Please help, what’s on my clownfish

[Hannahhhh]

Yesterday night my clownfish started flashing. There was nothing visible on his skin. I gave him a freshwater dip.

I just got home from work today and he’s got a big white something hanging off his face. It almost looks like some sand stuck by his mouth, but it’s definitely stuck on. 

Quick background on my tank, it’s new (like 2ish months) and all the fish are newish too. I added a cardinalfish a LFS. Then I added the clown who I got from divers den live aquaria. Then I added a second cardinal from a second LFS. I’ve added coral from local stores and that I’ve ordered online. 

I didn’t quarantine anyone (I know I know I should have). 

Both cardinalfish are looking and acting totally normal. I gave the clownfish a freshwater bath for 5 minutes last night. I know it was probably too little too late, but I wanted to do something. Nothing visible came off him. 

It’s my first tank and I didn’t quarantine because I don’t really have the space or money to set up a quarantine tank. 

 

WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE??

 

What’s the cheapest/easiest but still ethical way for me to fix my clown? 

Aldo let me know if you need any additional info from me. 

[Hannahhhh]

I just looked again and it’s gone!! I assume I’ve still got problems though?

[Naekuh]

Did a piece of styrofoam somehow find a way into your tank?

Because it sure looks like it...  

Dont worry too much about it.

Is it eatting fine? is it active? 

Any changes in behavior? 

Because i really think something just got stuck on him, and its nothing serious.  

 

Maybe your clown was curious what it was and decided to try to take a bite of out it, and instead it got stuck on its slime coat. 🤣

I know my clowns are sometimes silly like that... one had a bunch of sand on it, because it was trying to setup home next to a frag rack and my blood red shrimp said "MY HOUSE"  and kicked it out. 

[Hannahhhh]

14 minutes ago, Naekuh said:

Did a piece of styrofoam somehow find a way into your tank?

Because it sure looks like it...  

Dont worry too much about it.

Is it eatting fine? is it active? 

Any changes in behavior? 

Because i really think something just got stuck on him, and its nothing serious.  

 

Maybe your clown was curious what it was and decided to try to take a bite of out it, and instead it got stuck on its slime coat. 🤣

I know my clowns are sometimes silly like that... one had a bunch of sand on it, because it was trying to setup home next to a frag rack and my blood red shrimp said "MY HOUSE"  and kicked it out. 

Gosh I hope you’re right! He’s mostly normal, it’s just that he’s been flashing the last 24 hours. 

[Naekuh]

Have you checked your pH and Ammonia? 

 

Flashing does not always mean they are infected with something. 

Also you should really avoid freshwater dips unless you absolutely know something is wrong.

Its not healthy for the fish to go from saline to hypo salinity and then back to normal salinity. 

Not to mention the pH shifts in between.  

[Hannahhhh]

1 hour ago, Naekuh said:

Have you checked your pH and Ammonia? 

 

Flashing does not always mean they are infected with something. 

Also you should really avoid freshwater dips unless you absolutely know something is wrong.

Its not healthy for the fish to go from saline to hypo salinity and then back to normal salinity. 

Not to mention the pH shifts in between.  

I did check both. Ammonia is 0, pH I’m having a kinda hard time reading, the color doesn’t really match any of the options on the comparison card. If I had to guess I’d say it’s on the high end, maybe 8.4? Should I try to lower it? I was thinking of doing a water change. 

Also thank you for the heads up on FW dips. I’ll try to use them sparingly moving forward. 

[Clown79]

Sometimes clowns flash/rub themselves for no known reason, it doesn't always mean something is wrong.

 

The best course of action is monitoring before trying various methods to treat something not "known" 

 

The white spec could have been a sand pebble.

 

Ph fluctuates all day long. A lot of ppl don't even test it anymore. If alk is normal, ph should be too.

[Tamberav]

Only thing I can think of besides a foreign object is lympho but it looks so bright white its throwing me off.

 

Is flashing on the rocks or on coral? Often?

 

[Hannahhhh]

3 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Only thing I can think of besides a foreign object is lympho but it looks so bright white its throwing me off.

 

Is flashing on the rocks or on coral? Often?

 

Whatever it was it fell off. He was flashing a ton the last two days, not very much at all today. Visually he looks perfect, there’s absolutely nothing abnormal on his skin or his gills. 

[mcarroll]

Sounds like everything is pretty normal to me too.  Does your fish have any other strange behaviors like staying out in the open 100% of the time, or in a cave hiding 100% of the time?

 

Can you post a full tank picture just for reference?

 

Maybe post your most recent set of test results too?

 

What are you feeding?  How often?

 

I would slow down on the stocking rate....that's a baby tank and it's already stocked!  Overstocked for its age.

[Hannahhhh]

2 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Sounds like everything is pretty normal to me too.  Does your fish have any other strange behaviors like staying out in the open 100% of the time, or in a cave hiding 100% of the time?

 

Can you post a full tank picture just for reference?

 

Maybe post your most recent set of test results too?

 

What are you feeding?  How often?

 

I would slow down on the stocking rate....that's a baby tank and it's already stocked!  Overstocked for its age.

He’s completely normal since I posted that! I think it was a grain of sand stuck on his face. Weird I know. No more flashing, no odd behaviors. He eats well and is very feisty. Bites my hand with gusto anytime I put it in the tank. 

[Till88]

My clown has the same thing! Which is what led me here! Mine looks like a piece of sand hanging in and out of his mouth. I thought it was sand attached to like a piece of fine hair or something.