Clown fish developing abscess on both sides

[Unrealeous]

I've had a 10 gallon tank for about 6 months now. No new fish or coral have been added for 4 months.
My 2 clown fish have just developed an abscess on both sides at the same place, at the same time, and they have come up in the last 24 hours.
They are still eating (i feed MF-G1 pellets and vitalis flakes alternatively)
I do 2 gallon water changes each week and my parameters are fairly stable. Last measured salinity (1.025), ph (~8), ammonia (nill), nitrites (nill), nitrates and phosphates (both almost undetectable)
I daily does about 1ml NO3 PO4-X and 1ml AB+ Coral nutrition. Have done for months.
The clown fish host both host in an elegance coral (and really love it a lot) but the elegance seems fine an unaffected.
There are 2 other fish in the tank and all seem to get along fine.
I asked my LFS who said I probably can't do much. He said I could try some continuum aquatics rescue fish M treatment (antibacterial and treats sores, assists recovery)
About the only thing that has changed that I can think of is that we had the ceiling of the room painted a week ago (standard acrylic white). Tank was covered for the few hours it took.
I'd be very happy to hear any suggestions.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I've had a 10 gallon tank for about 6 months now. No new fish or coral have been added for 4 months.
My 2 clown fish have just developed an abscess on both sides at the same place, at the same time, and they have come up in the last 24 hours.
They are still eating (i feed MF-G1 pellets and vitalis flakes alternatively)
I do 2 gallon water changes each week and my parameters are fairly stable. Last measured salinity (1.025), ph (~8), ammonia (nill), nitrites (nill), nitrates and phosphates (both almost undetectable)
I daily does about 1ml NO3 PO4-X and 1ml AB+ Coral nutrition. Have done for months.
The clown fish host both host in an elegance coral (and really love it a lot) but the elegance seems fine an unaffected.
There are 2 other fish in the tank and all seem to get along fine.
I asked my LFS who said I probably can't do much. He said I could try some continuum aquatics rescue fish M treatment (antibacterial and treats sores, assists recovery)
About the only thing that has changed that I can think of is that we had the ceiling of the room painted a week ago (standard acrylic white). Tank was covered for the few hours it took.
I'd be very happy to hear any suggestions.

Hi, Welcome to Reef2Reef!

This is a tough case, with odd symptoms - both fish having one lesion on each side at the same time! It could be bacterial (or rarely a fungal infection) but in stable aquariums, these infections almost always get started due to some sort of injury - and both fish being doubly injured at the same time seems unlikely.

I don't see that the painting with acrylic paint could have caused this.

Being in Australia, I don't know what aquarium medications that you have available to you. I ran a search to try and find the ingredients for the continuum aquatics rescue fish M product, but it seems they want to keep it a mystery. They do indicate that it is a "natural" product, so it is likely one of the plant extract tonics, and not a true antibiotic.

My suggested treatment may not be possible for you - to move both clowns to a treatment tank and dose with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

Jay

 

[Unrealeous]

Thanks Jay. Appreciate it.

 

[Unrealeous]

Just a follow up, as this may or may not help someone in the future.

My clown 'wounds' have not been improving so I went looking at what could be causing it. And I think I have located the problem today - there was a sharp pointed bony growth on the side of the elegance coral which feels sharp enough to do damage. Both clowns love to host in the elegance, but at night it tends to close up, so instead of being in it, they will get between it and a rock. The sharp point was between this. I have snapped it off (sorry Elegance)

Hoping the the clowns will start to heal up now that this is gone.