need of help, help identify white growths pics attached

[mnowicki]

Hi,

Here is as good of a photograph as i could get of my blue spotted jawfish. He has been losing his scales for the last 2 weeks while being on maracyn 1 and 2 (put him on it because he started losing scales and fins were splitting). I suspected a fungal or bacterial infection, but two full treatments didn't help so i switched him doxycycline hydrochloride yesterday, thinking maybe its a resistant strain of bacteria. I come back home from work today and he is covered in this white stuff, you can see it hanging onto his body in the pictures.

What should I do? I have a number of medications on hand.

Odd thing is, he is in the hospital tank with two purple firefish and they seem perfectly fine.

PLEASE HELP

Matt

[kinlayan]

that may be brooklynella you have there - it is a protozoan disease best to treat it with hyposalinity down to 1.010 and fast it is pretty lethal also medicines containing formaldehyde should work but up your aeration then because it robs the water of oxygen- act fast or you will likely lose the fish.secondary bacterial infections also result from this parasite.

[lagatbezan]

I found this from another site:
"One real problem with bluespot jawfish is disease. These jawfish are particularly sensitive to a brooklynella-like infection (typically associated with clownfish) and the mysterious Blue Spot Jawfish Disease. If a blue spot is infected with brooklynella, there is really no hope left for it. The fish will quickly deteriorate and die withing 24 hours or less. The jawfish will show signs of peeling skin and color loss all over its body, and it will refuse to eat. It may or may not wander around the aquarium, but it will most certainly leave its burrow and die. It is very painful to watch as there is virtually nothing you can do to save it at this point."
Hope this is not the case in your situation but it does sound like what he has.

[MrTuskfish]

I have never heard or read that hypo does much for brooklynella; other than provide some temporary relief. Search Bob Fenner's site, wetwebmedia.com, for "brooklynella, you'll find lots of info. Formalin is really the only cure I know of for brooklynella; although I have no idea if it works with jawfish. It does work well with other species, if caught quickly and I don't that's the case here.. This parasite is deadly, very contagious, and very quick acting. It could be the bluespot jawfish disease that lagatbezan discussed; although I'm not familiar with it. Whatever happens, don't put the firefish into your DT before you are 100% sure it has been wiped out in your HT. I would guess at least 4 weeks after all symptoms disappear. If this is brook, I would be prepared for your firefish getting it also.

[mnowicki]

thanks for the replies guys. unfortunately it is most likely the dreaded BSJF disease that no one has a cure for. wish i came across it before getting him because when he arived he already showed initial signs of it and I would've been a bit more assertive in contacting blue zoo about it.

thanks again.