Something's hangin' on my lip...

[reefpeace]

My Maroon clown has had this funny looking growth below it's bottom lip for a while now. When I first got it, it was very small, then seemed to go away and now it is back again. Is this something to worry about - if so what should I do? The fish seems happy and healthy other than that. Btw, it is the only fish in my tank and all water parms are all "0", PH 8.2, SG 1.025, Temp 80.

 

[scottj2]

Looks like lice, or some sort of parasite. see if you can catch the fishand get a closer look

[reefpeace]

Anyone else with any ideas?

[reefpeace]

Bump

[FishTechNH]

The fish appears to be quite healthy judging by the picture. It's hard to say what that spot is though since it's hard to get a good look at it. Is the spot symmetrical? Approximately how long has this spot been visible on the fish and does it appear to be getting larger? From the pic. it looks like it could be lympho. but I wouldn't be too concerned especially since it's the only fish in the tank.

[reefpeace]

The fish appears to be quite healthy judging by the picture. It's hard to say what that spot is though since it's hard to get a good look at it. Is the spot symmetrical? Approximately how long has this spot been visible on the fish and does it appear to be getting larger? From the pic. it looks like it could be lympho. but I wouldn't be too concerned especially since it's the only fish in the tank.

Thanks for the reply FishTech. I am new to SW fish keeping and I need all the help I can get. The spot is more irregular shaped - maybe about the size of a pin head. I noticed it just after I got it then it seemed to go away but now it is back bigger than before...I have had the fish two months. It seems to protrude a little more today than yesterday but it may be because I have really started focusing on it. The attachment point on the fish seems smaller than the actual growth. The fish DOES seem healthy other than that. When you say "lympo", do you mean "lymphocystis"? I have been reading a little on that tonight and it seems like a possibility. When you say not to be concerned, is there any treatment I can do, or will it go away. I saw a picture on Wet Web Media tonight of a really large tumour on a fish that almost covered it's whole mouth. They mentioned "surgery"...how the heck can you perform surgery on a fish?!

[Tony]

my clown had something really similar and I gave him a quick fresh water dip and it is now gone and has never returned.

[FishTechNH]

Yes lymphocystis. Just keep an eye on it and just be aware of what it's doing. If it is lympho then it's a virus and there will be nothing other than the fishes immune system to get rid of it. With that in mind keep him on a good diet maybe with a good liquid vitamin soak good water quality with possibly a few extra water changes and so on. I've also heard that a fresh dip has the possible effect of sort of waking up the immune system a little bit in saltfish, but we also know the negative effects stress has on any organisms immune system. So if you decide to try the dip, make sure the temp. and pH are an exact match to that of his aquarium and if you cannot catch him easily with a bag or other container other than a net I would say better to just let him be. Surgury can be difficult especially with a small fish so certainly use that only as a last resort if the lympho starts to cover the fishes mouth or gills. In most cases for a quick removal most fish will easily lay still in a small dish of water and paper towel to keep seawater over them and have a good slime coat liquid on hand as well. For un-cooperative fish you can use CO2 or clove oil, but this again is risky and research should be done beforehand, for my maint. company I use a veterinarian that specializes in fish for these things so I couldn't say with expert advice how to use either method. Good luck with your clown, I think he'll be just fine though just give him some time and don't get too anxious with treatment.

[reefpeace]

Thanks for all the good advice guys - especially you FishTech! I will let it ride for now and see how he does for a while and make sure I feed him well - I am not too keen on the dip. Right now he eats just about anything but is getting about 50% Mysis, 25% Flake, and 25% brine..I feed a small amount daily. I am hoping a good balanced diet and healthy immune system will help take care of it.

[chilerick]

Perhaps this is merely a coincedence.......

My clowns had the same type of growth(s)

first one had 'em, then the other one got one,

then the first one lost some, got others...

It was crazy, went on for 3 months, tried ich attach, tried garlic, nothing helped,

they were always active, never appeared ill

AND THEN

got myself a Bubble Tip Anemone, the hosting began a

couple days later, a couple days after that-no growths

they have both been growth free for going on 2 months,

I'm just sayin'.......

[FishTechNH]

That's interesting, I wonder if the acceptance of a host was calming them to a better point of self repair. Good stuff! No problem Reefpeace, glad to help.

[One Eyed Bunny]

It would seem very possible. Anything to reduce stress would increase immune system efficiency. There is a strong correlation between stress and immune system function in humans, so I would imagine this is a quasi-universal theme.

[Ricky@3rdshift]

Looks like the beginnings of cauliflower for which there is virtually no fix except a healthy fish immune system.

 

I highly recomend quarentineing him away from other fish b/c it can and will spread. If this is what it is.

 

I recently dealt with this issue in a whole shipment of Maroon Clowns.

Most didn't live for very long once it was to that stage.