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Brooklynella hostilis is found as a parasite in marine aquaria. It causes what is commonly known as "Clownfish disease". There are several steps that can be taken to remedy it, including bathing the fish in fresh water with the same pH level as in a normal tank.
There are several misconceptions as to how to treat this protist infestation. Fresh water baths using the same pH levels as their salt water tanks will burst the parasites and also cause them to release their grasp on the fish. This is due to the Salt content on the inside of the protist being more than the Salt content of the fresh water, causing the frest water to to rush into the parasite cell through Osmolarity. Another method to cleanse the fish of parasites is through a Formalin bath, this can be dangerous as the main active ingredient of Formalin is Formaldehyde. Ultraviolet or UV treatments will also assist in killing the parasites. A common myth among salt water tank owners is that Copper will have enough of a antimicrobial effect to kill the parasite. However, due to Copper oxidizing into other chemical variations it is not recommended due to the toxicity to most biological systems.
