New Clown has a boo-boo

[KodiakBear]

Just picked up a couple juvie clowns today. Each one is about 3/4 inch long. After acclimating, then introducing them to their new home, my wife noticed what looks like a chunk of his gills missing.

Any ideas as to how to treat this? He is swimming fine, isn't respirating excessively, ate voraciously, and is playing with his tank mate emphatically. Other than the visible damage, he is showing no signs of distress. Should I just leave him be? Or is there something I should do?

 

[AQTCJAK]

You can treat with Tropical Science Marine Max it is a benificial Bateria that helps heal wounds

 

[tippMANn98]

Follow Jack's suggestions, and just make sure they eat their breakfast and dinner, and make sure they get their veggies!!

 

[prow]

good food and water quality will do the most for him. soak its food in garlic to help prevent infection too.

 

[caitrina]

My one clown had a split tail, have no idea how that happened, but the tail eventually healed itself together. Hope yours does the same and there are no problems.

 

[KodiakBear]

You can treat with Tropical Science Marine Max it is a benificial Bateria that helps heal wounds

PetBlvd.com has it for $11.95, is this a good price. Not sure what shipping would be. Do you have it in stock?

Follow Jack's suggestions, and just make sure they eat their breakfast and dinner, and make sure they get their veggies!!

veggies? I'm feeding NutrFin Max Marine Pellets right now. I do soak it in garlic, and put a little bit of cyclopeeze into it also. Is there anything else I should be feeding? How much/often should I feed them? They seem to be always hungry, so I've fed them 3 times today already. They really are voracious eaters!

Thanks for all the help!

 

[AQTCJAK]

that is a good price if you check your LFS they might carry it

 

[KodiakBear]

that is a good price if you check your LFS they might carry it

I don't have a LFS anymore. :cry1: They closed their doors to retail, and only deal in "Maintenance Clients" now. Everything else around here is freshwater, with maybe one tank to put a few sick, dying saltwater fish in.
I really do hate buying things online!

 

[KodiakBear]

UPDATE: boo-boo clown (as he/she/it's getting called so far) is doing great. Still looks a litte rough, but is eating a LOT and playing in the currents all day.
The other clown, that has no visible problems, is barely eating, and staying in the caves of the rocks where there is little flow and respirating heavily. This one is a little bit larger than the other, and lighter colored. Pics are in my other thread Confused on Starting a Nano
Water params:
Amm:0
Nitrite:0
trates:3-5 (range of test kit)
ph: 8.1
Salinity: 1.025 (refractometer)
cal: 375
alk: 2.5
Temp 80
Any ideas? I soaked the food in garlic. It was a blend of cyclopeeze, squid, sea scallop, and NutraFin Max Complete Marine Pellets.

 

[KodiakBear]

It's still not eating... so...

 

[DaveK]

If I have a fish that I'm trying to get to feed for the first time, I try to use live brine shrimp or live black worms. Both are sold locally by various LFS stores.

Live brine shrimp is a lousy food to use long term, but it often gets a finicky fish to start to feed.

Live black worms are a fresh water worm, and will die quickly in SW. Feed in small amounts, and very carefully.

Oddly enough some fish that refuse fresh foods love flake and pellet foods. It's worth a try.

 

[KodiakBear]

I'd love to try some live food. Unfortunantely, there are no LFS's in my area that have any. Lots of frozen foods to be had. I tried feeding a little bit of frozen brine, but not interested. It kind of picks at the cyclopeeze, but just doesn't seem to have much of an appetite. When I first put it in the tank, it ate voraciously, and it ate at the store too (same pellet food I'm feeding them now). Would they benefit if I were to clip some Nori in the tank with them?

 

[KodiakBear]

Really getting worried about this little guy. Still didn't show much of an apetite at dinner time. Ate a little, but didn't seem to want to waste energy swimming for his meal. Just kind of hung out next to the rocks breathing all heavy (like he just read the SEX! thread)

 

[Kazzy]

My female maroon used to fight with my Ebli Mimic Tang (RIP) and had cut fins all the time, and they usually healed within a couple of days. Soak his food in garlic and if you have to, target feed him.

 

[KodiakBear]

Well, I chanced it and skipped their dinner last night. This morning he was all perky at breakfast and searching out food. If he acts up again, I'll try target feeding him. After this morning I am just figuring he wasn't hungry before.

 

[lcstorc]

Glad it worked for you. My fish are always hungry or at least that is what they tell me when I walk by the tank.

 

[KodiakBear]

Just an update. I've gone from the scheduled feedings, to feeding only when they swim to the top of the tank when I enter the room. I only feed tiny little portions, but will give 3 or 4 portions each time. Just until they lose interest. Seems to be working great. They are both very active, and eating a lot. The one with the boo-boo seems to be healing really well. The added perk is I'm not as worried about over-feeding anymore since I get to sit there and watch them eat it all each time.
It's really cool having fish that will just about eat out of my hand.