Sick Clown?

[jprince]

Hi all

I have attached a few pics of one of my Clowns in the hopes someone has an idea of what is wrong with her mouth. It started off about a week ago when I noticed her with a "lockjaw" look, and she was no longer "snapping" at food, but rather trying to suck it in. Now her jaw looks white and swollen. I though maybe she had injured it cleaning her rock where she spawns with her male, but I'm not too sure. Tanks parameters below. Thanks.

SG= 1.023
Temp= 76
PH= 8.4
NH3= 0
NO2= 0
NO3= < 5.0
PO4= < 0.25
20% water change 3 days ago

 

[kotu100]

not sure how accurate this info is but i found it from a google search.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Saltwater-Aquarium-3215/sick-clownfish.htm

 

[S Hunter]

It looks like cotton mouth..

 

[S Hunter]

If it is cotton mouth it is extremily contagous. I would Remove the fish from the tank and get it in the QT tank.. you will have to treat it with an antibiotic, if it is CM... i would do a good size water change to help in keeping your other fish from getting it...
I hope i'm wrong here, Good Luck..

 

[phaedraeos]

I've had cottonmouth on my freshwater fish - not saltwater - and it always looked much fluffier and whiter. It's a bit hard to tell, but it seems that the white color is actually the fish's jaw being stretched and swollen, not a columnaris infection. Columnaris is often mistaken for a fungal infection due to the cottony look of the infected area, and I just don't see any of that stereotypical fluffiness.

I personally would remove the fish if possible and treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic that would kill both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. The Maracyn combos are usually good for that. IMO, even though it's possible for fish infected with Flexibacter to present with lockjaw, it is not a columnaris infection.

Here's some more info on marine columnaris, aka Flexibacter maritimus:

http://www.seahorse.com/option,com_joomlaboard/Itemid,218/func,view/id,651/catid,2/

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html

http://www.ices.dk/products/fiche/Disease/2006/Sheet no 55.pdf

 

[jprince]

Great info everyone!! Thanks!!

 

[Aquaman_68]

might be viral...If it is CM you will see a tumor emerge in about a week..

If it's viral you will have to let it go it's course...

BTW..CM can be caused from feeding frozen food that was thawed & refrozen....

 

[jbishop]

might be viral...If it is CM you will see a tumor emerge in about a week..

If it's viral you will have to let it go it's course...

BTW..CM can be caused from feeding frozen food that was thawed & refrozen....

This is good info. Hope the fish makes it.

 

[phaedraeos]

Any news on the fishie?