Disease? Ocellaris clown has the following symptoms.

[Dewman]

I rescued a pair of Ocellaris clowns from the local PETCO. One was already pretty dark and larger, the other was lighter, ans smaller. I observed them "Hooking up" and dancing around eachother in the store and so I decided it was time to own some clown fish.

I dropped them into the tank Sunday afternoon. The larger darker (female I suppose), is healthy and happy and vivid and eating. But the smaller (male I guess) has developed a light , milky or clear coating and has a slime streamer coming off his caudal area. I thought it was feces at first, but I realized it is slime. In addition, he also has some small white spots (smaller than Ick) on the edges of his tail and dorsal and caudal fins.

Can anyone help me? I did a search on fish disease and the closest description I could come up with was "Slimy skin Disease" or "Salt Water Velvet"

Any help or comments would be appreciated.
And please, no " I told you so's" about PETCO.
Our local store is one of the good one's ( not many around).

 

[Dewman]

One more thing...

I only have my 10 gallon nano now, so they are both in there.
This tank has been up for almost three years now. All levels, except DKH are normal or above average.

I want to treat the entire system, and some of the advice I have seen says Malachite Green is safe for Reefs and inverts...

Again, any advice I can get is great.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't treat a reef tank with malachite green, but others might disagree with me.

Is the smaller one eating? How is his breathing? Are there any other fish in the nano?

Let's hope it's not velvet...it's a bastard to deal with.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't treat your reef tank. You'd be better off losing 2 clowns as opposed to all of your corals and inverts. If it is velvet, they'll be dead soon unless you treat right away. Velvet will give them a "brown sheen" when you look at them, and you need to treat with copper right away. I'd reccomend cupramine. Go to Terry B.'s website http://www.marineaquariumadvice.com/ He has tons of info on fish disease and treatment.

 

[Dewman]

Well, bad news.
I came home to find the smaller clown had passed on. I found him in my skimmer I guess he got skimmed off the surface by the skimmer box.

Before I went to bed lastnight, I turned up the temp in the reef to about 81 and then today it rose to 84.
The LFS told me to keep the temp up in the tank and this may help retard the spread of the disease.

The larger , healthy clown doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her. I just don't know how cautious I need to be now.
Do I need to do anything preventative to the tank?

I was going to go back up to a larger tank so I could have an anemone and give them more room. But for a few months, I think I will stick to keeping the 10 gal.

 

[aquarist=broke]

Sorry about your loss. What was your temp before you turned the temp up? I'm sure that a large change in temp will stress fish. If your fish was already sick he probably couldn't take it. I wouldn't treat your tank. Perhaps a quarantine tank should be used for your next fish.



Check this place out!

http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/sbegin.html

 

[Anonymous]

the smaller (male I guess) has developed a light , milky or clear coating and has a slime streamer coming off his caudal area.

Perhaps Brooklynella.

 

[Dewman]

Thanks guys...

I guess i didn't think about the quarantine tank since there were no other fish in there.

I usually keep the temp at about 79.8 - 80.4. It is ten gallons and open on top, so the struggle to keep a constant temp is tough.
I let the temp rise to 81.3 over about 12 hours, and then it rose to 83.9 over about 18 hours.

I guess,I will just let eveything die down in the tank and maybe yank out the healthy fish and put her in a FO tank until I can make the upgrade to a bigger aquarium.
Maybe then I can put a new , smaller clown in at the same time, and they will get along again in the new system.

Yup, I am definitely taking out the clown.

 

[aquarist=broke]

I have a ten gallon tank and there is only one clownfish in there. He's been in there for about a year now. He swims about around the three rocks, small powerhead and numerous worms. His temp swings probably similar to yours, but he eats like there's no tomorrow and colors good. Maybe that fish was a gonner.... =(

I think that an anemone in a ten gallon would be very hard to maintain. Those things eat big and waste big. Nitrate city....

 

[aquarist=broke]

see...

Pardon the Lame tank. That's all I can have at this time...

 

[K9coral]

that pic reminds me of ...... never mind ... dig the grave and try a bigger tank.


Sorry but that is my "limited" experience.
Good Luck.

 

[Dewman]

Yes, thanks guys.

I do not have the light to support an anemone, even with the huge skimmer i currently run on it.

I used to have a 75 but I had to downgrade for a move, and I never have upgraded again. i will be moving again in about 8- 10 months, so I will just wait until then.

Thanks Everyone for the help.