unclenedsfishfactory.com

Ned,

What can we do for a Onyx Perc Clown that has apparently developed HLLE while in quarentine. Her color is faided, she has become lethargic and doesn't really eat much at all and she has what looks like an open wound on her head. Her mouth seems to be stuck open too but I couldn't find that anywhere online. We have read stray voltage can be a cause and that a grounding probe would solve that. What are your thoughts on that notion? Do you sell grounding probes? Being a computer engineer by trade I have mixed thoughts on the voltage vs current. The grounding probe would create current in the water if there is stray voltage. Is voltage worse then the current? We have also read carbon can be a cause. She seemed to develop this after we introduced carbon to the BioWheel filtering system. We will be removing it when we get home today in case that is the cause. Again this is in Quarentine. We do 50% water changes nightly. The water tests out well. Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

Thank you,
David

What can we do for a Onyx Perc Clown that has apparently developed HLLE while in quarentine.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ABREVIATION 'hlle'. IF YOU MEAN LATERAL LINE DISORDER & EROSION I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THE PROBLEM.
Her color is faided, she has become lethargic and doesn't really eat much at all and she has what looks like an open wound on her head. Her mouth seems to be stuck open too but I couldn't find that anywhere online.
FRANKLY, SOUNDS LIKE THIS FISH HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS, I WOULD EUTHANIZE IF I OWNED THIS FISH. (A NEW CLOWNFISH IS ONLY $25)
HOWEVER, THEY ARE VERY STURDY FISH, AND IT MAY COME BACK BY JUST CORRECTING SEVERAL PROBLEMS.
We have read stray voltage can be a cause and that a grounding probe would solve that. What are your thoughts on that notion? Do you sell grounding probes? YES, WE USE THEM USUALLY IN LARGE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE MANY ELECTRIC MACHINES ON THE SYSTEM....LIGHTS, HEATERS, PUMPS UV's, ETC.
IN STOCK WE HAVE ULTRA-LIFE TITANIUM GROUNDING PROBES FOR $18.
Being a computer engineer (SEEK AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER) by trade I have mixed thoughts on the voltage vs current. The grounding probe would create current in the water if there is stray voltage. Is voltage worse then the current?
I DON'T KNOW WHY GROUNDING PROBES WORK, BUT THEY DO.
IT IS NOT VITAL TO USE ONE, BUT IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
We have also read carbon can be a cause. She seemed to develop this after we introduced carbon to the BioWheel filtering system. We will be removing it when we get home today in case that is the cause.
USE OF CARBON IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD IN MY OPINION...
IT IS GOOD TO USE IT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO REMOVE A KNOWN
(OLD MEDICATION) OR AN UNKNOWN (ENVIRONMENTAL POISON) CONTAMINANT FROM THE WATER.
IT IS BAD TO USE IT CONSTANTLY, BECAUSE IT _ UP BOTH GOOD AND BAD CHEMICALS FROM THE WATER, AND IF IN THE SYTEM FOR A LONG TIME CAN KICK BACK ALL AT ONCE POISONS IT HAD LOCKED UP.
SO CARBON IS BEST USED OCCASIONALLY, WHEN NEEDED. USE THE HIGHEST GRADE YOU CAN GET. SUPPOSEDLY USING CARBON NOT MADE FROM BONE IS BEST BECAUSE YOU WILL GET LESS PHOSPHATE.
Again this is in Quarentine. We do 50% water changes nightly.
THIS SOUNDS EXCESSIVE AND STRESSFUL, ARE YOU USING NEWLY MADE WATER OR ESTABLISHED AQUARIUM WATER? The water tests out well.
QUARANTINE IS A PRACTICE WITH PROBLEMS. IT IS SORT OF SUPPOSED TO BE THE FISH STORE'S JOB...BUT IN REALITY YES YOU CAN INTRODUCE UNWANTED PROBLEMS TO YOUR ESTABLISHED AQUARIUM WITH NEW FISH.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH QUARANTINE IS THE QUALITY OF THE QUARANTINE TANK.
WOULD YOU GO TO A HOSPITAL THAT WAS FILTHIER THAN YOUR HOME? WOULD YOU GO ON VACATION TO A PLACE LESS COMFORTABLE THAN WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
BASICALLY, FISH (AND PEOPLE) HEAL THEMSELVES. BUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO SO IS LIVE IN SITUATIONS WITH AS LITTLE STRESS AS POSSIBLE.
THEY NEED
GOOD AND VARIED NUTRITION,
A CRIME FREE ENVIRONMENT (NO THUG FISH IN THEIR TANKS),
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT (DON'T LIVE NEAR SEWAGE OR NEXT TO A CHEMICAL PLANT...OVER-MEDICATED WITH WRONG STUFF),
PROPER HOUSING (IN THE CASE OF REEF FISH THEY NEED LIVE ROCK).
SPEAKING OF LIVE ROCK, WE OWN FISH AT THE STORE
THAT CAME IN WITH HORRIBLE LATERAL LINE DISEASE,
AND AFTER 3 YEARS IN A LIVE ROCK TANK, THE EROSION IS PRACTICALLY ALL FILLED IN.

I WOULD SIMPLY PUT THIS FISH INTO THE BEST HEALTHY REEF TANK AVAILABLE AND CROSS YOUR FINGERS.

I agree that there may be no help from the 50% water changes unless the make-up water very well prepared with proper time given for aging and proper temperature. Also, when folks mention that they are doing daily water changes on a QT I generally infer that the tank is not adequately cycled. I see no other reason for constant water changes on a marine system unless there is an ammonia build-up. If NH3 is the case... the qt is doing more harm than good.

Frankly, I also suspect that the problem is not HLLE. This condition doesn't normally develop over a short time. Its a chronic disorder and starts as very small pits or pores that get larger over months. The pits are also generally evenly spread over the "forehead" and lateral line toward the face. Not a single wound. Finally, clownfish rarely get HLLE. I'm sure its happened, but this disease isn't common amoung clowns.

Which brings me to what clowns do get…. Brooklynella. If you’ve looked into this disease, you are probably shaking your head and saying “I knew someone would say that!” Brooklynella is by far the most common disease affecting clownfish. The early symptoms are as you describe… lethargy and loss of appetite. It develops quickly and is most common in wild-caught clownfish. Is this a tank-raised clown? Even so, exposure in a retailers system to wild clowns is an easy transmission. Here’s a good resource: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brooklynellosisart.htm . Formalin is your friend with this one, as its really a parasite.

I would suspect a secondary infection with regards to the open wound. Regardless, do more research. Even if its not brooklynella, its doesn’t sound like HLLE. If this seems totally off base… let us know more info and maybe we can figure something else out.

If you are getting NH3/NO2 spikes, sacrifice live rock from your main tank if you really care about this fish. At the least, move over media that is cycled into the reef filter. If you use copper or other medications… never ever return the rock or media to the reef tank or filters.

Good luck.
Abby