Diagnosis please - Clownfish skin disease

[Ritchie]

Hi There,

Please can you help me out with a Diagnosis?

One of my clowns (which I've had for about a month) had the other day what looked like Fin Rot on the tail fin.

I’ve since been treating with Polyplab Crystaline Peroxide Salts on the advice of the Local Fish Store. However, since then I’ve noticed it’s stomach area between the pictorial fins is discoloured black (see attached photos). Is Thais part of the same disease and am I treating it right?

The fish seems normal in behaviour and is eating well, though occasionally “shivers” in a quick swimming movement.

 

[Crabs McJones]

What size tank and what else is in the tank with him? Also what are your water parameters?

 

[Ritchie]

Hi There,

It’s a 200 litre tank, live rock, 4 small clowns and small amount of Macro algae. Nitrites 0.
Nitrates were ten when I spotted the problem but are now 0 after a Water change.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hi There,

It’s a 200 litre tank, live rock, 4 small clowns and small amount of Macro algae. Nitrites 0.
Nitrates were ten when I spotted the problem but are now 0 after a Water change.

Part of the problem may be that you have 4 clowns. It's usually recommended no more then 2 or they'll fight, and it appears that this little guy is getting beaten up, and it is most likley stressing him out. I would start by getting a quarantine tank set up and switch him over so he has time to heal. And treat with antibiotics to make sure that the wounds don't become infected. And maybe find a new home for the other two. That's my guess, but perhaps someone else will chime in with a better idea

 

[drstardust]

It is hard to tell from pictures, as is often the case, but it appears to be an isolated patch of hyperpigmentation. Clownfish can sometimes develop hypermelanization as a cutaneous inflammatory response to stings. If this is the case it is typically benign and will resolve on its own. Do you have an anemone? Corals?

To be on the safe side, and from the perspective of the fin rot, I would consider empiric treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics.

 

[aquariumreefers]

Definable QT might be a parasite. Clown fish can get sick quick and infect other fish in your tank. Might be brooklynella.

 

[I luv coralz]

Could be a parasite but also is likely just being bullied...

 

[Ritchie]

Hi,

Perhaps but I’d be surprised if that were the case. They have been getting along fine since I got them and I hadn’t noticed any violent behaviour. And I work from home so am around a lot.

In fact they seem to get on very well, about half the time they go around as a group and the other half pair off.

Any ideas about the dark patch? I think it looks like a discoloured stomach that is showing through slightly see through skin. Though it could be on the surface.

Can't imagine that being the result of a fight though.

 

[Ritchie]

That’s for the suggestions, somehow I missed some of those before adding my last post.

I’m currently treating with PolyplabCrystaline Peroxide Salts
(http://www.polyplab.ca/5-medic.php)

Or do you think I should get something else?

@drstardust: I have corals or inverts etc, just the live rock and the Clowns. I guess nice had a sea urchin in the past (years ago) and some of the spines might still be in the substrate though.
And sorry about the focus on the pictures, it’s the best I could get on my phone with them swimming about .

 

[drstardust]

No worries about the pictures. It's super hard to snap a photo of a constantly moving fish

I would treat with an actual antibiotic such as Kanamycin (Seachem Kanaplex is what I use) provided that you can place the clown in a separate quarantine tank.

 

[GHsaltie]

I do not see any redness indicating infection at this point. The black on the underside could possibly be bruising. I don’t think he needs to be separated for treatment right now. I would feed kanaplex and seachem focus soaked in some frozen food and keep a close eye out for any signs of infection. And discontinue use of the polyplab medication, I don’t think it’s going to be of use in this situation. Have you noticed any aggression between the clowns at night when they start to bed down? What are their sizes, did you get them at the same time and were they from the same bunch? The shivering that you are noticing is submissive behavior, that means your clowns are starting to pair. I would be exceedingly vigilant as things can turn ugly fast if you’ve got two fish in their vying for female status.

 

[drstardust]

I do not see any redness indicating infection at this point. The black on the underside could possibly be bruising. I don’t think he needs to be separated for treatment right now. I would feed kanaplex and seachem focus soaked in some frozen food and keep a close eye out for any signs of infection. And discontinue use of the polyplab medication, I don’t think it’s going to be of use in this situation. Have you noticed any aggression between the clowns at night when they start to bed down? What are their sizes, did you get them at the same time and were they from the same bunch? The shivering that you are noticing is submissive behavior, that means your clowns are starting to pair. I would be exceedingly vigilant as things can turn ugly fast if you’ve got two fish in their vying for female status.

Watching and waiting is certainly a reasonable suggestion. The decision for empiric therapy with antibiotics just depends on how "on the safe side" you want to be. Bacterial infection in the fins of fish oftentimes is associated with an indurated erythematous base (redness). But...not always. Binding antibiotics to food is a great way to treat internal bacterial infections. However, to treat fin rot it is typically recommended to provide water-based treatment as these infections are external. To avoid compromising your biofilter, this is best done in a separate tank. Again, all up to you. I agree that the polyplab product will not be helpful.

The clownfish aggression situation should certainly be looked into.