Perculas with whitish mouth

Safedad · 12-30-2005, 09:31 PM

I added two Perculas last Tuesday. Then went through the dominance deal and one appears to be the "Lady to be." They have done fine together since yesterday and today. This morning I noticed both of the mouths appeared a little washed out, whitish. I have observed one of them pecking at the crushed coral. Perhaps they have been eating the copepods that thrived while I only had the two blue-green chromis (since Oct.). I lost my other fish to Ich in early October and am just now restocking. Have spent the interim to let the Ich die off, and fight the hair algae. Hair algae growth has almost stopped since going to Hiatt Right Now Bacteria (aerobic nitrate control), TBPC carbon in 3" X 3ft PVC tubes, and Aquarium Sparkling Aqua. My Nitrates are down to 5 (just added a Mag 7 pump to get flow up to around 500 gph at tank return), Phos .01, pH 8.3, Calc 400, Alk (6 - just started vacuuming crushed coral base weekly). Any health issues to worry about with my Percs or just being a nervous pet owner??
Thanks and have a great New Year,
Bob in Cary NC

Woodstock · 12-30-2005, 10:25 PM

Whitish? Are there white cottony patches of fungus growing on their mouths?

dragonladylea · 12-31-2005, 12:35 AM

Sounds to me like you are soon to have little clowns running around, If I am correct the one that is doing most of the "picking" at the rock is NOT the dominate female. The male is the one that prepares the "nesting" site at the prompting from the female and this picking is what is attributing to the mouths being washed out.

Safedad · 12-31-2005, 01:40 PM

The non-dominant is the one doing the picking. I don't see anything protruding from the skin, body outline like fungus, just a lightening of the color around the mouth.
Thanks to you both,
Bob

Woodstock · 12-31-2005, 01:44 PM

Good, then it isn't a fungus

dragonladylea · 12-31-2005, 05:04 PM

Yep sounds like they are going to be "nesting" keep us posted!!

Safedad · 01-02-2006, 10:10 PM

They both are looking better. The color is returning around their mouths. Lot off wiggling when they get around each other today. The dominate fish will still dart at the other, even from across the tank. Isn't love great?

jmanrow · 01-11-2006, 04:01 PM

Keep us posted on any new developments!

Barcochris · 01-11-2006, 04:21 PM

Hey Woody, I just noticed that My true Perc has cottony patches just behind his fin. What is this? all other tank mates look good, my other clown is doing fine. The one with the patch is a little faded color wise and A little bit more aggresive, Whats up?

Cougra · 01-11-2006, 10:49 PM

White Cottony patches are a bad sign. The best way we can help you is if you get a picture of the fish as soon as possible. Time is very important since there are some diseases that can quickly infect every other fish in the tank and can kill in periods as short as 24 hours! Also, describe the symptoms as well as you can including how long the fish has had it and if any other fish show ANY abnormal behaviours. Also, what are your water parameters? How long have you had the fish? When was the last time you added ANYTHING new to the tank? The more details you can give the better!

A couple diseases that come to mind are Brooklynella (Clownfish disease), and Amyloodium (Marine Velvet). Both of which are extremely difficult to treate and highly infectious. I've lost 8 out of my 9 fish overnight to a case of Marine Velvet within three da

If you are lucky it could also be something easier to treat such as a type of fungus or bacteria. If it's on the fins or near the base of a fin, chances are it's a type of fungus and should be treated with a fungicide type treatment outside the main tank. If it's found on the main body not near the fins, especially the mouth area, chances are it's a bacteria (known as Columnaris which is often erroniously refered to as mouth fungus because the symptoms look similar to fungus) and needs to be treated with an antibacterial remedy. Both these diseases can be fatal as they weaken the fish and attack the gills. If treatment is given soon enough then there is a very good chance for recovery.

Once you figure out what it is, the fish should be removed from the tank before treating. If at all possible treat all the fish in the tank, however if you can't get them all, make sure that you treat the ones with any signs including loss of appitite, poor colouration, hiding more then normal, lethargic or breathing more rapidly then normal.

Safedad · 02-01-2006, 06:02 PM

Quick update - both Percs are doing fine and coloring looks good

Woodstock · 02-01-2006, 09:07 PM

Good to hear Safedad!

12-30-2005, 09:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Safedad Tubeworm Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cary NC Posts: 28 View Gallery Karma Komment	Perculas with whitish mouth I added two Perculas last Tuesday. Then went through the dominance deal and one appears to be the "Lady to be." They have done fine together since yesterday and today. This morning I noticed both of the mouths appeared a little washed out, whitish. I have observed one of them pecking at the crushed coral. Perhaps they have been eating the copepods that thrived while I only had the two blue-green chromis (since Oct.). I lost my other fish to Ich in early October and am just now restocking. Have spent the interim to let the Ich die off, and fight the hair algae. Hair algae growth has almost stopped since going to Hiatt Right Now Bacteria (aerobic nitrate control), TBPC carbon in 3" X 3ft PVC tubes, and Aquarium Sparkling Aqua. My Nitrates are down to 5 (just added a Mag 7 pump to get flow up to around 500 gph at tank return), Phos .01, pH 8.3, Calc 400, Alk (6 - just started vacuuming crushed coral base weekly). Any health issues to worry about with my Percs or just being a nervous pet owner?? Thanks and have a great New Year, Bob in Cary NC

12-30-2005, 10:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,673 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Whitish? Are there white cottony patches of fungus growing on their mouths? __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

12-31-2005, 12:35 AM	#3 (permalink)
dragonladylea Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 172 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Sounds to me like you are soon to have little clowns running around, If I am correct the one that is doing most of the "picking" at the rock is NOT the dominate female. The male is the one that prepares the "nesting" site at the prompting from the female and this picking is what is attributing to the mouths being washed out.

12-31-2005, 01:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Safedad Tubeworm Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cary NC Posts: 28 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth The non-dominant is the one doing the picking. I don't see anything protruding from the skin, body outline like fungus, just a lightening of the color around the mouth. Thanks to you both, Bob

12-31-2005, 01:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,673 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Good, then it isn't a fungus __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

12-31-2005, 05:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
dragonladylea Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 172 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Yep sounds like they are going to be "nesting" keep us posted!!

01-02-2006, 10:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Safedad Tubeworm Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cary NC Posts: 28 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth They both are looking better. The color is returning around their mouths. Lot off wiggling when they get around each other today. The dominate fish will still dart at the other, even from across the tank. Isn't love great?

01-11-2006, 04:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
jmanrow Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tigard, Oregon Posts: 6 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Keep us posted on any new developments!

01-11-2006, 04:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
Barcochris Cabbage Leather Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 356 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Hey Woody, I just noticed that My true Perc has cottony patches just behind his fin. What is this? all other tank mates look good, my other clown is doing fine. The one with the patch is a little faded color wise and A little bit more aggresive, Whats up?

01-11-2006, 10:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
Cougra Dragon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 2,216 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth White Cottony patches are a bad sign. The best way we can help you is if you get a picture of the fish as soon as possible. Time is very important since there are some diseases that can quickly infect every other fish in the tank and can kill in periods as short as 24 hours! Also, describe the symptoms as well as you can including how long the fish has had it and if any other fish show ANY abnormal behaviours. Also, what are your water parameters? How long have you had the fish? When was the last time you added ANYTHING new to the tank? The more details you can give the better! A couple diseases that come to mind are Brooklynella (Clownfish disease), and Amyloodium (Marine Velvet). Both of which are extremely difficult to treate and highly infectious. I've lost 8 out of my 9 fish overnight to a case of Marine Velvet within three da If you are lucky it could also be something easier to treat such as a type of fungus or bacteria. If it's on the fins or near the base of a fin, chances are it's a type of fungus and should be treated with a fungicide type treatment outside the main tank. If it's found on the main body not near the fins, especially the mouth area, chances are it's a bacteria (known as Columnaris which is often erroniously refered to as mouth fungus because the symptoms look similar to fungus) and needs to be treated with an antibacterial remedy. Both these diseases can be fatal as they weaken the fish and attack the gills. If treatment is given soon enough then there is a very good chance for recovery. Once you figure out what it is, the fish should be removed from the tank before treating. If at all possible treat all the fish in the tank, however if you can't get them all, make sure that you treat the ones with any signs including loss of appitite, poor colouration, hiding more then normal, lethargic or breathing more rapidly then normal. __________________ Michelle Just because something CAN be done, it doesn't mean that it SHOULD be done!

02-01-2006, 06:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
Safedad Tubeworm Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cary NC Posts: 28 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Quick update - both Percs are doing fine and coloring looks good

02-01-2006, 09:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,673 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Perculas with whitish mouth Good to hear Safedad! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

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