Ocellaris clown: What is this?

[deabreu33]

Hi all, looking for some help identifying what's going on with my clownfish.

A few days ago my common ocellaris developed a single small white spot near the gill, about the size of a grain of sugar. Since then it has turned into a slightly swollen, worn-looking patch just behind the gill cover, with a pinkish tint and some whitish, mottled texture on the skin. My Mocha Storm clown has the same thing in the same spot. I've circled the areas in the photos.

They are eating good, good behavior, good parameters.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all, looking for some help identifying what's going on with my clownfish.

A few days ago my common ocellaris developed a single small white spot near the gill, about the size of a grain of sugar. Since then it has turned into a slightly swollen, worn-looking patch just behind the gill cover, with a pinkish tint and some whitish, mottled texture on the skin. My Mocha Storm clown has the same thing in the same spot. I've circled the areas in the photos.

They are eating good, good behavior, good parameters.

i SEE WHAT APPEARS TO BE AGGRESSION DAMAGE and suspect another clown is involved. What other occupants are in your tank ?

 

[deabreu33]

i SEE WHAT APPEARS TO BE AGGRESSION DAMAGE and suspect another clown is involved. What other occupants are in your tank ?

Only those two.

There’s a small white/grey cotton-like growth just above its tail, where I’m circling in the picture.

It’s quite small, but even though the fish is eating normally, it sometimes swims on its side and suddenly makes quick, frantic dashes as if something is bothering or irritating it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Only those two.

There’s a small white/grey cotton-like growth just above its tail, where I’m circling in the picture.

It’s quite small, but even though the fish is eating normally, it sometimes swims on its side and suddenly makes quick, frantic dashes as if something is bothering or irritating it.

There's a midas blenny also? Any other fish?

The tail fin is for certain tankmate aggression. That may not be the root cause of the issue though, and may not be related to the spots on the gills.

 

[deabreu33]

Only those two.

There’s a small white/grey cotton-like growth just above its tail, where I’m circling in the picture.

It’s quite small, but even though the fish is eating normally, it sometimes swims on its side and suddenly makes quick, frantic dashes as if something is bothering or irritating it.

There's a midas blenny also? Any other fish?

The tail fin is for certain tankmate aggression. That may not be the root cause of the issue though, and may not be related to the spots on the gills.

Ah, I thought you were referring to other clownfish (the ones that tend to fight with each other).

My current stock is: green clown goby, black molly, blue mandarin dragonet, cleaner wrasse, Midas blenny, mocha storm clownfish, ocellaris clownfish, Springer’s damsel, and yellow watchman goby.

The only fish that usually “chase” each other, so to speak, are the Midas blenny and the cleaner wrasse, because one of them tries to take the other’s hole when it’s time to sleep. But they don’t bite each other or anything like that. (The Midas never actually catches the wrasse.)

However, it’s worth mentioning that I started noticing these injuries on the clownfish after I removed my BTA and they started hosting my torch coral. I’m not sure if that could be related. It started as a small white spot and gradually spread until it looked like a white and reddish abrasion/bruising.

My question is: should I isolate them? Should I treat them with medication? I really don’t know what to do.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ah, I thought you were referring to other clownfish (the ones that tend to fight with each other).

My current stock is: green clown goby, black molly, blue mandarin dragonet, cleaner wrasse, Midas blenny, mocha storm clownfish, ocellaris clownfish, Springer’s damsel, and yellow watchman goby.

The only fish that usually “chase” each other, so to speak, are the Midas blenny and the cleaner wrasse, because one of them tries to take the other’s hole when it’s time to sleep. But they don’t bite each other or anything like that. (The Midas never actually catches the wrasse.)

However, it’s worth mentioning that I started noticing these injuries on the clownfish after I removed my BTA and they started hosting my torch coral. I’m not sure if that could be related. It started as a small white spot and gradually spread until it looked like a white and reddish abrasion/bruising.

My question is: should I isolate them? Should I treat them with medication? I really don’t know what to do.

Torch corals can sting clowns, and they just keep getting stung until they acclimate - but that typically leaves black or brown spots.

That fin tear had to have some mechanical cause -?something likely bit it.

Do you have an isolation tank with an operating biofilter? If so, you could move the fish over and treat with a broad spectrum gram negative antibiotic like kanamycin.

 

[deabreu33]

Ah, I thought you were referring to other clownfish (the ones that tend to fight with each other).

My current stock is: green clown goby, black molly, blue mandarin dragonet, cleaner wrasse, Midas blenny, mocha storm clownfish, ocellaris clownfish, Springer’s damsel, and yellow watchman goby.

The only fish that usually “chase” each other, so to speak, are the Midas blenny and the cleaner wrasse, because one of them tries to take the other’s hole when it’s time to sleep. But they don’t bite each other or anything like that. (The Midas never actually catches the wrasse.)

However, it’s worth mentioning that I started noticing these injuries on the clownfish after I removed my BTA and they started hosting my torch coral. I’m not sure if that could be related. It started as a small white spot and gradually spread until it looked like a white and reddish abrasion/bruising.

My question is: should I isolate them? Should I treat them with medication? I really don’t know what to do.

Torch corals can sting clowns, and they just keep getting stung until they acclimate - but that typically leaves black or brown spots.

That fin tear had to have some mechanical cause -?something likely bit it.

Do you have an isolation tank with an operating biofilter? If so, you could move the fish over and treat with a broad spectrum gram negative antibiotic like kanamycin.

The problem has already started to appear on the other fish’s left fin. This is exactly how the other fish’s tail started, with that white discoloration, and eventually the entire fin ended up disappearing.

What could this be? Is there a more commonly available medication that I could use? I live in Norway, and the regulations here are stricter when it comes to medications, so it can be difficult to get certain treatments.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The problem has already started to appear on the other fish’s left fin. This is exactly how the other fish’s tail started, with that white discoloration, and eventually the entire fin ended up disappearing.

What could this be? Is there a more commonly available medication that I could use? I live in Norway, and the regulations here are stricter when it comes to medications, so it can be difficult to get certain treatments.

See how this lesion looks like a growth, protruding from the skin? That is how Lymphocystis looks. That is a mild viral disease that goes away on its own in about 6 weeks. However, the picture is clear enough for me to say 100% that is what the issue with this fish is. Bacterial infections are "erosive", they eat away at the fish's tissues and never looked raised up.

You may have two issues going on here, as I didn't see any evidence of Lymphocystis in the first clownfish.

Yes, you will have difficulty getting true antibiotics in Norway.....