[55350man]

Info: 57gal rimless (3 months old). Cycled for 2 months with 50lbs LR, testing throughout. Went thru typical diatom bloom and green algae bloom as well. Currently parameters look right on. 20gal Eshopps sump, filter sock on return line (changed w weekly 10% WC), CPR skimmer in sump, Tek T5 6x39w fixture 5in off water, Palario 7ml for alternating currents and basic 700g/h PH from other side. 800gph return with split line into display. Use RODI water for TO and SW mixed at LFS. Keep it at 78F. 12p-12a light w 8hrs of all 6 and 4hrs of 2bulb. 6 hermits, 10 nassarius, 5 trochus as a CUC...added a couple weeks before fish.

Two weeks ago I got a pair of snowflake clowns from LFS. Young, just over an inch or so each. They have been doing great, eating well, super active and responsive etc. I've continued all testing and no param changes since their intro. Today on arriving home from work I noticed that the female (larger and darker) of the two has 2 strange spots (kinda grey in color compared to the white of the clowns)They are just above the anal fin. I think they are protruding a bit but its hard to tell with the activity level of the clowns . I know that I should prob wait a day or so to see what develops but I want to treat this ASAP if I need to. The fish are doing great otherwise.

I'm hoping someone can check out the pics and possibly identify what it is or what it could possibly be. Not sure if ich starts with just a couple marks, and that's what this is....or....it kinda looks like something small is actually stuck on the fish, tough to tell though as I mentioned.

Thanks in advance.....spent a lot of hours learning on this site and totally appreciate it! Pics attached

 

[Kekibear1008]

I think it's hard to tell what it is at this point. Ich does protrude a bit from the scales, kind of like grains of salt.
If it is ich, you'd want to get your clown out of there ASAP and put it in a QT tank. Otherwise, your whole tank could be infected.
If you have a QT tank, I'd suggest putting it in there and monitoring it for the next day or two, to be on the safe side.
Remember that ich will show up and disappear through the parasite's life cycle. Just because you don't see spots doesn't mean the ich is gone (if that is what's on your fish).

 

[55350man]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I do not a QT set up. I rolled the dice with the first fish, thinking as I had no other fish to infect I would put them straight in the DT and then set up quarantine. Of course that sucks now that I don't.

The more I research it doesn't look like typical ich. Ich does kinda look like grains of salt. This is more of a grey bump. I got a good look at them earlier today. I don't think they are worse than yesterday but they definitely do protrude a little.

I could try a FW dip. Or other parasite dip formula. But I don't want to jump the gun if this isn't anything. I've heard of dips going wrong and hurting fish.

If it stays the same should I just leave it alone?

I guess if it starts to get worse I should try a dip asap?

Is it ever normal for fish to develop bumps or discolorations that aren't something negative? Humans sure do

Thanks again,

 

[55350man]

Do people ever tweezer things off? Sounds crazy but I feel like I could net the guy and, without having him out of water for more than a couple seconds, grab the things and pull them off. I guess thats assuming they are easy to pull off, and not swelling actually coming out of the fish. I obviously wouldn't try something this crazy unless it started getting worse, I tried dips and they didn't work, AND someone at least verified its not an insane idea.....but it crossed my mind earlier.