Modify QT procedure based on cotton-like growth on clown?

[drolmaeye]

Small maroon clown arrived at LFS Tuesday and purchased on Wednesday. Clown missing portion of tail fin at time of purchase. Noticed Friday afternoon a small, white/gray growth on leading edge of pelvic fin. Seems to have enlarged slightly in the last 12 hrs. Otherwise the fish looks good, no gasping, rapid breathing, scratching, etc.

Fish is alone in QT tank, no medication added yet. Fish is eating enthusiastically, has found a safe place to chill, but occasionally explores the aquarium. Was going to start copper but I don't think copper will help this issue (and concerned it could compromise treatment of this issue), so wondering if I should treat with another medication? Or no medication at all while monitoring? Thanks in advance for any guidance.

16 gallon, bare-bottom, no-rock qt tank w/ HOB filter started about 5 weeks ago.
78 F
1.022 SG
Ammonia zero (badge)
Nitrite 1 (left over from long cycle)
No other water parameters have been measured.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Small maroon clown arrived at LFS Tuesday and purchased on Wednesday. Clown missing portion of tail fin at time of purchase. Noticed Friday afternoon a small, white/gray growth on leading edge of pelvic fin. Seems to have enlarged slightly in the last 12 hrs. Otherwise the fish looks good, no gasping, rapid breathing, scratching, etc.

Fish is alone in QT tank, no medication added yet. Fish is eating enthusiastically, has found a safe place to chill, but occasionally explores the aquarium. Was going to start copper but I don't think copper will help this issue (and concerned it could compromise treatment of this issue), so wondering if I should treat with another medication? Or no medication at all while monitoring? Thanks in advance for any guidance.

16 gallon, bare-bottom, no-rock qt tank w/ HOB filter started about 5 weeks ago.
78 F
1.022 SG
Ammonia zero (badge)
Nitrite 1 (left over from long cycle)
No other water parameters have been measured.

This may be more bacterial from bite or injury or even lympho. Often it is encouraged by poor water quality and I would not rely on the badge and would suggest taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api test and have them test your ammonia-nitrate and PH.
Bring your salinity to at least 1.024-1.025. You are at bare necessities and power filter may or may not be keeping up with the tank but water test will determine that.
I would suggest in investing in Hanna test kits or salifert brand. There are a few reasonably price on the R2R marketplace used.
Treatment will be in a separate quarantine tank with either Maracyn 2 or seachem Kanaplex if it gets worse but is viral which is a condition and not a disease

 

[MnFish1]

To me it looks like lymphocystis (if I'm looking at the right place). Which can come with the stress of moving, also water quality, etc. I would not change the QT protocol. If you are going to use the Seachem alert, I would also test ammonia in another way to verify. You should also be measuring pH - as the higher the pH - the more toxic free ammonia that would be present

 

[Spare time]

If its lympho, its simply a virus that will go away and is harmless. I wouldn't worry. Just continue normal medications and procedure. If you don't want to start with copper, you can run prazi in the mean time. However, I usually like to start copper as soon as possible.

 

[drolmaeye]

Thanks, both. Being new, your replies leave me with even more questions, so I'll fire away in an effort to get my foundational knowledge up to speed.

Regarding salinity, I want to have a reef tank, so it is a 35ppt/1.026 household. I have the lower salinity in QT to match the LFS. I was planning to raise it through top-off of saltwater as opposed to RODI. @vetteguy53081 should I raise salinity now to help this little guy? Or that was just a general guideline?

Regarding pH, I forgot to list it in the OP. It was a steady 8.0 during cycling and tested at 8.1 today after 20% WC. New water was Red Sea Blue bucket mixed to 35ppt and then brought down to 31ppt using RODI.

Regarding ammonia, I tested with API today after post and it was 0.5! Based on my salinity, temp, and pH, I guess this equates to about 0.03 free ammonia (which explains badge still in safe zone). Note I verified badge responds to ammonia by blowing a bit of vapor from window cleaner past it. Also note that API gave me a solid 2.0 at beginning of cycle and a true 0 after, so the 0.5 is from the fish and food. Which ammonia test is recommended? Total? Or free only?

Regarding feeding, I think I had a heavy hand in an effort to entice the fish, but used a fine-mesh net to try to remove any visible food after about 5 minutes. I will try to ensure I don't leave stuff rotting.

@MnFish1 you are looking at the right thing, leading edge of right pelvic fin (difficult to photograph). I was almost hoping lymphocystis as there's no meds beyond time, care, and vigilance with water quality. I understand you would continue with copper despite the current situation?

Anyway, appreciate any advice fellow reeferscan offer on the various issues: salinity in this case, preferred ammonia test, possible modification to standard QT process.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, both. Being new, your replies leave me with even more questions, so I'll fire away in an effort to get my foundational knowledge up to speed.

Regarding salinity, I want to have a reef tank, so it is a 35ppt/1.026 household. I have the lower salinity in QT to match the LFS. I was planning to raise it through top-off of saltwater as opposed to RODI. @vetteguy53081 should I raise salinity now to help this little guy? Or that was just a general guideline?

Regarding pH, I forgot to list it in the OP. It was a steady 8.0 during cycling and tested at 8.1 today after 20% WC. New water was Red Sea Blue bucket mixed to 35ppt and then brought down to 31ppt using RODI.

Regarding ammonia, I tested with API today after post and it was 0.5! Based on my salinity, temp, and pH, I guess this equates to about 0.03 free ammonia (which explains badge still in safe zone). Note I verified badge responds to ammonia by blowing a bit of vapor from window cleaner past it. Also note that API gave me a solid 2.0 at beginning of cycle and a true 0 after, so the 0.5 is from the fish and food. Which ammonia test is recommended? Total? Or free only?

Regarding feeding, I think I had a heavy hand in an effort to entice the fish, but used a fine-mesh net to try to remove any visible food after about 5 minutes. I will try to ensure I don't leave stuff rotting.

@MnFish1 you are looking at the right thing, leading edge of right pelvic fin (difficult to photograph). I was almost hoping lymphocystis as there's no meds beyond time, care, and vigilance with water quality. I understand you would continue with copper despite the current situation?

Anyway, appreciate any advice fellow reeferscan offer on the various issues: salinity in this case, preferred ammonia test, possible modification to standard QT process.

Yes raise salinity but gradually. RS Blue salt is great with Ph stability.
Ammonia is high at 0.5 as you want <.025 but if you exchange water as you are increasing salinity, you will lower it a little but Api often is a little hogher on the ammonia readings and I still suggest taking a water sample and have LFS which does Not use Api kits to test for you and compare- then you know how readings are in the future.
Feed sparingly and what fish can consume in under a minute or two. Its easier to add food than to remove it.

Preferred test are Salifert and Hanna brand.

 

[Tired]

Opportunistic infections like this are generally no big deal- I wouldn't worry. Clean water and good food should do the trick. It's a localized infection, so it shouldn't be having any systemic effect that would interfere with medications.

Also, kudos on the title. You clearly described the issue and what you want to know about it. Nice to see a title other than "help, fish is sick".

 

[MnFish1]

To me this is not bacterial just my opinion

 

[drolmaeye]

Just adding video in case it is helpful/useful. Fin is now clamped compared to this morning. For most of the video it may be easier to observe in the reflection off the bottom.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Just adding video in case it is helpful/useful. Fin is now clamped compared to this morning. For most of the video it may be easier to observe in the reflection off the bottom.

From the first pics I was thinking lymphocystis due to the raised, grayish coloration. The clamped fin doesn’t really fit with that diagnosis. Did the pelvic fin have damage on it prior to the growth showing up?
Jay

 

[drolmaeye]

From the first pics I was thinking lymphocystis due to the raised, grayish coloration. The clamped fin doesn’t really fit with that diagnosis. Did the pelvic fin have damage on it prior to the growth showing up?
Jay

Found this image of the fish during temp acclimation. Fin looks good then and I was never aware of any subsequent injury or incident.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Found this image of the fish during temp acclimation. Fin looks good then and I was never aware of any subsequent injury or incident.

Might be a bacterial infection then, I’ve seen those cause clamped fins, but not lmphocystis.
Jay

 

[drolmaeye]

Other than this little issue that's popped up, the fish seems to be doing well. It ate enthusiastically this evening and is progressively exploring new areas of the tank.

After all of the suggestions, my current plan is to start Kanaplex tomorrow (I'm counting on you, Amazon). If it's bacterial, I hope the Kanaplex would help. If it's lymphocystis, I hope the Kanaplex won't hurt. I am thinking about starting the copper after the Kanaplex (but could treat concurrently also, I suppose). Let me know if you think I may be headed down the wrong path.

Again, I really appreciate all of the replies and input thus far.

 

[drolmaeye]

Follow-up for the sake of completeness:

tl;dr: fish is doing fine, I believe it is no longer an issue.

Friday: growth first appeared on leading edge of pelvic fin, grew in size.
Sunday: larger, and also flaking off like a scab.
Monday: growth fell off. After falling off, it looked like the leading ray of the fin had possibly been broken, but the rest of the fin was in good shape, and was fully extended most of the time (no longer clamped).

I treated with Kanaplex Sunday and Tuesday, but situation appears to have worked itself out before the medication could have had an affect. Seems like maybe just a physical fin injury (hope it did not happen during my transfer from bucket to tank).

Fish is in full copper treatment as of Wednesday (last) night, so I will not continue with Kanaplex.

Fish started eating one day after purchase, seemed to continually get more comfortable with the tank/surroundings, so looks like it was a relative non-issue from the fish's perspective. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here to the DT.