Possibly brooklynella?

[flatreefer]

Hello I'm new to reefing,

Just came back from a camping trip and installed my new hydra 32 HD and mounting arm,

I noticed white patches and a cloudy eye on my clown fish

I just would like to hear yalls opinion on what your diagnoses would be,

I'm leaning towards brooklynella but I'm also a novice, so before I head to my LFS I figured I'd see what you guys think, and what I need to get

Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[Suohhen]

Looks bacterial to me. You can read up on it here.

Bacterial Infections

Why fish get bacterial infections What You Need To Know: * Infections can be caused by either Gram‐positive or Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative infections are typically more virulent, and more common in marine fish. * Bacterial infections are often "secondary" to a preexisting parasitic...

www.reef2reef.com

but wait for the experts to respond before taking any action.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeppers- Brooklynella
At the onset, fish may scrape up against objects, rapid respiration develops, and fish often gasp for air at the surface as the gills become clogged with mucus. Very quickly the fish will become lethargic, refuse to eat, and its colors will fade. The most noticeable symptom of Brooklynella is the heavy amount of slime that is produced by a fish that has contracted this parasite. As the disease progresses, a thick whitish mucus covers the body. This will usually start at the head and spread outward across the entire body. Skin lesions appear and it is not uncommon for signs of secondary bacterial infections.
Typical treatment is a standard formalin solution is mixed with either fresh or saltwater in a separate treatment container. Initially, all fish are given a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration, followed by continued treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank (QT). Of course, the longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this disease.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief may be provided by giving fish a FW bath or dip. 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.

 

[flatreefer]

Yeppers- Brooklynella
At the onset, fish may scrape up against objects, rapid respiration develops, and fish often gasp for air at the surface as the gills become clogged with mucus. Very quickly the fish will become lethargic, refuse to eat, and its colors will fade. The most noticeable symptom of Brooklynella is the heavy amount of slime that is produced by a fish that has contracted this parasite. As the disease progresses, a thick whitish mucus covers the body. This will usually start at the head and spread outward across the entire body. Skin lesions appear and it is not uncommon for signs of secondary bacterial infections.
Typical treatment is a standard formalin solution is mixed with either fresh or saltwater in a separate treatment container. Initially, all fish are given a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration, followed by continued treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank (QT). Of course, the longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this disease.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief may be provided by giving fish a FW bath or dip. 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.

Do you think this is due to my tank? Or the LFS I bought the clown from, also wear do I get formalin from? My LFS doesn't seem to carry any form of it,

So for now I guess just fresh ro/di water dips and QT?

 

[Jekyl]

Chewy.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you think this is due to my tank? Or the LFS I bought the clown from, also wear do I get formalin from? My LFS doesn't seem to carry any form of it,

So for now I guess just fresh ro/di water dips and QT?

Ruby rally pro (although takes longer for treatment has formalin) and API quick cure also works.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Do you think this is due to my tank? Or the LFS I bought the clown from, also wear do I get formalin from? My LFS doesn't seem to carry any form of it,

So for now I guess just fresh ro/di water dips and QT?

Yes, just to throw in my vote - does look like Brooklynella.

Jay

 

[flatreefer]

Okay so the clown fish is the only fish/thing I have in my tank, so do I have to run my tank without fish for 6weeks now to eradicate the brook, and go buy everything thing I need for a quarantine put Reggie(the clown) in the qt, do fresh water dips once a day until I can locate some for of medication to treat this poor guy?

So far not a great start to my saltwater journey

What's the list of a decent quarantine tank set up, has to be small as inhave limited space,


5gallon, heater, HOB filter, saltwater ?,

So do I also have to leave my tank fishless for 6weeks?

Can I add any corals?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Okay so the clown fish is the only fish/thing I have in my tank, so do I have to run my tank without fish for 6weeks now to eradicate the brook, and go buy everything thing I need for a quarantine put Reggie(the clown) in the qt, do fresh water dips once a day until I can locate some for of medication to treat this poor guy?

So far not a great start to my saltwater journey

What's the list of a decent quarantine tank set up, has to be small as inhave limited space,


5gallon, heater, HOB filter, saltwater ?,

So do I also have to leave my tank fishless for 6weeks?

Can I add any corals?

IMO you should use a 10 gallon or larger tank. You can add corals during the fallow period IF they are coming from a tank that isn’t infected with something....that usually means inverts only, no fish.
Jay

 

[flatreefer]

Okay so update, is there anyway that this is not brooklynella? The clownfish seems to be looking better each day,

He still eats
The white fuzz is slowly subsiding?

Is it possible that this is something similar to brook but not brook?

Everything I read say 2-3 days and the fish is dead,

This trooper is still alive

 

[Suohhen]

A bigger indicator of brook is rapid breathing, but as I said originally it looks more bacterial to me. Jay and Vette are the experts but we can only work off what we are presented with. Ultimately you are in the best position to make a diagnosis as pictures and descriptions have their limitations.
It could still definitely be brook, the issue is what you are seeing is mucus produced by the fish as a reaction to any number of irritants. So read up on brook.

Brooklynella

Brooklynella hostilis What You Need To Know: * This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s). * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute...

www.reef2reef.com

and mucus

Mucus - The Slime That Binds

Mucus: The Slime that Binds Jay Hemdal C. 2020 This article examines the various causes of excess mucus coatings on fish, as well as fecal mucus issues. ------------------- The mucus produced by the fish’s epidermal cells gives them their...

www.reef2reef.com

And then if you could post some new pictures and describe any odd behaviors you are seeing.

 

[flatreefer]

When I get home I'll try to snap some good pictures,

I have read that thread on brook, and almost everything I can find online,

But ill read the mucus one aswell since I haven't,

Thanks for the help!! Appreciate it!

 

[flatreefer]

Okay so update #2

The little clown had white fuzz all over his eye, spots on down his back on both sides, his tail fin was covered, the top dorsal fin wasn't even upright it was so covered, at one point he had a stringy thing dragging behind him from his upper back

But he still ate like crazy, still acted normal, I didn't see him scratching his body on the rocks, there was zero gasping or heavy breathing,

So on Friday i left for the cottage, his white fuzz seemed to be better but still there, didn't take a picture,

Now today I come back and the little bugger has zero sign of fuzz, all his fins are clear and erect, he's happy hungry and healthy looking again,

So is it possible brook is still in my tank? And that he fought it off and is immune to it? Or was this some sorta different bacterial infection the he over came?

Is he covid 19 (brook) asymptomatic lol?

I'm happy he's alive still, but everything I read about his symptoms pointed towards brook so I figured I'd let him live until the 2-3 day death date he had, then go fallow for 6weeks (giving me time to setup a QT tank for next batch of fish)

This guy is strong AF

after

before

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’ve never heard of fish fighting off a Brooklynella infection, but I suppose it is possible. It has a direct life cycle, so doesn’t multiply exponentially like ich and velvet do. Good to see!
Jay

 

[Suohhen]

Yep for sure nothing is a 100% killer but without treatment I've never seen a fish with such an advanced case of brook survive. But as I said originally I felt more like it wasn't brook and I should elaborate as to why. For one behavior is a far better indicator than pictures and it just isn't typical to see a fish with such a pronounced case of brook to be eating and acting normally. Also the picture looks like it lacks focus and is blue washed making it appear more like skin flaking off, but you stated that the fish looks to be covered in mucus which can't be seen very well in the photo and in general that kind of thing can mess with the look of a photo.
Anyway way to go Reggie! Whatever it was you're left to decide with how to proceed which is up to your level of comfort. The safest thing to do is go fallow but brook is different than a lot of other parasites so it is less of a requirement but if it was brook there is still simply no guarantee that it is gone without going fallow.