Black & White Clown Possible Fluke Problem :(

[littleme1969]

**BANGS HEAD ON DESK*
Well after giving my tang the sll clear for the white spot and adding back the quarantined fish, I now discover that my black and white clown has a fluke problem
The original set of oramge clowns came in with a mystery problem that seemed to cause lumps then lessions. The first one died quite quickly with the second showing no syptoms. Then the second one had one attached to his head, then one on his tail. He stopped eating and died not long after. This was happing while I was trying to sort out the white spot issue so I didnt give it much attention not being sure what it and was and if it was related to the white spot.
But yesterday I noticed a small white lump above my clowns eye, and today is doubled in size How do I go about treating this ? I mean the fish have only just gone back in 2 weeks ago after 6 weeks quaratine and treatment for the white spot What meds do I need and what sort of risk is there to the other fish.

 

[SkiFletch]

Wow seriously? Well, flukes are also a parasite just like ich and are therefore treated in the same manner. Copper and/or hyposalinity. Was the clownfish getting beat up at all?

 

[littleme1969]

No the clown is supper healthy. very plump little guy witha good apetite. Hes dominant over the orange clown so there is no agression there and the tank in general is very calm with no squobling what so ever. Maybe the stress of the move? Do the flukes live in the system? I'm assuming the first clowns brought them in

 

[Colin_T]

flukes don't grow that quickly and will infect other fishes in the tank, not just the clownfish. Any chance of a pic?

With clownfish you should try to keep them together at all times. If one is kept on its own for more than a few weeks it turns into a female and when you put it back in the tank you end up with a couple of females that will normally argue.

 

[littleme1969]

Its growing the same way the others did on my other pair of clown. Starts small then over a few day doubles and elongates to a degress. The I'm assuming it drops of as it dissapears and just leaves a scar. My other clowns had them on the tail area near the rear vent and when the parasite dropped off it left an actual hole in the tail fin which in time seemed to get infected. The parasite is white in colour and does not have any visible legs etc. its just like a tiny white slug , what I would expect a fluke to look like. I'll try and get a pic but I bet it will have dropped off tomorrow and all there will be is a scar
As for the clowns they have not paired up. The live at each end of the tank in their own clump of xenia so no worries about seperating them.
Ive not seen signs of it infecting any other fish in the 6 months from I first got the other clowns. This particular black clown was in with the other orange clown that was infected and died.

 

[ally--19]

are they being bullied by any other fish

 

[SkiFletch]

I had the same thing happen to my pair of skunks littleme. One got flukes on his rear, the other on his right gill. The one with the flukes on the rear has survived, still a little misshapen, but the one that had it on its gills did not survive. They never infected other fish in the tank though, just the clowns...

 

[littleme1969]

I had the same thing happen to my pair of skunks littleme. One got flukes on his rear, the other on his right gill. The one with the flukes on the rear has survived, still a little misshapen, but the one that had it on its gills did not survive. They never infected other fish in the tank though, just the clowns...

Yes same here.. No other fish effected but Ive lost a pair of clowns to it.
The current clown is looking well. He was a fat little spud anyhow..lol never seen a clown with such an apetite. The thing either dropped of or he went and had it removed by the cleaner shrimp, not sure which. There was a scare for a few days above his eye but thats gone now and hes being himself, noshing like a pig and beating the poo out of his xenia..lol
So not quite the disaster I thought. Lucky he got it and not the other clown as hes only just started eating and I have no doubt it would have finished him off.