Big Habeeb wrote on Fri, 16 Nov 2007:
On Nov 16, 11:47 am, Big Habeeb wrote:
Last night it wasnt there, but this morning my clownfish has what
looks like teeny tufts of cotton growing on a couple of his fins...
Any thoughts?

Found an article saying it was a bacterial infection (most likely, if
I'm describing it right) and that I should just leave it alone and the
fish's immune system should be able to fight it off.
Guess I'll watch and keep the fingers crossed...gratefully I at least
know enough to know it's not ich.

I'm not as optimistic as you about the immune system. If the immune system
was on top of the problem, the question is how the infection got to such
macro-visible stage to begin with.

Lots of infections can be cured with a short (5-10m) freshwater dip.
The fish gets stressed a little, but the (invertebrate) bacteria dies.
You have get the temperature and pH of the freshwater to match your tank
water; basically everything except the salt. You can probably do a web
search for "freshwater dip" and find advice.

The challenge, from your perspective, is going to be whether to attempt this
or not. Of course things would be better if you did nothing, and the fish
got better on its own. But if it gets worse ... then you're in a dilemma.
And, unfortunately, the freshwater dip _is_ stressful for the fish (including
the need to catch it in a net). A mostly-healthy fish will get through the
stress just fine. But if you wait until the fish is almost dead, then the
freshwater dip might be the last straw.

My own advice would be: if you can actually see a visible infection, you
ought to try the dip immediately.

-- Don
__________________________________________________ _____________________________
Don Geddis http://reef.geddis.org/
I think somebody should come up with a way to breed a very large shrimp. That
way, you could ride him, then after you camped at night, you could eat him.
How about it, science? -- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey