Help! What's on my new clownfish?!?!?

samiam69 · May 1, 2017

Yesterday my ocellaris clownfish started to develop a couple of cloudy, milky/ hazy light spots! He's not easy to take photographs of, as he is extremely active and always swimming around with his Buddy. He is also still eagerly eating, and not showing signs of heavy breathing.. or anything for that matter. In the photographs you can see the most prominent milky patch. Is this brooklynella hostillis? Velvet? I'm not sure. I've had this fish for about 5 days. All other fish in the reef are happy and healthy, and water parameters are stable and in check.

I'm a tattoo artists and have appointments all day today. I'm worried sick about this little fella! I'm a newer reef keeper. All help is greatly appreciated! [emoji24]

DustyXB9Reefer · May 1, 2017

Don't think it's brook or velvet as velvet is usually all over the fish including fins. I would guess an internal parasite? Don't stress too much Sam. This is a great community of reefers here to help you out. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Slot · May 1, 2017

Looks like the start of brook to me

melypr1985 · May 1, 2017

That's probably the beginnings of brook. If you catch it early you can easily treat him. You'll need to remove all fish and treat them the same way. Put them in QT and leave the display fallow for 6 weeks. Check here for treatment options: Brooklynella (clownfish disease)

I recommend the Acriflavin dip followed by treatment with metroplex in QT.

Humblefish · May 1, 2017

^^ Agree with above. I can't tell anything definitive from the pics, but "cloudy, milky/ hazy light spots" sounds like brook to me.

samiam69 · May 1, 2017

DustyXB9Reefer said:
Don't think it's brook or velvet as velvet is usually all over the fish including fins. I would guess an internal parasite? Don't stress too much Sam. This is a great community of reefers here to help you out. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Do you think I should bring him back to the store I purchased him at? I don't want to foul my other fish [emoji31]

samiam69 · May 1, 2017

Slot said:
Looks like the start of brook to me

Is there any way to take care of this without a QT? Would an RO bath help the little guy?

samiam69 · May 1, 2017

melypr1985 said:
That's probably the beginnings of brook. If you catch it early you can easily treat him. You'll need to remove all fish and treat them the same way. Put them in QT and leave the display fallow for 6 weeks. Check here for treatment options: Brooklynella (clownfish disease)

I recommend the Acriflavin dip followed by treatment with metroplex in QT.

I don't have a QT [emoji31] could other method work? Do you think I should bring him back? Maybe an RO bath? I feel like I purchased him with whatever is going on.

samiam69 · May 1, 2017

Humblefish said:
^^ Agree with above. I can't tell anything definitive from the pics, but "cloudy, milky/ hazy light spots" sounds like brook to me.

Should I try to capture some better pictures? Can I post a video on this forum?

Humblefish · May 1, 2017

samiam69 said:
Should I try to capture some better pictures? Can I post a video on this forum?

You can copy & paste a URL from YouTube, but I'm pretty sure your clown has brook.

A FW dip would provide some temporary relief. But you really need to do an acriflavine or formalin bath, followed by transfer into a sterile QT, to save this fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/

See blue links above for more info.

melypr1985 · May 1, 2017

samiam69 said:
Do you think I should bring him back to the store I purchased him at? I don't want to foul my other fish [emoji31]

Your other fish are already exposed to it. It's too late for that. You can return him but he has a better chance to live if you can find a 10 gallon tank somewhere and set up a quick QT.

domination2580 · May 1, 2017

I agree with all the above. But just so your aware I believe that is a snowflake clown. Not occeleris. But brook is my guess too. I actually treated for brook on my clown. It went easy and they made it. And mine was way worse. Both eyes were swollen. I would highly recommend qting that fellow and gain the experience! It'll be good for the long run!

samiam69 · May 2, 2017

domination2580 said:
I agree with all the above. But just so your aware I believe that is a snowflake clown. Not occeleris. But brook is my guess too. I actually treated for brook on my clown. It went easy and they made it. And mine was way worse. Both eyes were swollen. I would highly recommend qting that fellow and gain the experience! It'll be good for the long run!

It was my understand that the snowflakes were occeleris, and not Percs. This fish was sold to me as a black Ice snowflake they said [emoji848] But maybe I'm wrong. Did you have to quarintine all fish? Or just the clowns?

samiam69 · May 2, 2017

melypr1985 said:
Your other fish are already exposed to it. It's too late for that. You can return him but he has a better chance to live if you can find a 10 gallon tank somewhere and set up a quick QT.

Is this spread only by way of clownfish? Will my other fish host the disease/ parasite or whatever it is?

samiam69 · May 2, 2017

Humblefish said:
You can copy & paste a URL from YouTube, but I'm pretty sure your clown has brook.

A FW dip would provide some temporary relief. But you really need to do an acriflavine or formalin bath, followed by transfer into a sterile QT, to save this fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/

See blue links above for more info.

I'm going to look into this. On my way home to check on him now. Thanks guys

domination2580 · May 2, 2017

samiam69 said:
It was my understand that the snowflakes were occeleris, and not Percs. This fish was sold to me as a black Ice snowflake they said [emoji848] But maybe I'm wrong. Did you have to quarintine all fish? Or just the clowns?

All fish... once brook is introduced its everywhere. You will have to qt all fish and leave dt fallow for 76 days.

domination2580 · May 2, 2017

samiam69 said:
It was my understand that the snowflakes were occeleris, and not Percs. This fish was sold to me as a black Ice snowflake they said [emoji848] But maybe I'm wrong. Did you have to quarintine all fish? Or just the clowns?

Black ice snowflake is the correct term. They are part of the occeleris family but not the same as a regular occeleris.

ngoodermuth · May 2, 2017

samiam69 said:
It was my understand that the snowflakes were occeleris, and not Percs. This fish was sold to me as a black Ice snowflake they said [emoji848] But maybe I'm wrong. Did you have to quarintine all fish? Or just the clowns?

You are right. Amphiprion ocellaris is the scientific name. The term "snowflake" is only used to describe the color variant.

ngoodermuth · May 2, 2017

+1 to treating for brook in a QT, and quickly.

samiam69 · May 2, 2017

Is it possible that my clownfish has just scraped himself? The spot honestly looks like a patch of lighter pigmented skin. Tho I know he didn't used to have it. It hasn't grown in size, and he still seems happy and healthy. I have pretty good eyes and the area doesn't seem to have anything "growing" on it. I wasn't able to locate the meds I need if it is brook yet.