Sick fish ??

[C.Mydas]

Hi everyone. I need your help. Ive searched the net and nothing seems to match up with what my clown has. I've had her for about 2 years. I did combine tanks about 3-4 weeks ago and there was some bickering (never fighting) as everyone sorted out their territories but thats all over now. I am wondering, though, if it is an infected injury at this point.

Tank Specifics:
75g reef
2 175w MH 12ks, 2 VHO actinics
LifeReef Skimmer
All readings are undetectable
All the other fish are doing great, no sign of sickness or stress. (My blue hippo tang has never even had ick...)

Symptoms:
-2 days ago I noticed a growth on her gill that looked like cauliflower. Clown acting normal.

-Yesterday the growth was gone. There was some swelling and what looked like a tiny abrasion where it had been. Clown acting normal.

-Today, I wake up and find this. It looks like the white stripe where the growth was is 'melting' off. She wont eat and is staying really close to her frogspawn.

http://greenmako.smugmug.com/photos/94897121-O.jpg
http://greenmako.smugmug.com/photos/94897122-O.jpg
http://greenmako.smugmug.com/photos/94897123-O.jpg

Brian is running out right now to buy a UV sterilizer and some carbon to protect the other fish, but what can we do to help this one?

Im getting my 6g JBJ set up for her as a hospital tank just in case, but I still dont know what to treat for. Please Help!

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[Krys]

There was a guy who knew a BUNCH about clownfish, I wonder whatever
happened to him :P

Chrissy, its Lymphocystis, hence the culliflower looking tumor attached to the gill. It is a viral infection transmitted by direct contact with infected fish and can affect any fish, but clownfish are very suseptible to it. It is an "external" virus, so it wont affect any internal organs.. Unfortunetly there is no treatment for lymph... but secondary infections will need to be treated accordingly. The "tumor" may fall of or can be removed by hand if its big enough, although there is a huge chance it may come back, and at times, it just doesnt. Stress in fish can maximize the chances of the virus to attack...So if you've seen any agression in your tank, that could have been the reason that triggered the lymph. (sort of like ich when the immune system is down due to stress)..Try to minmize any stress in the tank (i.e any fish chasing other)..Hope this helps.

(Poof, disappears!).

[MattK]

There was a guy who knew a BUNCH about clownfish, I wonder whatever
happened
to him

Yea, where did he go?

[MattK]

Houdini the clown doctor