Clownfish help - looks like injury but on both sides. Need advice and help.

[jsmith1346]

I’m not sure what’s going on but my clownfish starting getting these spots behind her fins on both sides. They are in the same spot on each side. Now one looks like a cut with something hanging out. This is the female in a mated pair, and the male seems fine. She is still eating and does not appear to be breathing heavy, but spends a lot time at the bottom either right above the sand or under a rock (when the lights are off).

Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated

 

[Jekyl]

Post a short video if you can also. After that answer as many questions you can posted in this thread here.

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[jsmith1346]

Here are a couple of videos

 

[blaxsun]

Are those the only 2 fish?

 

[jsmith1346]

Are those the only 2 fish?

Yes

 

[jsmith1346]

Yes

It’s a nano with just the two and a couple of corals

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Almost looks like an injury, but the male clown doesn’t look aggressive and the spots on either side of the fish is odd. Also, no tattered fins.

So - there is also some random white mucus spots. These show up really well on dark clowns, so it may not be really abnormal.

Uronema can cause lesions that look like injuries, but it isn’t common on clownfish. Brooklynella is common in clownfish and causes mucus, but not open lesions like the ones on either side. Bacterial infections can also cause lesions like this, but usually start from an injury.

I know you probably can’t do this - but the only sure way to tell what this is would be to scrape a bit of it and look at it under a microscope.

Beyond that, an treatment would be a pure guess.
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

 

[jsmith1346]

I do

Almost looks like an injury, but the male clown doesn’t look aggressive and the spots on either side of the fish is odd. Also, no tattered fins.

So - there is also some random white mucus spots. These show up really well on dark clowns, so it may not be really abnormal.

Uronema can cause lesions that look like injuries, but it isn’t common on clownfish. Brooklynella is common in clownfish and causes mucus, but not open lesions like the ones on either side. Bacterial infections can also cause lesions like this, but usually start from an injury.

I know you probably can’t do this - but the only sure way to tell what this is would be to scrape a bit of it and look at it under a microscope.

Beyond that, an treatment would be a pure guess.
Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

I do not have a treatment tank. The male is not aggressive. I’ve noticed she has actually been more aggressive to him just nipping at him every now and then. She has always been pretty dominant with him, so it’s not really unusual for her to “keep him in his place”.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do

I do not have a treatment tank. The male is not aggressive. I’ve noticed she has actually been more aggressive to him just nipping at him every now and then. She has always been pretty dominant with him, so it’s not really unusual for her to “keep him in his place”.

For the very inexpensive investment- a treatment/QT tank is a must in this hobby.
The way to find out if aggression is to set your phone on video mode and let it run as long as an hour. YOU MUST WALK AWAY as fish know your presence. drop a pinch of food as you walk away.
Come back and review video later an you will see if there is aggression in your absence, My guess is post bite marks or result of scratching. Agreeing in whole with Jay, any recommended treatment would be an educated guess rather than actual remedy

 

[jsmith1346]

For the very inexpensive investment- a treatment/QT tank is a must in this hobby.
The way to find out if aggression is to set your phone on video mode and let it run as long as an hour. YOU MUST WALK AWAY as fish know your presence. drop a pinch of food as you walk away.
Come back and review video later an you will see if there is aggression in your absence, My guess is post bite marks or result of scratching. Agreeing in whole with Jay, any recommended treatment would be an educated guess rather than actual remedy

Thanks I have a Wyze camera I put on the tank when out of town. I’ll set it up and see I can catch anything.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ultimately, there isn’t really any way to treat this fish in the display. Other than the skin lesions, it doesn’t look too bad yet. Hopefully the issue won’t progress.
Jay

 

[jsmith1346]

Thanks everyone.