Clowns With White Glaze/film

[CoMan]

Hi all

Really worried about my clowns. I've just noticed they don't quite look the same. Both have a light white glaze/film on their skin. can only really see it in certain areas of the tank. Oh and both fins look a little frayed. One of them keeps swinging directly in the path of the power head. Both ate well this morning.

water is all normal and I do weekly changes of 10 - 15 %.

Any ideas?

Cheers

 

[AK77]

If you can, post a picture of the fish for all to see, to offer advice.

From what you have described, this sounds identical to what my male clown had a few months back. He appeared to have a whiteish mucus/slime over his body and his colours faded. His tail also began to frey somewhat. I didn't medicate the water but instead target fed them Ocean Nutrician pellet food, which is enriched with vitamins and garlic. The fish pulled through and is doing well to this day. If yours is eating well, its a good sign.

On the whole I think people immediately panic when their fish looks ill and dump medication into the water needlessly. Then when the fish recovers, they put it down to the treatment and swear by it. Fish, like us, have an immune system, and provided they are well feed on quality food, with high protein/vitamins/minerals, they should fight off most infections on their own.

 

[CoMan]

Thanks for the advise I will feed well and if there is no improvement I will move onto treatment later. How long did your clown take to pull through? I've been having a read up and looks like my fellas have got "Oodinium" or marine velvet? Does this ring any bells?

Plus I went up to the place where I bought them. I explained my problems but they seemed to think I was over reacting. Well I took a cheeky sample of there water and took it home to test It was low for everything but also salt. 1.018!!! Can that be right? I mean I'm not an expert but surely if these fish have been in 1.018 and Ive put them in 1.023. Surely there are going to be issues? Or am I way off?

Please give me your thoughts.

Will try to post pics but the ones I took just don't show what I can see

cheers

 

[AK77]

Hi,

It took my clown about 4-5 days to show any signs of improvement. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what my fish had.

The symptoms were rapid breathing, loss of colour, mucus on the fish and freying of the fins. There is a chance that your fish has Brooklynella hostilis or Uronema marinum. Clownfish are very susceptible to it. Have a read up on it and monitor your fish every hour or so because if it is Brooklynella, they can detriorate rapidly.

A lot of LFS keep their fish in tanks with a low SG. This helps prevent the spread of whitespot, as the parasite cannot survive in hyposalinity.

 

[CoMan]

Cheers for the heads up. I'll check out those diseases and keep a close eye.

Would the low salt levels at my lfs cause issues when introducing fish into high salinity? Extra stress for example or would the fish adapt fine?

 

[AK77]

Cheers for the heads up. I'll check out those diseases and keep a close eye.

Would the low salt levels at my lfs cause issues when introducing fish into high salinity? Extra stress for example or would the fish adapt fine?

If they were acclimbatized slowly, using the drip method, then there shouldn't be a problem. I suspect that its not uncommon for fish to suffer osmotic shock to some degree, where people don't allow sufficient time for the waters to mix gradually. Transporting fish is always stressful for them as they are chased around a tank, scooped up by a big net, put in a plastic bag and then buffeted around in a car on the way home.

Really, I think responsible retailers should state what their SG is in there tanks, as its often something people don't think to ask when purchasing a fish.

 

[CoMan]

Got ya. thanks for all the help. I'll update on this thread with any updates

thanks again

 

[CoMan]

Update

both clowns are still alive and still have a white glaze about them. On the bigger one, it has spread to his eyes and he is constantly swiming infront of the power head. He looks thinner and didn't eat when given food. The smaller one is swiming around the tank and eating well. His fins are erect and generally looks in good health apart from white glaze.

Unsure of my next move. Spoke with a different lfs and they said to use oodinex.

Thoughts?

Many thanks

 

[AK77]

Update

both clowns are still alive and still have a white glaze about them. On the bigger one, it has spread to his eyes and he is constantly swiming infront of the power head. He looks thinner and didn't eat when given food. The smaller one is swiming around the tank and eating well. His fins are erect and generally looks in good health apart from white glaze.

Unsure of my next move. Spoke with a different lfs and they said to use oodinex.

Thoughts?

Many thanks

Hi CoMan,

If the larger one isn't eating then it may be worth while putting him in a hospital tank or container and medicating him and do the same if the smaller one stops eating too. Just out of interest, does the food contain garlic? If not, it may be worthwhile getting a good quality food enriched with it, as it really encourages them to eat for some reason.

 

[CoMan]

I bought some garlic enriched food yesturday and the small one is munching away! Bit more worried about the big one who is just keen on swiming in front of the power head. Now the light is off he has stopped though so will put some food in and see if he takes it. Will look into setting up a hospital tank.

Cheers

 

[CoMan]

Update

The big fella died last night(sad times). His fin had completely disappeared! The small one seems to be doing fine. He looks strong swiming around and eating loads whenever I put food in. All his fins are intact but he still has a little of the white glaze about him. I'm preying he will pull through.

 

[AK77]

Update

The big fella died last night(sad times). His fin had completely disappeared! The small one seems to be doing fine. He looks strong swiming around and eating loads whenever I put food in. All his fins are intact but he still has a little of the white glaze about him. I'm preying he will pull through.

Sorry to hear about the clown. I was doing some reading and it sounds like the big fella may very well have had brooklynella.

 

[CoMan]

.

Sorry to hear about the clown. I was doing some reading and it sounds like the big fella may very well have had brooklynella.

I'm well gutted! Just hope the little one will be ok? If it's brooklynella should I medicate?

 

[AK77]

I would be too. If it is brooklynella (and the symptoms you mention do fit the bill) and its already claimed one fish, then I would recommend treating them. Have a read of this link. It suggests a 37% formalin bath in 1 gallon of water.

 

[CoMan]

I would be too. If it is brooklynella (and the symptoms you mention do fit the bill) and its already claimed one fish, then I would recommend treating them. Have a read of this link. It suggests a 37% formalin bath in 1 gallon of water.

cheers for all your help I really appriciate it. I've got some time off tmrw so will have a look at formalin dip and update you.

Thanks again