Help Diagnosing Spots on Clown

Andrew_NYC_Reef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
44
Location
New York, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve had this clown for about two weeks and I noticed a few white spots on him a couple of days ago... his breathing seems fine and it doesn’t look like ich but wondering if anyone has a confident diagnosis by quickly looking at this pictures? Note the swollen white spot on his belly and the group of spots around his eyes.

His behavior has been increasingly strange over the last couple of days. About half the time he’s totally normal and swimming around his favorite corner with the other clown and the other half of the time he just kind of sits on a rock at the bottom. The tank is relatively new (about 3 months), but seeded with live rock from my old tank (still have fish in that tank with no issues so I don’t think I transferred anything). Water parameters are all in line. I have a few frags in the tank and a CUC so my treatment options are somewhat limited unless I need to move them to a different tank.

Thanks!

1C1B1FAF-D9FD-48AD-BDC1-E2C48E652AFA.jpeg
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,278
Reaction score
25,182
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trouble is, if you move the inverts out, they may carry whatever the clown has with them.
I’ve spent some time looking at the photo. Are the fins milky/cloudy, or is that just the photo? I see the spots you mentioned, but they are not specific to any one issue. Is the fish still eating normally?
Jay
 
OP
OP
Andrew_NYC_Reef

Andrew_NYC_Reef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
44
Location
New York, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trouble is, if you move the inverts out, they may carry whatever the clown has with them.
I’ve spent some time looking at the photo. Are the fins milky/cloudy, or is that just the photo? I see the spots you mentioned, but they are not specific to any one issue. Is the fish still eating normally?
Jay

Jay - thanks for the response.

I’m including some additional photos below. He is still eating and I don’t think I see any milky color on his fins.

57ED60F0-F248-4C9B-8BBC-420EA0485339.jpeg

7C6AAD98-00E3-4106-8B30-B461EC47B03C.jpeg
0DDBB612-FDB2-4FEF-B88A-DA2FFA60EECE.jpeg
1781A7CB-6CD6-4F5B-8902-4A228F88B74F.jpeg
57ED60F0-F248-4C9B-8BBC-420EA0485339.jpeg
7C6AAD98-00E3-4106-8B30-B461EC47B03C.jpeg
0DDBB612-FDB2-4FEF-B88A-DA2FFA60EECE.jpeg
1781A7CB-6CD6-4F5B-8902-4A228F88B74F.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,278
Reaction score
25,182
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It must just be the light - the fin edges in the last pic look clear.

I still can't tell you definitively what the white lesions are. It isn't ich. I don't think it is velvet, Uronema or Brooklynella. That leaves a bacterial infection. Many times, these clear up on their own with good diet and clean water. If you wanted to take action, you would need to move the fish to a treatment tank and dose with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

This is the second clown I've seen this week that looks "pinched" behind the head. That is often a sign of starvation. Now I'm wondering if it is a developmental issue from being captive raised and possibly being inbred?

Jay
 
OP
OP
Andrew_NYC_Reef

Andrew_NYC_Reef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
44
Location
New York, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It must just be the light - the fin edges in the last pic look clear.

I still can't tell you definitively what the white lesions are. It isn't ich. I don't think it is velvet, Uronema or Brooklynella. That leaves a bacterial infection. Many times, these clear up on their own with good diet and clean water. If you wanted to take action, you would need to move the fish to a treatment tank and dose with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

This is the second clown I've seen this week that looks "pinched" behind the head. That is often a sign of starvation. Now I'm wondering if it is a developmental issue from being captive raised and possibly being inbred?

Jay

I don’t have another tank handy to remove him so I’d prefer to watch closely before taking action. I’m planning to use my old 30 gal to QT future fish additions once I confirm these new fish aren’t carrying anything and I can relocate current inhabitants of the 30 gal into the new tank. I was worried it was Brooklynella so I’m happy to hear you don’t think that to be the case.

It’s just him and one other clown in the new tank so I’ve been feeding once daily (10-15 pellets). Since I don’t have a QT ready, I was waiting 4-6 weeks to monitor these guys before adding any other fish. In case it is something related to diet, I will be sure to watch him closely at feeding for the next few days to confirm he’s actually eating the pellets and not spitting out. I could also try different food if you think that might help?

If he develops more spots or behavior gets worse, I will move him to a temporary set up and start dosing with broad spectrum.

Thanks again for the help!
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,278
Reaction score
25,182
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don’t have another tank handy to remove him so I’d prefer to watch closely before taking action. I’m planning to use my old 30 gal to QT future fish additions once I confirm these new fish aren’t carrying anything and I can relocate current inhabitants of the 30 gal into the new tank. I was worried it was Brooklynella so I’m happy to hear you don’t think that to be the case.

It’s just him and one other clown in the new tank so I’ve been feeding once daily (10-15 pellets). Since I don’t have a QT ready, I was waiting 4-6 weeks to monitor these guys before adding any other fish. In case it is something related to diet, I will be sure to watch him closely at feeding for the next few days to confirm he’s actually eating the pellets and not spitting out. I could also try different food if you think that might help?

If he develops more spots or behavior gets worse, I will move him to a temporary set up and start dosing with broad spectrum.

Thanks again for the help!

I would consider feeding twice a day, perhaps 2/3 of what you are now feeding at the one feeding, giving a bit of an increase. Obviously, if they stop eating, or start spitting the food out, stop feeding, or offer the food more slowly.

I would also add frozen mysids to the mix - just in case they don't like the pellets as much.

Jay
 

Debramb

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Messages
572
Reaction score
422
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Jay,
I would consider feeding twice a day, perhaps 2/3 of what you are now feeding at the one feeding, giving a bit of an increase. Obviously, if they stop eating, or start spitting the food out, stop feeding, or offer the food more slowly.

I would also add frozen mysids to the mix - just in case they don't like the pellets as much.

Jay
my LFS has at least 2 tanks of clowns, plain old regular ones at least 50 per, 2 sizes but one tank smaller. I asked if I’d get one from each tanks less chance of inbreeding and he said same supplier and they noticed several with an abnormal overbite!
 
OP
OP
Andrew_NYC_Reef

Andrew_NYC_Reef

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
44
Location
New York, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would consider feeding twice a day, perhaps 2/3 of what you are now feeding at the one feeding, giving a bit of an increase. Obviously, if they stop eating, or start spitting the food out, stop feeding, or offer the food more slowly.

I would also add frozen mysids to the mix - just in case they don't like the pellets as much.

Jay
Thanks again for the help here. Unfortunately he died in the night just a few hours after my previous post here but still unsure of what it was. The other clown is still showing no signs of distress or illness but I’m switching to feeding 2x daily and monitoring him closely.

This is the 4th clown that I have purchased from this LFS and all of them have died in under 2 months from parasite / disease... lesson learned - don’t buy fish from them
 
Back
Top