Sharks / crypt/ Brooklynella copper   1/1/08
Hi
<Marc>
I have a 19,000 gallon aquarium with a wide range of Atlantic fish including 2 sharks. The sharks are a 42" blacknose & a 36" Bonnethead.. We had crypt show up 1st and have been treating with hyposalinity at 15 ppt and formalin 1ml per 10 gal. (1900 ml), every other day.
<Yikes.... dangerous>
I am not clear on copper with the sharks.
<Is generally a poor idea. In my early years in the "scientific" part of the trade I used to necropsy, diagnose shark et al. losses at public institutions. Copper compounds are contraindicated for a few reasons with cartilaginous fishes...>
I even was worried about the hyposalinity, but other than a suppressed appetite, they are fine.
<Yes... most all Elasmobranchs do fine with lowered salinity for a time>
It has been 3 weeks and the crypt is still there (all verified by scrape and microscope). Also now fish have Brooklynella and lots. I have never seen formalin so ineffective.
<Mmm... I DO wish you had another facility... to give a more concentrated bath... move the fish stock to...>
Water parameters are NH3=0 NO2=.15 Sal = 15ppt ph = 7.9 KH = 140 temp = 79 f. I have even upped the dose to 2 liters with no effect. My main question is : Can I use non-chelated copper (Cupramine) on the sharks?
<I would NOT>
How long can they stand it? Will copper kill Brooklynella?
<No... not usually... See WWM, articles and books by myself, others>
Will Chloroquine kill crypt or brook? Do you have any other suggestions ?
Marc C
<The best possible solution is with quinines here... Do you have a copy of Ed Noga's work on Fish Disease? Please read: http://wetwebmedia.com/quinmedfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>

Brook disease (clownfish disease)...   7/16/06
Ok about a month ago I bought clowns (Ocellaris) from a pet store for my 90G and 46G tank. They were supposed to be tank raised.
<...? You quarantined them nonetheless?>
Within a few days they were all dead. My water parameters were all good (no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, etc) these two tanks are reef tanks and have lots of corals, etc..
I did lots of research and found out that I had brooks disease -
<Not the correct term for this protozoan parasite>
the pet store lost about 25 clowns to this, one by one. I ran a UV sterilizer on my 46 for about a week. Nothing was done with the 90.
<... UV won't cure such...>
90G inhabitants: blue tang, yellow tang, lawnmower blenny, Firefish and a green mandarin
46G tank lawnmower blenny, Firefish, royal Gramma, 2 mollies
No other fish has been sick, all are living well. I waited until now to get some more clowns and added (after formalin dipping all three) 2 clowns to the 46G and 1 to the 90G tank.
<... to the already infested systems?...>
One of the guys in the 46G was eating the other nothing - staying at the bottom in one spot. Yesterday they both stayed in the back of the tank, tonight both are dead.  
<Uh, yes>
I did fish the one out of the 90G and put him in a QT with copper treatment.
<Copper won't cure Brooklynellosis...>
My question is how long will brook stay in the main tank before it dies? Are the other fish in my tank hosting this parasite? If so, they seem normal and I've had no losses.
<... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brooklynellosisart.htm
and the linked files above>
What can I do to get this out of my tanks?
<And here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/parasittksfaqs.htm
and the linked files above...>
If there aren't any clownfish in the tanks say for a few months will the disease die away?
<Possibly... other fishes can act as reservoir hosts...>
I've lost too many clowns to this and want to beat it. Thank you for your help.
Shawn Ginardi
<Read my friend... ignorance is not bliss. Bob Fenner>

Clownfish Parasite problem
I have a couple of clowns in my tank and one of them has been carrying a parasite that I cannot get rid of. I have treated the tank with Kick-ick
<Worthless>
 for the full cycle. In the past couple of weeks I have dipped this clown in HydroPlex
<Ditto>
 twice and also did a freshwater dip on him. He seems healthy and does not scratch or any other signs of being uncomfortable. All other fish in the tank are completely clear of any parasites. Can you help me identify this problem and also offer any other suggestions. I would like to get this under control for him.
Attached is a picture showing the white tufts on his side.
Thank you very much for any help you may give me.
<Hmm, looks like "clownfish disease", the causative organism a parasite called Brooklynella hostilis. Please see the "Clownfish" article and "Clownfish Disease" FAQs posted on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com for more on treating this too-common malady of wild-collected Amphiprionines. Generally calls for a formalin/formaldehyde based medication, possible use of cleaners. Bob Fenner>

This Clown Isn't Funny (Sick Clownfish?) 
Hi, I would like to start by saying, Thank you for being here. 
<We're happy to be here! Scott F. with you today!> 
Now as for the reason that I am writing. I am very new to marine fish keeping. I have set-up my first saltwater tank and am very unaware of the diseases of saltwater fish. My tank has cycled for 8 weeks now and all of the levels are acceptable. My problem is that I purchased a Maroon clown fish and after 5 days of being in my tank he has a white "coating" on his side. It almost appears to be slime. It has not affected his breathing or appetite. 
<That's good that he's eating...> 
The "coating" was not there when I left at 7a.m. this morning, but when I returned at 4 p.m. it had developed. It is only on one side and doesn't appear to be near his gills, only to the tail-end of him. He also has a bit of the film on one fin. Can you please help me with a diagnosis and a solution, please. 
<Well, there are a few possibilities, ranging from extremely serious to relatively mild. Of immediate concern is the possibility that this may be the dreaded Brooklynella hostilis, a virulent protozoan infection. Symptoms are a thick coat of whitish mucus, rapid respiration. loss of appetite, gasping, and faded body color. I think that you need to observe him carefully, and be prepared to take action if things progress. The best treatment for this malady, IMO, is to remove him from the display tank and give him a 10-15 minute freshwater dip, then place him in a separate "hospital tank" for continued observation, and possible treatment with a formalin-based product. Before embarking on this treatment course, or any treatment, confirm that this is what you're dealing with. Use the disease FAQs on the WWM site to confirm this.> 
I don't want to lose him. He was also swimming near the top of the water, but has went back down near to bottom, now. I have suspicions that he is not tank raised. I bought him from a pet store as soon as he was delivered to the store and had little information about him. 
<Wild-caught clowns are usually more likely to contract Brooklynella, so you might want to operate under the assumption that this may be what you're dealing with.> 
However, he seems scared and took awhile to "come around". By that, I mean that when I put him in the tank he stayed hidden for the first day, but eventually came out. Any help that you could give would be appreciated. Please respond as quickly as possible. 
Thank You, Leah 
<Well, Leah, it's impossible for me to be 100% certain from here, but your fish is at least displaying some of the signs of a very serious illness. I suppose you could observe longer while studying the possible diseases, as opposed to rushing into a potentially stressful course of treatment. Other possibilities are forms of fungal maladies, which are a lot less serious, but require treatment nonetheless...Do read up on the WWM disease FAQs to confirm what you're dealing with, and seek help from a local fish store or hobbyist if you are uncertain as to what this is. With quick, decisive action, the fish can make a complete recovery. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

This Clown Isn't Funny (Pt. 2)
Hello, again.
<Hi there! Scott F. with you again today!>
After reading through page after page on the internet about such diseases as Brooklynella and Amyloodinium I still could find no real match for this problem.  So. I bagged him up and we went to the pet store for a diagnosis.  I was told that it was a fungus and he recommended "Revive" (which I found out later that it is now being sold as Rally and wonder about the shelf life of this product).
<I've heard of the product...Not one that I've used...>
  I treated the fish--not in a quarantine tank, though, didn't know I needed one until later on, but I will set one up for future cases---his coating/slime now seems to be "peeling'" away.
<Yikes!>
By this, I mean that it is detaching from the body and is hanging loosely in "strings".  My LFS said that I could remove the fish and put it into a small container and gently rub the fish to finish taking off the remaining slime.  What is your opinion of this?
<Handling a fish in this manner is not something that I would do...>
He also said that I could wait and the medicine would eventually completely cure it.  He is still eating well and doesn't seem to be affected by this.  His breathing is still normal and aside from being a little grumpy ( as I have found this to be a "norm" as well) he is doing just fine.  I hope so, that is.  What do you think of the information that I was given.  I am new to this and am leery to trust someone that gains to profit from their advice and recommendations. (The pet store)  Thank You again, Leah
<Well, the LFS can be a great ally in your hobby endeavors, so I wouldn't automatically discount any advice that they give you. That being said, I m not a fan of the so-called "reef-safe" "medications", which I believe this product is marketed as. In some cases, a number of these products have turned out to be nothing more than an irritant, which causes the fish to slough off body slime in the hope of eradicating infections. If the fish is recovering, that's the most important thing! In the end, there is no substitute for having the animal evaluated locally, and proper treatment utilized. Just keep learning and studying! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Battling Brooklynella!
Hello,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
I'm so friggin' depressed. I'll try to be succinct. I recently purchased three clowns labeled by the LFS as "Perculas." My assumption was that they were "true" Perculas. Subsequent research leads me to believe that they were "false" Perculas. Anyhoo, one by one over the course of about 5 days, all three showed symptoms of Brooklynella. One died within a day.
<Yikes! Sorry to hear that.>
I frantically scoured the Internet and polled the LFS' for info on what to do about it. Got a lot of different answers and possible solutions and ended up attempting a freshwater dip on the two living fish. Both died within about an hour of being returned to the main tank.
<Freshwater dips may assist in curing the fish, but they are not a "cure" in and of themselves. As far as the fish fading as a result of the dip- it is entirely possible, because the fish were severely stressed out to begin with.>
I got one replacement false percula. I tried to quarantine him/her/it, but was having some problems with the QT and rather than watch the little guy/gal/thing die in there, I put him in the main tank.
<Uh-Oh...>
He has been doing very well for the past two weeks, and looked great up until yesterday when he started exhibiting the same initial symptom as his predecessors: cloudy eyes. In the other fish, this lead to stringy white poop, a tendency for the afflicted fish to hang in the current from the powerhead, then death. After my "cure" killed the two other fish, I'm
kind of afraid to try anything else, i.e. quarantine, freshwater dip, treatment with formalin, etc. I know I should have quarantined in the first place. I know. My question is, what should I do now? Tank info, if you need it, is: 150 gallon reef tank, about 10 months old. My husband set it up, so I can't say much about the filtration other than it's got a refugium with Chaetomorpha in it, and a skimmer. Sorry. Other occupants are
1 Sailfin Tang, 1 Lemonpeel Angel, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp, 1 Cleaner Shrimp, snails and hermit crabs. All the other occupants show no signs of distress.
Thanks so much, Nicole
<Well, Nicole, this is certainly something that needs to be addressed, and quickly! As you know, this is an extremely virulent disease. "Conventional" treatment methodologies include the previously-attempted freshwater dip (do read up on the techniques of FW dips right here on the WWM site), followed by treatment (in a separate tank, of course) with Formalin at the dose of 1 drop per each liter of water. Formalin is extremely toxic to invertebrates, so under no circumstances should you administer it in your display tank. In addition to treating the Clown, you really need to observe the other fishes carefully, as they may certainly become infected. The possibility exists that you may have to remove the other fishes for observation and treatment. Do read up on this disease and its treatment here on the WWM site and you'll find some very concise information! Best of luck to you! Regards, Scott F.>

Brooklynella   12/28/05
To the WWM Crew
<Flávio>
In a small, 20 Lts., quarantine tank I have a clownfish probably with Brooklynella. He arrived 4 days ago.
<Am sure you're beginning to appreciate the value of captive produced clowns versus wild-collected...>
Don't eat, is in a tank corner, breathing rapidly and has some kind of whitish coat extending from the dorsal fin to the medium and lateral part of the body. He has also three or four white spots on the frontal part.
<All indicative>
Today I added Coppersafe, one cupful as the manufacturer indicates.
In the meantime I read your advice about Brooklynella and dips in formalin ( 15 to 30 minutes with 1ml (20 drops) for 4 Ltr of salt water, as you state).
<Yes... if Brooklynellosis, copper will not cure it>
My question is if I can put some formalin in the quarantine tank in order to treat the possible occurrence of the two diseases. How much formalin could I put there. 2 drops?
Thanks in advance
Flávio
<I would not place formalin in your quarantine system if you can treat otherwise... instead I would run a dip/bath and move the animal to a newly cleaned/sterilized system to avoid cross-contamination. Please see WWM re Formalin use, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/formalinart.htm, Brooklynella. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brooklynellosisart.htm
Bob Fenner>