New clownfish died - Brooklynella

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Schgred

Aquarium Advice Activist
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Apr 13, 2013
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148
So my tank finished cycling last week with 40 pounds of live rock in a 37 gallon tank. After it finished cycling I went to petco (the only place in the area with saltwater fish) and bought one tank bred clownfish and a few crabs and snails for the clean up crew.

I don't have any sort of quarantine tank which I know is not ideal but I took my time acclimating the fish and cuc and added them last Thursday night. Everything seemed good up until Sunday morning. When I got up I noticed some white film that was hanging on the bottom of the clownfish. I also noticed that he wasn't using one of his side fins very well. I thought I would keep an eye on him to see how he was doing. Monday morning the slime was worse and his fin was badly damaged. Since I put him in the tank last Thursday he hadn't eaten much. Noticing that he was getting worse, I tried a brief freshwater dip. While that don't seem to stress him too much he deteriorated from there and died this afternoon. Everything I saw and read about pointed to brooklynella. My parameters are all great so I'm assuming I got him with the parasite but that the stress of the new tank brought on the symptoms. Thank you petco.

The question is regarding the current tank and how long I need to wait to add anything else.

1. Should I do a water change?
2. What fish aren't affected by brooklynella? Or should I assume any fish could get it?
3. I would like to add a clownfish eventually but can say that I won't be getting it from petco. I'm thinking about starting with two yellow tail damsels. How long do I need to wait to add the fish?

I'm in no hurry to add fish as I realize the need to be patient. Any help and insight into what to do next would be helpful. Thanks!
 
It sounds like that is what your Clown had. Freshwater dips followed by Formalin treatment is the only cure. I'm not sure if every fish can get this, but almost all can. Clowns just seem to be the most common...Mot sure why though.

if you are in no hurry, your best bet is to leave the tank fallow for 4-6 weeks. That should let what is in your tank die off due to no host.

Keep in mind that any LFS can sell fish with a variety of possible ailments. They've usually got whatever it is before they arrive, but they can certainly pick it up there as well.

Damsels are aggressive and a lot of people wish they had never got them and end up removing them. I would not get them because of that.
 
I say no hurry because I don't want to spend money on a fish that is going to get it again. Unfortunately it is a brand new cycled tank that is empty other than live rock and a clean up crew. I'd love to get fish sooner than 4 weeks but don't want them to get sick as well.

Would adding a different kind of fish that isn't susceptible to brooklynella be possible in 2 weeks or is it a big risk?
 
It would be a risk. I do not recall reading anything about certain fish not being susceptible to it and even if some were, do you really want to limit yourself? I know Angels, Tangs, etc can get it. Why limit yourself over a month?

Fallow tanks are no fun, especially when you are just starting, but saltwater is all about patience.. Rushing things rarely ends happily ever after.
 
I'm curious if anyone else has ever had this happened? Did it come back after waiting the 4+ weeks?
 
With regular Ich, which is more common and very similar, I've had it happen and heard many stories from people. They basically treated their fish for 2-3 weeks and did not treat the other fish in their DT or they did not leave the DT fallow long enough to let the parasite die off. The "cured" fish went back in and a few weeks later came back down with the same thing because it was still alive in the tank.

If your fish had it, its in the tank until it can no longer find a host and it dies off. 4-6 weeks should get most of it, but I've read that 8-10 weeks gets it all.
 
I have blue damsel and lord I wish I hadn't bought him but at the time my lfs only had blue damsels and one clown and some very small tangs which I know are not meant for my 32 gal tank.....if I was you I wouldn't bother with the damsels at all..pretty to be sure but mean little buggers
 
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