Clownfish growing cotton?

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?

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.

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

"Big Habeeb" wrote in message
...
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?

Out of curiosity. Have you tested your water and what is it looking like?

You know: Nitrates, Alkalinity, Phosphates, Hardness. etc...

Jim

On Nov 16, 1:15 pm, "jthread" wrote:
"Big Habeeb" wrote in message

...

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?

Out of curiosity. Have you tested your water and what is it looking like?

You know: Nitrates, Alkalinity, Phosphates, Hardness. etc...

Jim

Jim,
Tested...everything is where it should be...don't remember the exact
numbers at this moment (I don't remember off the top of my head what
ideal is), but for a fact I remember nitrates and phosphates were at
zero. Additionally, the cardinal that's in the tank as well is
thriving.

Mitch

"Big Habeeb" wrote in message ...
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?

You said you have experience with freshwater fish
or am I confusing you with somebody else?

In both cases, marine and freshwater, cotton like
infections are fungus growing on dead tissues
caused by primary bacterial infections...

Look up fish fungus cure in any web search to help your fish.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fish+fungus+cure
AND MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT CURE IN THE REEF.

Pszemol wrote:
AND MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT CURE IN THE REEF.


If you use any anti-fungal, anti-biotic, etc., then you need to move the
fish to a hospital tank and start treating. (Otherwise, the antibiotic
will kill off the bacteria in the live-rock.) Sooner the better.

Btw, I like the bottle trap. Get a two litre bottle and a pair of
scissors. I usually catch fish in a few minutes, although you need to
keep a bucket handy for the ones you intend to put back in.

http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects...m-tools/32.asp

Make the hole big enough for your fish and no bigger. It works better
if you don't feed the fishes the day before, so they will take to the
trap.

I've heard that for clownfish you can bait the trip with an arch-enemy
such as a second clownfish. You just need to be quick about separating
the two.

--Kurt

What you have is fungus. Fungus almost never kills
marine fish.

That said, bacterial infections can, and you could
also have bacterial issue.

If it's just a small bit of fungus, and no rotting
of the flesh, and the water conditions are good, and
the fish behaves normally, it will most likely get
over it.

I would recommend a 50% water change for good measure.

Wayne Sallee



Big Habeeb wrote on 11/16/2007 11:47 AM:
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?

Pszemol wrote on 11/16/2007 3:48 PM:
You said you have experience with freshwater fish
or am I confusing you with somebody else?


Yep that would be the following post. :-)

Wayne Sallee


************
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Starting a reef tank
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:07:30 -0700
From: Big Habeeb
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria.marine.reefs

Hey gang, just wanted to get some opinions...here's
the setup my shop
recommended to me...
I've been dealing with them for awhile, and have run
several tanks,
just never gone with reef (and not sal****er in ages):
72 galloon oceaning reef ready bow tank with stand,
top etc
plumbing kit
oceaning sump
pum
protein skimmer
esu power compact light
versatop
heater/thermometer
Salt/hydrometer/testkit

Anything I'm forgetting?

Mitch

Wayne Sallee wrote:
If it's just a small bit of fungus, and no rotting of the flesh, and the
water conditions are good, and the fish behaves normally, it will most
likely get over it.

I would recommend a 50% water change for good measure.

Wayne Sallee



Big Habeeb wrote on 11/16/2007 11:47 AM:
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?

Hi
just a small contribution. I set up my tank 6 weeks ago (no problems,
everything is cycled and coralline algae growing on everything) and the
second fish to go in was my percula. She stressed and grew white fuzz on
the front of her body. That was a week ago and after gently nudging her
anemone all week she is finally clear of the fuzz, I'm convinced the
anemone helped clean her up. any thoughts anyone on the role of the anemone?
Cheers
Chris