sick clowns...

[Bluezone]

my clowns are sick for sure but i don't know what it is....they have white areas but only on their mouths. don't think it's the ich because by the sound of things ich is all over and this whiteness is only on their mouths. any suggestions?

 

Thanks

[Metznreef]

it is probably some sort of mouth fungus. it can be treated with aquarium-use penecilin.

[Cam barr]

if you have a quarintine tank i would use copper it will get rid of evrything

cam

[MKramer]

Copper will get rid of everything, including possibly their ability to spawn.

 

I hate copper.

 

There are much better anti-fungal treatments out there. I highly recommend Malachite Green in a quarantine tank.

 

If you don't have a qt tank available, you can try just improving their diet and they will possibly fight off the infection themselves, especially if it is in its early stages. Increase their feedings, and soak them all in garlic extract and/or selcon. It WILL pollute your tank if you feed frequently, so increase the water change frequency as well. Once the infection has gone away, go back to your regular schedule, but keep soaking the food in selcon.

 

Of course, we're assuming it's fungal. Whatever it is, the improved diet may help. But if it doesn't, you should get a ebtter idea what the infection is before treating chemically.

 

Are the white spots large or small? Does it look like little dots, or big blotches? Does it look raised or stricly on the skin surface? Does it look fluffy or cottony, or does it look hard and wart-like?

 

What are you currently feedign them? what other livestock is in the tank? have this clowns been fighting/courting/mating lately?

 

Fungal infections are almost always a secondary infection or cropping up on wounded flesh.

[Bluezone]

thanks everybody for the advice....i did try malachite green...i think it's called greenex but my colt coral didn't like it too much so i discontinued the use...

no i don't have a quarantine tank, so i don't know what to do. i have zenias, colt mushrooms and button polyps. the fish have been fighting lately more than usual and the infection is more than just spots it's more like blotches that take up the whole mouth area..should i take them to my lfs for treatment?

thanks.

[MKramer]

Well, it's hard telling without answers to all of my questions, but it sounds like fungal to me. Malachite Green (the primary ingredient in Greenex) is one of the best anti-fungals on the market, even if it's not advertised as such. I agree that it is not reef safe, though, despite its claims.

 

I really highly recommend a quarantine tank. Honestly, if they're small clowns, you can keep them for a week in a cheap ($10) 1-2g ready-to-use aquarium kit. I have a $10 betta tank I use for this purpose. Just fill with your tank water, add the fish, then medicate.

 

Another excellent anti-fungal is Formalin.

 

And remember to improve their diet. It's really the key to healthy fish. HUFa (Selcon) and Garlic extract work wonders.

 

If you are completely unable to do a quarantine for some reason, then I suggest giving them to your LFS, if they will treat them. There isn't really anything you can do in a reef tank besides improve the diet.

 

Matthew

[gobies]

Heck, if the clowns are little, you could keep them in a clear Rubbermaid-type container, your sw mixing bucket, or any other other fish-safe container. Just as long as you have some way of getting oxygen exchange going (e.g., powerhead, airstone, sponge filter, whatever) and can keep the temperature decent, there's nothing wrong with using a ghetto hospital tank in a pinch.