Wrong diagnosis?

hi guys,

my maroon clownfish was rubbing against the surface since 2 days ago and i started hyposalinity treatment yesterday, the salinity is now reduced to 1.009. however i'm worried that it's NOT marine ich and hyposalinity won't help!:-/

If i look very carefully, there seems to be white stuff on him, not patches, but not white enough to look like white spots. it would fit the term '' dusty looking '' more. so could it be marine velvet? i've tried taking pictures. but can't get a good one. he's always having clamped fins since i started treatment yesterday but now he seems to have clamped fins while swimming sorta eratically on the spot.he also gasps for air at the top corner sometimes. and may i add that he always acts tough when i put my fingers close or shine the torchlight on him -.- his appetite has been great since i got him one week ago ;D how should i determine if it is marine ich, marine velvet or brookynella? ( all 3 rub against surfaces >< )

ps. the LFS here doesn't seem to sell formalin.. so if it's brook..

 

Try performing an iodine dip on the Clown and see if that has any reverse effect on your fish for starters!
Try increasing the oxygen level of your water by either lowering the water temp.(very slowly) or increase water aggitation at the air/water surface interface. This procdess normally will reduce the chances of fish congregation at the top of the tank as if they are trying to get oygen from the ambient atmosphere called hypoxia!
Good luck to you!

 

i have already provided aeration using air stone;D
is iodine dip something like freshwater dip? i've never heard of it before and don't have iodine to start with. :-/ strangely though the fish is not breathing rapidly or heavy breathing!
the dots on the fish is like.. 0.2mm to 0.5mm big and they are quite densely populated in one area , probably 15 to 20 extremely small dots , is velvet like that? i've tried turning off all the lights and shine my torch on it, don't see any velvet like or shiny thingy

 

Have you tried using a Formalin Bath for the fish?

 

i have asked many LFS but they don't have formalin medicine. sigh. but the fish seems to be better now. i see some white specks floating in the water, and it's possibly the ich , i hoping it's marine ich actually :

 

Many of the medications can be purchased at a Veterinary clinic!

 

really? i thought they were only for dogs and cats ;D
okay thanks! i'll go check them out =) btw, is a salinity of around 1.009 to 1.010 be effective against ich or must i lower it to 1.008 - 1.009 ? it seems to have improvement

 

how fast did you drop the salinity?
do you have any inverts?
Hypo can be very stressful on fish.....so be careful
Is your fish eating? That in my opinion is the most critical part of the treatment and prevention of ick. Good food, soaked in garlic with HUFA's will do wonders. Marine ich is not like FW ick...it is not a kiss of death. Most marine fish are able to fight it off IF they are eating.

Get some RODS food or something like that. Rods has the vitamins and the HUFA already placed in there. I still will occassionally add selco to that even. Garlic only helps entice the fish to eat...thus increasing their resistance.

I have read that hypo is actually below 1.007 but I sure would not want to do that...causes more stress on the fish.

 

As an over all preventative, buy Marine-Max. It boosts the fishes immune system to be able to ward off most diseases. It is all natural and works.

 

oh eating?! dont'worrry about that he's been eating like he's never eaten before from starting till now. if i feed him shrimps with spoon
he'll jump out of the water to bite it sadly malaysia doesn't have selcon and stuff. just vitachem. it's so hard to get those stuff u guys use in US! and the salanity i lowered over a 48 hour period.