Recommend treatment for sick clowns

[JayM]

This little guy has been breathing rapid, white stringy poop and not eating for about 3 weeks.

Yesterday another clown started breathing faster and not eating. It’s hard to tell if there are any external issues with the white clown, but the “normal” clown shows no external abnormalities.
Both clowns were F/W dipped and moved to a 5 gallon QT last night. As of this morning, the little one is likely not going to make it. The remaining clown still isn’t eating, still breathing fast, but swimming around to much to get any usable video.

All other D/T inhabitants are normal.

Water parameters have been stable aside from the ammonia raising slightly which may have been the Prazipro possibly killing off some snails.

Nitrates also dropped from 25 to 13 in a week.

The DT was treated with Prazipro about a month ago for a Blue Tang showing signs of flukes if that helps.

Turn audio off or you’ll hear annoying news in the background.


#fishmedic#fishmedicstype="full"]3379173[/ATTACH]

 

[MnFish1]

Were they ever quarantined in a QT tank with copper followed by prazipro - as per the protocol at the top of the fish disease forum. Can you send current pictures of both fish? Of course clowns are somewhat more likely to have brooklynella - which would be treated by formalin (if you can get it). Since (if you dosed it correctly) - flukes would be relatively less likely, you may want to see if you can obtain copper, etc. Ruby reef rally pro might be an option

 

[JayM]

No quarantine. I can post pics soon, but I’m away from home for an hour or so. I have Rally Pro on hand, but wasn’t sure if I should do a bath, then back to hospital tank, or if I should just treat the hospital tank.

I was thinking brook as well, but with the little clown basically having symptoms appear over night, and not worsening over a few weeks time I was very unsure. His symptoms are exponentially worse now. Again seemingly overnight. I’m not enthusiastic about his survival, but the other clown still appears mostly healthy.

 

[Lavey29]

If you are showing ammonia .3 that is why your fish are gasping for air. Water change right away add airstone.

 

[JayM]

If you are showing ammonia .3 that is why your fish are gasping for air. Water change right away add airstone.

Water change done already for ammonia, but I don’t think it’s the cause.

I think that would make sense if it wasn’t just two fish. And it doesn’t explain the other symptoms.

 

[MnFish1]

If you are showing ammonia .3 that is why your fish are gasping for air. Water change right away add airstone.

With all due respect - at the pH of his tank and the ammonia of 0.3 - that is not causing the problem - in only 1 fish. However, it is elevated - an my assumption was this new technique was an error

 

[Lavey29]

Water change done already for ammonia, but I don’t think it’s the cause.

I think that would make sense if it wasn’t just two fish. And it doesn’t explain the other symptoms.

Ok I didn't note that there were other fish in the tank but also some fish will show ammonia symptoms quicker then others but sounds like you addressed it.

 

[Lavey29]

With all due respect - at the pH of his tank and the ammonia of 0.3 - that is not causing the problem - in only 1 fish. However, it is elevated - an my assumption was this new technique was an error

Ok but if you read his post he mentions more then one clown gasping for air.

 

[MnFish1]

Ok but if you read his post he mentions more then one clown gasping for air.

Yes - you're right - the risk is not to that / those clowns - but to the rest of the fish in his tank - I almost said - perhaps its best to take all of the fish out - but I didn't

 

[Jay Hemdal]

This little guy has been breathing rapid, white stringy poop and not eating for about 3 weeks.

Yesterday another clown started breathing faster and not eating. It’s hard to tell if there are any external issues with the white clown, but the “normal” clown shows no external abnormalities.
Both clowns were F/W dipped and moved to a 5 gallon QT last night. As of this morning, the little one is likely not going to make it. The remaining clown still isn’t eating, still breathing fast, but swimming around to much to get any usable video.

All other D/T inhabitants are normal.

Water parameters have been stable aside from the ammonia raising slightly which may have been the Prazipro possibly killing off some snails.

Nitrates also dropped from 25 to 13 in a week.

The DT was treated with Prazipro about a month ago for a Blue Tang showing signs of flukes if that helps.

Turn audio off or you’ll hear annoying news in the background.


#fishmedic#fishmedicstype="full"]3379173[/ATTACH]

The stringy poop, not eating and rapid breathing over a week or more time are the symptoms of an issue with clownfish that does not have a solid diagnosis. We see it a lot here. I suspect it is either a virus or coccidia (most likely the latter). Neither of those are treatable.

Differential diagnoses for this:

Rapid breathing followed by death is usually velvet
Stringy feces alone can be a dietary issue
White sheets of mucus falling off the fish is Brooklynella
Slow onset rapid breathing is often flukes
Ich of course creates white spots

Oddly, moderate ammonia levels actually slow a fish's respiration rate (and don't cause white feces).

Jay

 

[JayM]

Were they ever quarantined in a QT tank with copper followed by prazipro - as per the protocol at the top of the fish disease forum. Can you send current pictures of both fish? Of course clowns are somewhat more likely to have brooklynella - which would be treated by formalin (if you can get it). Since (if you dosed it correctly) - flukes would be relatively less likely, you may want to see if you can obtain copper, etc. Ruby reef rally pro might be an option

Won’t really stay still for a pic, but here’s video of the second fish.



First fish is sitting on the bottom breathing fast. I’m certain he’s beyond help and will need to be euthanized.

 

[JayM]

The stringy poop, not eating and rapid breathing over a week or more time are the symptoms of an issue with clownfish that does not have a solid diagnosis. We see it a lot here. I suspect it is either a virus or coccidia (most likely the latter). Neither of those are treatable.

Differential diagnoses for this:

Rapid breathing followed by death is usually velvet
Stringy feces alone can be a dietary issue
White sheets of mucus falling off the fish is Brooklynella
Slow onset rapid breathing is often flukes
Ich of course creates white spots

Oddly, moderate ammonia levels actually slow a fish's respiration rate (and don't cause white feces).

Jay

That seems to be my luck. I’ve got a total of 4 clowns. Two have been in the DT for 3 months, one of those two is the most recently ill. The other two have been in the DT about 2 weeks less than the first two, and one of those was the first to fall ill.

I know neither of what you suspect are treatable, but can either be prevented? Something introduced to DT, or just something that clowns are susceptible to?

It seems that whatever it is is transmitted between clowns?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

That seems to be my luck. I’ve got a total of 4 clowns. Two have been in the DT for 3 months, one of those two is the most recently ill. The other two have been in the DT about 2 weeks less than the first two, and one of those was the first to fall ill.

I know neither of what you suspect are treatable, but can either be prevented? Something introduced to DT, or just something that clowns are susceptible to?

It seems that whatever it is is transmitted between clowns?

I’m not sure what gets coccidea started in fish, is it exposure or weakened immune system, IDK. Viral diseases are highly contagious because water is a perfect conduit to spread those diseases.

Jay