Please help Wally

anabechara

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Hi guys! Please help!

Today my clownfish Wally Marie has not been eating and her breathing has become faster and faster. She has been hanging out in her sleeping location all day. It seems that she is struggling with the current too. Her skin and body look normal, no spots or veils, fins are fine. Also no signs of aggression, if anything she is the boss of the tank.
She is my first and oldest fish. I love her.

Attached a video of her right now.
please help us!
Any thoughts are appreciated!

-

Everybody else in the tank looks fine and eating and acting normally. My two corals look good too.
I have not made any changes to the tank recently. Apart from the weekly water change that happened on Tuesdays.
The last fish I added was 1 month ago, after 21 days of quarantine and he looks fine. (So 51 days altogether)

Parameters:
tank 45G AIO
ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10 pH 8.0 KH 7.6
Temp 78.5-79.2 Salinity 1.025-1.026

Livestock: 2 ocellaris clownfish - 1 royal gramma - 1 good midas blenny - 1 longnose hawkfish - 1 banggai cardinal.

Inverts & CUC: 1 skink cleaner fish - 3 turbo snails - 7 astrae snails - 15 small hermits - 2 medium blue legged hermits.

Coral: green star polyp - hammer
 

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vetteguy53081

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Hi guys! Please help!

Today my clownfish Wally Marie has not been eating and her breathing has become faster and faster. She has been hanging out in her sleeping location all day. It seems that she is struggling with the current too. Her skin and body look normal, no spots or veils, fins are fine. Also no signs of aggression, if anything she is the boss of the tank.
She is my first and oldest fish. I love her.

Attached a video of her right now.
please help us!
Any thoughts are appreciated!

-

Everybody else in the tank looks fine and eating and acting normally. My two corals look good too.
I have not made any changes to the tank recently. Apart from the weekly water change that happened on Tuesdays.
The last fish I added was 1 month ago, after 21 days of quarantine and he looks fine. (So 51 days altogether)

Parameters:
tank 45G AIO
ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10 pH 8.0 KH 7.6
Temp 78.5-79.2 Salinity 1.025-1.026

Livestock: 2 ocellaris clownfish - 1 royal gramma - 1 good midas blenny - 1 longnose hawkfish - 1 banggai cardinal.

Inverts & CUC: 1 skink cleaner fish - 3 turbo snails - 7 astrae snails - 15 small hermits - 2 medium blue legged hermits.

Coral: green star polyp - hammer
Oh no - Not Wally !!!! ( I just had to - love the name)
As you will notice, Wally has lost color and has a haziness to its skin. Fish has a typical disease that affects clowns called " Brooklynella".
You will have to set up a quarantine tank to treat the fish. Treatment is often effective.
Brooklynella which commonly affects clowns especially wild caught versions. The most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials
 
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anabechara

anabechara

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What???
thank you for your reply!!
I am truly failing to see the changes in her skin... she looks totally normal to me... except from her breathing...
I am attaching a new video and a picture in a different place in the tank. Maybe you see her differently...
I do have another tank. A 10G one. That I could potentially set up right now. And my LFS is still open I can go get the treatment.
@vetteguy53081
 

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Sebastiancrab

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I think you need an opinion from @jayhemdal , our resident marine biologist. I would be prepared with the quarantine tank. To me, it does not look like brooklynella yet. I believe fast breathing could be a sign of velvet which can affect fish very quickly without obvious skin signs right away (in my experience). I would have Copper Power and Ruby Reef Rally Pro on hand just in case. If it is velvet, it will kill your fish very quickly and you need to move fast.
 

Jay Hemdal

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I think there is a protozoan disease as well. Trouble is, if it is brooklynella, it will likely spread to the other clown and if it is velvet, all fish would be at risk.
Do you have access to a fish treatment tank?
Jay
 
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anabechara

anabechara

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Oh no - Not Wally !!!! ( I just had to - love the name)
As you will notice, Wally has lost color and has a haziness to its skin. Fish has a typical disease that affects clowns called " Brooklynella".
You will have to set up a quarantine tank to treat the fish. Treatment is often effective.
Brooklynella which commonly affects clowns especially wild caught versions. The most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the
I think there is a protozoan disease as well. Trouble is, if it is brooklynella, it will likely spread to the other clown and if it is velvet, all fish would be at risk.
Do you have access to a fish trea
Hi!
I have a 10G tank. That I can set up later tonight.
I can go to the store now and get whatever medications I would need.
I am having hard time processing this, as yesterday Wally was totally normal and eating like a champ. And I am still failing to see the changes in her skin as I feel that she looks like she always has.

Would I need to put all the fish in the hospital tank?

Can I fit 6 fish in a 10G tank for 4-6 weeks???

What medications should I have on hand?

I am assuming the water is contaminated, and so I should not use the media in the for the hospital tank. How can I cycle that tank?

This is so overwhelming. I don't think I have what it takes to go thru it...

@Jay Hemdal
 

vetteguy53081

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What???
thank you for your reply!!
I am truly failing to see the changes in her skin... she looks totally normal to me... except from her breathing...
I am attaching a new video and a picture in a different place in the tank. Maybe you see her differently...
I do have another tank. A 10G one. That I could potentially set up right now. And my LFS is still open I can go get the treatment.
@vetteguy53081
I see discoloration but noy heavy mucus but symptoms such as rapid breathing and loss of appetite suggest it may be.
Often a freshwater dip will offer temporary relief but with breathing being rapid could be a risk to fish.
Hi!
I have a 10G tank. That I can set up later tonight.
I can go to the store now and get whatever medications I would need.
I am having hard time processing this, as yesterday Wally was totally normal and eating like a champ. And I am still failing to see the changes in her skin as I feel that she looks like she always has.

Would I need to put all the fish in the hospital tank?

Can I fit 6 fish in a 10G tank for 4-6 weeks???

What medications should I have on hand?

I am assuming the water is contaminated, and so I should not use the media in the for the hospital tank. How can I cycle that tank?

This is so overwhelming. I don't think I have what it takes to go thru it...

@Jay Hemdal
Focus on the clowns for now. Meds:
Quick Cure. . . If None : Ruby Rally Pro
If you want to have meds on hand:
Maracyn ALA Maracyn 1
Coppersafe or copper power
Seachem kanaplex
 
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anabechara

anabechara

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I see discoloration but noy heavy mucus but symptoms such as rapid breathing and loss of appetite suggest it may be.
Often a freshwater dip will offer temporary relief but with breathing being rapid could be a risk to fish.

Focus on the clowns for now. Meds:
Quick Cure. . . If None : Ruby Rally Pro
If you want to have meds on hand:
Maracyn ALA Maracyn 1
Coppersafe or copper power
Seachem kanaplex
Is there something that I can read now with more instructions?
Should I put both the clowns in the hospital tank even tho the other one seems normal?
 

vetteguy53081

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Is there something that I can read now with more instructions?
Should I put both the clowns in the hospital tank even tho the other one seems normal?
You can do both while not necessary for others
 

threebuoys

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Is there something that I can read now with more instructions?
Should I put both the clowns in the hospital tank even tho the other one seems normal?
The link in my signature below discusses the method for running a QT/Hospital tank. If you have additional questions, post here and someone will try to help you.
 

TangerineSpeedo

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Don't get discouraged! Doing QT is easy, the 10g is fine. You will need to make up some water and do a 100% water change about every 3 days. No need for a cycle, because you are doing a 100% change when the ammonia starts to become an issue. Go to home depot to get some PVC hides, maybe a Brute if you don't have one already. To be honest, it is easier if you have another 10g and do tank swaps every three days. Watch the QT series on BRS with Elliot it will help with how things are laid out. The biggest thing is to the stress level with your fish low, be aware of that.
 
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anabechara

anabechara

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I see discoloration but noy heavy mucus but symptoms such as rapid breathing and loss of appetite suggest it may be.
Often a freshwater dip will offer temporary relief but with breathing being rapid could be a risk to fish.

Focus on the clowns for now. Meds:
Quick Cure. . . If None : Ruby Rally Pro
If you want to have meds on hand:
Maracyn ALA Maracyn 1
Coppersafe or copper power
Seachem kanaplex
Also, could you tell me the brand of Quick Cure? I can only find Super Ick Cure from API... but petco and smartpet and my LFS dont have that...
 

threebuoys

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Also, could you tell me the brand of Quick Cure? I can only find Super Ick Cure from API... but petco and smartpet and my LFS dont have that...
Quick cure does not appear to be marketed in the states currently. It is no longer listed as a product on the API website. It contains formalin which is used for brooklynella.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal believe the parasite is either broklynella or velvet. As Jay mentioned the treatment is different depending on which. Formalin is used for brook, copper is used for velvet. I think vetteguy described the visible signs that might help narrow the diagnosis. I'm sure one of them will offer more thought on the diagnosis.
 
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anabechara

anabechara

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Quick cure does not appear to be marketed in the states currently. It is no longer listed as a product on the API website. It contains formalin which is used for brooklynella.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal believe the parasite is either broklynella or velvet. As Jay mentioned the treatment is different depending on which. Formalin is used for brook, copper is used for velvet. I think vetteguy described the visible signs that might help narrow the diagnosis. I'm sure one of them will offer more thought on the diagnosis.
Thank you! I went to three stores just now and they did not have any of the recommendations...
I bought Coppersafe by Fritz and Super Ich Cure by API.
they had nothing with formalin in it...

They also did not have a test for copper as I have read somewhere that I need to test copper level...

I am setting the hospital tank right now and will wait until tomorrow, there is a bigger fish store near by (but it was closed when I got there tonight) that might carry these products... I am placing Wally in the hospital tank tonight and see how that goes.
Thank you!!!
 

ISpeakForTheSeas

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Thank you! I went to three stores just now and they did not have any of the recommendations...
I bought Coppersafe by Fritz and Super Ich Cure by API.
they had nothing with formalin in it...

They also did not have a test for copper as I have read somewhere that I need to test copper level...

I am setting the hospital tank right now and will wait until tomorrow, there is a bigger fish store near by (but it was closed when I got there tonight) that might carry these products... I am placing Wally in the hospital tank tonight and see how that goes.
Thank you!!!
Yeah, if you’re treating with copper you’ll want a copper test make sure you’re maintaining the right amount of copper for the treatment (not too much and not too little). Most people I’ve seen recommend the Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker to test copper levels.
 

vetteguy53081

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Also, could you tell me the brand of Quick Cure? I can only find Super Ick Cure from API... but petco and smartpet and my LFS dont have that...
YES= API
 

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