Clownfish w/beard: fungus? something else?

[Scott Bennett]

I have two true percula clownfish as the only fish in my new 75G tank with
90 Lbs LR. They've been in for about a week. They have been doing well,
came back from Thanksgiving holiday to notice that the smaller one has
developed a whitish "beard" around (espc. below) his mouth, looking perhaps
like it is going into his mouth. His mouth is not clear, certainly, and it
looks like perhaps his mouth is not closing all the way. Any ideas if
this is some kind of fungus, or something normal, or something else? He's
still swimming and going after food, but I'm concerned about the future...
Top fin (dorsal fin?) is not up as much as the other, which makes me think
he's a little under the weather. The other fish looks fine.

So: any ideas what this is? And suggestions on what to do? Quarantine?
Freshwater dip? Try to pull/scrape the object off with tweezers? I've
read some FAQs on clownfish diseases at
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnidfaqs.htm but didn't see exactly this
problem described...

Oh, the water seems OK as to quality, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <10 nitrate
(lower than I can pick out a value given my test kit), 8.2 PH, 1.026 SG,
running protein skimmer and power filter.

Thanks!

[Chris Taylor]

"""percula clownfish ........ developed a whitish "beard" around (espc.
below) his mouth,"""

Does your quarantine tank have a Santa's grotto?

<<<<<<S******>>>>>>



"Scott Bennett" > wrote in message
.. .
> I have two true percula clownfish as the only fish in my new 75G tank with
> 90 Lbs LR. They've been in for about a week. They have been doing well,
> came back from Thanksgiving holiday to notice that the smaller one has
> developed a whitish "beard" around (espc. below) his mouth, looking
perhaps
> like it is going into his mouth. His mouth is not clear, certainly, and
it
> looks like perhaps his mouth is not closing all the way. Any ideas if
> this is some kind of fungus, or something normal, or something else? He's
> still swimming and going after food, but I'm concerned about the future...
> Top fin (dorsal fin?) is not up as much as the other, which makes me think
> he's a little under the weather. The other fish looks fine.
>
> So: any ideas what this is? And suggestions on what to do? Quarantine?
> Freshwater dip? Try to pull/scrape the object off with tweezers? I've
> read some FAQs on clownfish diseases at
> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnidfaqs.htm but didn't see exactly this
> problem described...
>
> Oh, the water seems OK as to quality, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <10 nitrate
> (lower than I can pick out a value given my test kit), 8.2 PH, 1.026 SG,
> running protein skimmer and power filter.
>
> Thanks!

[Marc Levenson]

I ran into the same problem with some tank-raised clowns.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=260860

Marc


Scott Bennett wrote:

> I have two true percula clownfish as the only fish in my new 75G tank with
> 90 Lbs LR. They've been in for about a week. They have been doing well,
> came back from Thanksgiving holiday to notice that the smaller one has
> developed a whitish "beard" around (espc. below) his mouth, looking perhaps
> like it is going into his mouth. His mouth is not clear, certainly, and it
> looks like perhaps his mouth is not closing all the way. Any ideas if
> this is some kind of fungus, or something normal, or something else? He's
> still swimming and going after food, but I'm concerned about the future...
> Top fin (dorsal fin?) is not up as much as the other, which makes me think
> he's a little under the weather. The other fish looks fine.
>
> So: any ideas what this is? And suggestions on what to do? Quarantine?
> Freshwater dip? Try to pull/scrape the object off with tweezers? I've
> read some FAQs on clownfish diseases at
> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnidfaqs.htm but didn't see exactly this
> problem described...
>
> Oh, the water seems OK as to quality, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <10 nitrate
> (lower than I can pick out a value given my test kit), 8.2 PH, 1.026 SG,
> running protein skimmer and power filter.
>
> Thanks!

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Scott Bennett]

Thanks, Marc, I looked at the picture, but what your fish had was quite
well defined. Mine has something that looks much more like something
attached to his skin, not a growth of the skin, it's kind of raggedy at
the edges/bottom like a piece of fuzz stuck on his chin, and is probably
1/4" by 1/4" (on a 2" long fish).

I've moved him to the q. tank, now looking around at which remedy to try.
I noticed that some of the rest of his skin was a little discolored in
patches, which might suggest something when I look around some more.

Thanks again.


Marc Levenson > wrote in
:

> I ran into the same problem with some tank-raised clowns.
>
> http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=260860
>
> Marc
>
>
> Scott Bennett wrote:
>
>> I have two true percula clownfish as the only fish in my new 75G tank
>> with 90 Lbs LR. They've been in for about a week. They have been
>> doing well, came back from Thanksgiving holiday to notice that the
>> smaller one has developed a whitish "beard" around (espc. below) his
>> mouth, looking perhaps like it is going into his mouth. His mouth is
>> not clear, certainly, and it looks like perhaps his mouth is not

[Marc Levenson]

Scott, plesae let us know what you find out and post your success so we can
benefit from the info!

Marc


Scott Bennett wrote:

> Thanks, Marc, I looked at the picture, but what your fish had was quite
> well defined. Mine has something that looks much more like something
> attached to his skin, not a growth of the skin, it's kind of raggedy at
> the edges/bottom like a piece of fuzz stuck on his chin, and is probably
> 1/4" by 1/4" (on a 2" long fish).
>
> I've moved him to the q. tank, now looking around at which remedy to try.
> I noticed that some of the rest of his skin was a little discolored in
> patches, which might suggest something when I look around some more.
>
> Thanks again.
>

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Scott Bennett]

Will do, he seems happier in the q tank already (maybe the lower salinity,
about 1.017), I've been trying to read more to try to determine which of a
couple of illnesses it might be, but it doesn't fit the exact description
of any... Trying to take a picture too, but it seems pretty hard to get
the autofocus to work through a tank.


Marc Levenson > wrote in
:

> Scott, plesae let us know what you find out and post your success so
> we can benefit from the info!
>
> Marc
>
>

[mytoysdammit]

"Scott Bennett" > wrote in message
.. .
> My own followup: I managed to get a picture of this odd growth on the
> percula. It was white yesterday, and seemed to extend into his mouth.
The
> fish was moved to the Q tank with lower salinity, the growth is now
> brownish and I can no longer see it in his mouth. Fin back up, seems to
be
> more active... haven't medicated him yet.
>
> Picture attached, advice/knowledge of this still welcome!
>
> -- Scott

That almost looks like a flap of necrotic tissue from some sort of injury.
Could 'he' have cut himself on something in the tank?

[Scott Bennett]

Hmm, interesting idea. That's certainly possible, there's plenty of rock
for him (yup, you're right, it's really "him") to run into, but I don't
know how to know! Would it have looked white and then turned brown? I
assume if that's it that it will eventually fall off and heal (?). Maybe
he'll just keep perking up in the q tank, which has nothing for him to bump
into. And I'll get a nightlight for them. Thanks for the idea.

"mytoysdammit" > wrote in
k.net:

>>
>> Picture attached, advice/knowledge of this still welcome!
>>
>> -- Scott
>
> That almost looks like a flap of necrotic tissue from some sort of
> injury. Could 'he' have cut himself on something in the tank?
>
>
>

[mytoysdammit]

"Scott Bennett" > wrote in message
.. .
> Hmm, interesting idea. That's certainly possible, there's plenty of rock
> for him (yup, you're right, it's really "him") to run into, but I don't
> know how to know! Would it have looked white and then turned brown? I
> assume if that's it that it will eventually fall off and heal (?). Maybe
> he'll just keep perking up in the q tank, which has nothing for him to
bump
> into. And I'll get a nightlight for them. Thanks for the idea.
>
> "mytoysdammit" > wrote in
> k.net:
>
> >>
> >> Picture attached, advice/knowledge of this still welcome!
> >>
> >> -- Scott
> >
> > That almost looks like a flap of necrotic tissue from some sort of
> > injury. Could 'he' have cut himself on something in the tank?
> >
Yes, damaged tissue would turn white initially due to loss of circulation
and then discolor as time went on. Think of one of those annoying cuts we
humans get where a flap of skin is cut away on 3 sides. First it turns
white, and then it discolors. It can't scab or crust up in the water, but it
would still discolor.

It makes sense if an injury that it would resolve first IN the mouth as
circulation is greater there than at the tip of the mandible.

Fish really heal fast. If it is an injury, then the Q tank with ideal water
conditions with perfect cleanliness will help more than anything else. For
food I'd try very small amounts of things that aren't 'crunchy' or 'sharp'
and that are easy to clean up the excess after feedings.

In freshwater (discus were my specialty), I'd dose the food with a little
bit of liquid ester-C (vitamin C drops) as this speeds healing. Not sure if
this is good for perculae or not.

I don't much believe in antibiotics and whatnot unless you can prove it is a
responsive infection. I'd think in this guy's case that a bit of 'sick
leave' in a restful and clean environment combined with soft and easy to
digest food would do the trick.

'kat