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Clownfish covered in white film layer

I noticed today my female clownfish- at least 6 yrs. old, has a white layer of something over her. It's not a bunch of white spots but like a film. The 2nd problem is she doesn't host anymore in the frogspawn nor go there to sleep. I can take a pic tomorrow but the film is covering 90% of her body.
Anyone know what this is and treatment?
 
Brookynella, or Velvet are the first two things that come to my mind, however I'm no pro with diagnosis. Just throwing in my two pennies.
 
If it's broklynella you'll need to act fast...I went through several clowns that had it.

The only treatment that worked for me (and I tried several) was a 20 min freshwater dip. Stablize(sp?) the temp of the dip water and use
IIRC 1/4 tsp baking soda per gallon for pH (got the formula from Jeremy). Don't forget to use a clorine nuetralizer or use RO/DI water.The clown didn't eat or really act normal for almost a week after the dip but it worked. She's still with us today!

Good Luck

-Gregory
 
FW dip and/or formalin dip. You can also use a drop or few of kalk to adjust pH FYI.
6yrs huh? Must of picked it up from something new?
Pic?
 
BTW - If it is brooklynella the clown will not be able to go back into the infected tank. If there are no other fish in there the life cycle of the protozoan and longevity is 8 weeks. After that fish can be re-introduced. If there are other fish in there I'm not sure how virulent the protozoan is with other species, however, clowns and angels are mega susceptible. If there are other fish I don’t know if they can be carriers and survive (Typhoid Mary) or if the protozoan dies out.

There is a tank treatment using IIRC 3% formaldehyde, but I’m unsure the effect on inverts, your bacteria population, or whether 100% effective. I do have a bottle from that period of treatment I never used that you’re welcome to if you wish. Hopefully someone will chime in on the effects of this treatment on an established tank.

-Gregory
 
You certainly wouldn't put formalin in your tank. Formalin is very effective but follow the instructions.
Dip buckets or baths in Q. Either way Bill she's got to come out of the DT. Watch the others!
 
houser said:
FW dip and/or formalin dip. You can also use a drop or few of kalk to adjust pH FYI.
6yrs huh? Must of picked it up from something new?
Pic?

Freshwater dips generally help in instances I've observed, in the case of brookynella.
 
I'll get my QT tank up & running tonight and get her in there, after a freshwter dip. thanks guys, I'll get pics to allow for better diagnosis.
 
I just lost my 2 clowns to the same thing...
Definitelly sounds like Brooklynella. I thought they would make it but I took too long to dip them and QT them... By the time I was able to catch them to take to another tank, they got super stressed and couldn't recover.
It all started about a week or 2 after they lost their anemone.
Good luck with yours.
 
Unfortunately I just came home for lunch to move her to QT & a freshwater dip, but too late. She didn't make it. RIP :( At least she had as good a life as possible for 6+ years in a tank.
I'm kicking myself by not acting sooner. I thought I saw signs of film a few days ago, but it was pretty minor and I didn't think much of it. I noticed it had increased but obviously I was too late to treat it. ugh! Well, as far as the other fish I don't see any signs of it in the other fish, so that's at least some good news. Lesson learned: don't wait to treat fish- treat them once you notice something wrong or else you could be too late.
 
CookieJar said:
Unfortunately I just came home for lunch to move her to QT & a freshwater dip, but too late. She didn't make it. RIP :( At least she had as good a life as possible for 6+ years in a tank.
I'm kicking myself by not acting sooner. I thought I saw signs of film a few days ago, but it was pretty minor and I didn't think much of it. I noticed it had increased but obviously I was too late to treat it. ugh! Well, as far as the other fish I don't see any signs of it in the other fish, so that's at least some good news. Lesson learned: don't wait to treat fish- treat them once you notice something wrong or else you could be too late.

Sorry to hear :(

Watch the other fish. Brooklynella infections will start mostly in the mouth and in the gills where the protozoans attach to the host. It almost looks like a fungal infection white and kinda slimy. One of the early signs is a fish that tries to eat and spits the food out because the throat is closing off, or a fish that won't eat at all. The fish can also poo white stringy mucussy stuff as a symptom. If it starts on the fins the white slime coat will spread across the body and the fins will shred like fin rot. See the link below for pics on a clown I lost.

http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/10868

If you suspect infection on other fish FW dip immediately, the sooner the better. Also you cannot add any of the susceptible fish back to your display tank for 8 weeks until the last spores/protozoans die off.

Good luck!

-Gregory
 
houser said:
You can also use a drop or few of kalk to adjust pH FYI.
Baking soda is better though. It's a weak base with decent buffering capacity and will stabilize your water towards 8.2.

The kalk is a strong base and will give greater pH fluctuation. And you have to mess with it more.
 
Agree it is sensitive. You use only a drop or two in a small volume. I sort of have it down to a science - shitload of practice ;)
 
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