White Spots Maroon Clown

[clutchcargo]

For what it's worth, this arrangement appears to be a very peaceful community so far.
I was under the impression that ich (Cryptocaryon) is a parasite. Wouldn't that have come in on the fish and errupted anyway regardless of stress?

 

[fishfarmer]

Not necessarily. I recently setup a FOWLR, pushed some limits with regard to quick stocking. Sure enough, a newly introduced regal tang came down with ich, the other fish(yellow tang, lunare wrasse, blue damsel, green chromis) didn't come down with it. I fed garlic/vitamin soaked nori for a couple of weeks. The regal came through with flying colors.

A day after the regal was put in the owners of the tank(not me) put a clownfish in the tank(came from a leaking tank). The clown never got ich for about a month. Everything in the tank was eating well and the parameters were fine for a FOWLR, sightly elevated nitrate and phos. We had a heat wave for a few days, tank was in upper 80's. The clown now has a slight case of ich, everything else is doing fine. I'm back to trying to get the garlic to the clown.

[ September 19, 2001: Message edited by: fishfarmer ]

 

[clutchcargo]

After about 3 weeks I finally got my water parameters perfect in my nano (10G)(0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, pH 8.2, SG 1.022). I'm keeping the temp somewhat low around 78F. The tank already has the full cleanup crew from TBS (2 shrimp, 5 snails, 2 stars, 1 cucumber, and a bunch of bluelegs). There is also an anemone residing in the tank.
I added a Maroon Clown, Royal Gramma, and a Dwarf Angel. It's only been about 3 days and the bio-load seems to be OK as there was no change in water quality. The Clown, however, now has white spots on his body and a bigger white spot on his forehead (I assume it's ick). I'm trying to treat with garlic-extract soaked food, but he doesn't seem to have an appetite. The other two fish appear to like the garlic though.
I don't have a QT set up as this was supposed to become QT. The plan was to try a nano setup first. If I could keep everything alive, or most everything, I would make the investment in a large setup and move everybody over as they outgrew the small tank.
Any advice would be appreciated as this is all new territory for me and I wasn't expecting problems this early in.
Thanks
c

 

[Gatortailale1]

Buy a 10 gallon tank for $10 and make that your hospital tank. (Most pet stores sell them for around that price) Add bubbles or small power filter (no charcoal filter) for water movement.(even a small powerhead may work) Also put in few small various size /diameter pieces of PVC pipe for fish to hide in. Treat with medicine.

Hope it helps.

 

[fishfarmer]

I'd invest in a bigger tank asap. Regardless of good water parameters, I think that's too much of a fish load for that small a tank. I'd be giving each of those fish at least 10 gal of space each. Even if your water params are in line, the fish may be fighting or under the "stress" of cramped quarters thereby you will see ich outbreaks.

I would continue the garlic treatments and get a bigger tank.

 

[clutchcargo]

$15 Follow up.
It turns out that I miss-diagnosed this as ich. It turned out that after it got worse, it was evident that it was clownfish disease (Brooklynella - as described by M.Paletta in The New Marine Aquarium). We made the investment for a QT and tried to treat the fish with a freshwater dip initially and back to the QT but the stress must have been too much for him at this point and he died. I don't think there was much else we could do, we just got a sick fish from the LFS.
At least all the remaining occupants are happy and healthy and everything else is perfect.

 

[jmeader]

If it was brook, it's a pretty good bet that you can kiss your other 2 fish good=bye. For your next fish think smaller, like 3 inches of fish total=MAX. Remember, you are just beginning and can't afford to push it. Otherwise you might want to think about restocking your tank on at least a bi-monthly basis.

 

[Nostrathomas]

Clutch,I agree with fishfarmer your bioload is too big for your tank.I would not add anything else.I have a 10gal and keep 2-Banghai cardinals and one blennie.