Clown Fish Pectoral Fin Issue

[WTJReef]

Hi All,

New to Reefing and have set up a quarantine tank seperate to my main system. Doing lots of reading and research as I go.

The quarantine system currently houses 4 Small-Medium Clowns and 1 Decora Goby. They were all purchased out of the same system at my LFS and have been there for approximately 1 week and until now have all been eating well and behaving normally. There is no medication in the tank currently

I have another system that I have been treating another fish for a seperate infection with copper that has since resolved. He is due to come out next weekend so I am hesitant to add this new sick fish to the same system he is in

This evening I have noticed an issue with one of my black clowns pectoral Fin. It seems to be stuck out from the body of the fish and appears to have a white substance peeling off just that fin. The fish is not taking food and is not using the fin to swim normally. All other fish behaving normally, however 1 other Ocellaris clown has not shown interest in food today.

Any suggestions? Diagnosis? was this an attack from one of the other clowns?

Should I add Copper to the system the clown is currently in? Or Triple Sulfa.

Lastly, Has anyone used Seachem StressGuard? Opinions on the product?

Any help appreciated. I've attached Photos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi All,

New to Reefing and have set up a quarantine tank seperate to my main system. Doing lots of reading and research as I go.

The quarantine system currently houses 4 Small-Medium Clowns and 1 Decora Goby. They were all purchased out of the same system at my LFS and have been there for approximately 1 week and until now have all been eating well and behaving normally. There is no medication in the tank currently

I have another system that I have been treating another fish for a seperate infection with copper that has since resolved. He is due to come out next weekend so I am hesitant to add this new sick fish to the same system he is in

This evening I have noticed an issue with one of my black clowns pectoral Fin. It seems to be stuck out from the body of the fish and appears to have a white substance peeling off just that fin. The fish is not taking food and is not using the fin to swim normally. All other fish behaving normally, however 1 other Ocellaris clown has not shown interest in food today.

Any suggestions? Diagnosis? was this an attack from one of the other clowns?

Should I add Copper to the system the clown is currently in? Or Triple Sulfa.

Lastly, Has anyone used Seachem StressGuard? Opinions on the product?

Any help appreciated. I've attached Photos.

Is there another clown in tank that caused damage?
Saltwater fish have the ability to heal and heal quickly as long as it is not further damaged or a bacterial issue. Looks like rot (although pics slightly fuzzy under blue lighting.
If bacterial- Treatment in a separate quarantine using seachem kanaplex

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi All,

New to Reefing and have set up a quarantine tank seperate to my main system. Doing lots of reading and research as I go.

The quarantine system currently houses 4 Small-Medium Clowns and 1 Decora Goby. They were all purchased out of the same system at my LFS and have been there for approximately 1 week and until now have all been eating well and behaving normally. There is no medication in the tank currently

I have another system that I have been treating another fish for a seperate infection with copper that has since resolved. He is due to come out next weekend so I am hesitant to add this new sick fish to the same system he is in

This evening I have noticed an issue with one of my black clowns pectoral Fin. It seems to be stuck out from the body of the fish and appears to have a white substance peeling off just that fin. The fish is not taking food and is not using the fin to swim normally. All other fish behaving normally, however 1 other Ocellaris clown has not shown interest in food today.

Any suggestions? Diagnosis? was this an attack from one of the other clowns?

Should I add Copper to the system the clown is currently in? Or Triple Sulfa.

Lastly, Has anyone used Seachem StressGuard? Opinions on the product?

Any help appreciated. I've attached Photos.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

It's tough to see in the photos if this is primary damage from another clownfish, or a protozoan disease known as Brooklynella.

I'm worried that it could be Brook because simple damage to one fin usually does not keep a clownfish from feeding, and then, you have a second one not eating (does it have any other symptoms?)

Is the water in this tank testing out good?
Can you post a short video of the clown?

If this is Brook, it is pretty difficult to treat. Copper and antibiotics won't help. Freshwater dips can buy you a little time. In the end, the best treatment is formalin, but that is difficult to find. Ruby Reef Rally pro has some formalin in it and has worked for some people.

I'm not saying this is 100% Brook, it could be bacterial or water quality issues....just wanted to bring it up that it could be that.

Stress guard is not a medication, it is a water treatment. The whole idea that it (and similar products) helps coat the fish's skin is invalid, since if it did, it would also coat the fish's gills, impairing respiration. Indeed, some of these products contain Aloe and that has been shown to clog fish's gills. Using these products as per label instructions is safe, but just don't expect them to cure diseases.

Jay

 

[WTJReef]

Update:

I found him Dead this morning. There are other clowns in the system and he was probably the smallest. My gut told me he probably suffered at the hands of his other tank mates, Though I did have an Ich outbreak in my old tank that has me paranoid. There were no other marks on any of the fish, or on any other areas of the clown in question apart from that pectoral fin

I did a large water change yesterday - So I am fairly confident Tank parameters are good. Seachem Alert badge showing 0PPM ammonia. I will use my actual test kit this evening.

All other Fish are swimming normally this morning however only a couple showing interest in pellet food. I will try again with Mysis tonight.

I have dosed Copper Sulphate this morning prophylactically. If I were to find Formalin, how would I use it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry to hear. Any aggression you noticed from others?

 

[WTJReef]

If it is of any consequence - This all happened within a matter of hours - While I performed the water change I did not notice anything wrong with the fish.

Also, I noticed that while the rest of the fish whitened out at night with the lights out, his fin did not - Almost like it was disconnected

Update:

I found him Dead this morning. There are other clowns in the system and he was probably the smallest. My gut told me he probably suffered at the hands of his other tank mates, Though I did have an Ich outbreak in my old tank that has me paranoid. There were no other marks on any of the fish, or on any other areas of the clown in question apart from that pectoral fin

I did a large water change yesterday - So I am fairly confident Tank parameters are good. Seachem Alert badge showing 0PPM ammonia. I will use my actual test kit this evening.

All other Fish are swimming normally this morning however only a couple showing interest in pellet food. I will try again with Mysis tonight.

I have dosed Copper Sulphate this morning prophylactically. If I were to find Formalin, how would I use it?

 

[WTJReef]

Sorry to hear. Any aggression you noticed from others?

A little from one of the larger Ocellaris clowns. He's set up on one of the rocks and chases the others off if they get too close from time to time

 

[vetteguy53081]

A little from one of the larger Ocellaris clowns. He's set up on one of the rocks and chases the others off if they get too close from time to time

may explain the fin damage