Sick clowns..

[Lunaboo32]

Hello, I am new to the saltwater hobby, I’ve been keeping freshwater for years now and decided to try a saltwater tank. I set up my 15 gallon about 4 weeks ago, and just added in some clowns along with a few invertebrates only 3 days ago. I got my clownfish from corals anonymous, which seemed like a fine place to get fish from as I’ve had good luck with their corals, and not assuming this is caused by them, but it looks like my clownfish are sick. I’m guessing it’s Brooklynella based off what I’ve read, as the smaller one looks like he is shedding skin or like a white film. Can someone help me?? The last photo is of my other clown, and it looks like she is starting to be affected too. I’m really worried this is going to ruin my whole tank.

 

[TX_REEF]

#fishmedics

 

[Sharkbait19]

Welcome to the forum!
Unfortunately, that does look like brooklynella. Treatment of choice is formalin in a qt (but ruby reef rally also works and is more readily available). The display tank should run fishless for 6 weeks to starve out the disease while the clowns are in qt.

 

[Lunaboo32]

Thank you for the welcome. Unfortunately both clowns passed within a few hours of me making this post. It was late at night when I posted this, so there was no way I could go to the store to get any kind of treatment and nothing would be shipped on time. Do you know what exactly caused this? Could it be my fault or do you think I just was shipped sick fish? I just want to prevent it in the future. It’s so unfortunate

 

[Sharkbait19]

Sorry to hear - the excess mucus + a rapid death like that points to brooklynella.
At this point, the tank should remain fishless for 6 weeks to starve it out. New fish should be quarantined to control for disease (and keep them out of the display tank).

 

[Lunaboo32]

at this point there’s no more fish in the tank to even remove. My Royal gramma passed away earlier as well. I understand it’s a bacteria/parasite spread among fish, I’m just really trying to figure out where they got it from. Does it have something to do with my water??

 

[Sharkbait19]

The fish are exposed to disease either before capture or in the supply chain - in many cases these don’t show up until in your tank at home. It has nothing to do with water, just previous exposure.

 

[Lunaboo32]

Okay, thank you for your help.