this the right stuff? A bunch of different items came up in search for ruby reef rally. This appeared correct

And I can’t find a volume on the package. How many of the metro should I buy?

 

[Big G]

Yes. Exactly what I use. Best of luck treating your fish

 

[Jason Roth]

Yes. Exactly what I use. Best of luck treating your fish

Rally bath done. Back in clean QT with metro. Put one scoop in. Directions say 1-2 per 10g. My QT is 10g. 48hr I might do 2 scoops

 

[Phlipper]

Brooklynella hostilis

What You Need To Know:

* This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s).
* Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT.
* The fallow (fishless) period for starving Brook out of a Display Tank is 6 weeks.

Early stages:

More advanced stages:

Additional Information​

Brooklynella hostilis is a ciliate parasite with a direct life cycle: It lives, feeds and reproduces directly on the fish (no encysted stage). However, there always exists the possibility that parasites can drop off into the water column and infect other fish. Having no encysted stage makes this pathogen easier to eliminate, but do not underestimate how fast killing Brook can be. Especially with clownfish.

Treatment Options – Formalin is the most effective treatment for Brook, but using Ruby Reef Rally is another good option. Both are best applied via bath treatment, and more information on this can be found in the links below.

Formalin (45 min bath) https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/formalin.290925/

Rally (90 min bath) https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acriflavine.282887/

Post bath, transfer the fish into a clean/sterile QT to prevent reinfection. It is a wise course of action to dose Chloroquine Phosphate once (60 mg/gal) or metronidazole every 48 hours for 10-14 days thereafter. This is an “insurance policy” to ensure all of the parasites have been eliminated.

A 5 minute freshwater dip may provide temporary relief if you are unable to locate any of the aforementioned medications right away. Some even claim total eradication of the disease is possible just by performing multiple freshwater dips on the fish. Again, transfer the fish into a new/sterile QT following each freshwater dip to prevent reinfection.

Would Seachem paragaurd be a good new fish QT treatment plan? For clown fish and damsels?

 

[JCrowe86]

Does this appear to be brook? I got my first clowns for my new tank about a week ago. Suddenly lost one Sunday morning with no signs of anything previously being wrong. Water tested fine and a visual inspection of the body didn't give me any clues but the fish was mostly white so it was hard to see anything.

The remaining clown has acted fine and is eating normally. Looking at him in the tank it is hard to see anything however I took a slowmo video and noticed the spot on his nose and gill that is shown in the picture.

 

[outerbank]

My tank raised clowns are 26 years old. In 2006 I had a long move/relocation and my clowns became sick with Brooklynella. They literally laid flat on the bottom of the QT for a month and did not eat. They had multiple sores. I did everything, including FW baths, Cu, and eventually 7 formalin dips (FD). YES, 7! The FDs helped, but didn't rid the disease. I finally looked at the ingredients in Rid-Ick--formaldehyde 4.26% (11.52% Formalin) and malachite green. I made a few calculations and determined 1 teaspoon per gallon would give the same concentration of formalin as a recommended Formalin Dip. I used this and dipped the fish for 30 minutes after aerating the water for a hour. This cured the fish. It was an all or nothing last minute decision that worked. The fish don't like the Rid Ich dip/bath and will try to jump out. However, at this time I had no other options. I chose it after reading articles on malachite green (MG) and its use in commercial fish farms. I hoped adding MG would help and it did. I would definitely try this if desperate. I would like to gather more information on how this works for others. The only long term issues after all these treatments is some gill scarring on the female which could be due to treatment and/or disease. This was 13 years ago and they are still alive and laying eggs.

 

[Deiblerj]

Does this look like brook?

 

[BlackPanther]

The fallow (fishless) period for starving Brook out of a Display Tank is 6 weeks.

Are the 6 weeks a maximum or a minimum period?
and, How can I test the water to know that it's ok to re-add fishes?

Thank you!

 

[BlackPanther]

Does this look like brook?

I am afraid it is. it looks the same like my clownfish, if you don't move it to QT and apply the treatment, I am afraid you will lose it. I lost mine in 2 days.

 

[Deiblerj]

I am afraid it is. it looks the same like my clownfish, if you don't move it to QT and apply the treatment, I am afraid you will lose it. I lost mine in 2 days.

Yeah poor little guy didn’t make it a couple hours. Tried a fresh water dip but he was already too far gone

 

[Mgex]

Brooklynella hostilis

What You Need To Know:

* This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s).
* Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT.
* The fallow (fishless) period for starving Brook out of a Display Tank is 6 weeks.

Early stages:

More advanced stages:

Additional Information​

Brooklynella hostilis is a ciliate parasite with a direct life cycle: It lives, feeds and reproduces directly on the fish (no encysted stage). However, there always exists the possibility that parasites can drop off into the water column and infect other fish. Having no encysted stage makes this pathogen easier to eliminate, but do not underestimate how fast killing Brook can be. Especially with clownfish.

Treatment Options – Formalin is the most effective treatment for Brook, but using Ruby Reef Rally is another good option. Both are best applied via bath treatment, and more information on this can be found in the links below.

Formalin (45 min bath) https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/formalin.290925/

Rally (90 min bath) https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acriflavine.282887/

Post bath, transfer the fish into a clean/sterile QT to prevent reinfection. It is a wise course of action to dose Chloroquine Phosphate once (60 mg/gal) or metronidazole every 48 hours for 10-14 days thereafter. This is an “insurance policy” to ensure all of the parasites have been eliminated.

A 5 minute freshwater dip may provide temporary relief if you are unable to locate any of the aforementioned medications right away. Some even claim total eradication of the disease is possible just by performing multiple freshwater dips on the fish. Again, transfer the fish into a new/sterile QT following each freshwater dip to prevent reinfection.

Your telling me salt water fish can survive temporarily in fresh water ?

 

[Big G]

Your telling me salt water fish can survive temporarily in fresh water ?

Yep. A freshwater dip is frequently used to temporarily rid the fish of parasites. Looks scary the first time you do it.

Freshwater Dip

Freshwater Dip What It Treats – Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases: 1) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) 2) Brooklynella hostilis 3) Uronema marinum 4) Flukes (Monogeneans) 5) Black Ich (Turbellarians) Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes (see video...

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