Clown fish issues !

[Hallowhead]

Howdy,

My one clownfish has been off the past couple days out of no where. He/she is ~ 3 months old. The clownfish appears to be breathing really heavy the mouth keeps opening and closing at a rapid rate. It practically lays on the rock unless someone walks into the room. When it's time to feed the fish comes to life and eats almost normal. A little less than it used to but still eats for sure. The clownfish has no marks on it whatsoever. The second clownfish which appears bigger and I presume to be the female doesn't appear to have any issues. On occasions comes over the to smaller clown and does the same, lays on the rock and just mopes around. She doesn't seem to have the rapid breathing issues.

I just added two Cardinals about 2 weeks ago. Which were ran in copper before I bought them.

Parameters are:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 1
Nitrite: 0
Salinity: 1.025 / 1.026
Alk: 7.6 dkh
Temp 78.6 F

 

[Hallowhead]

More pictures in whites

 

[Hallowhead]

A video of the clown:

 

[Mjrenz]

Clowns can exhibit strange behavior sometimes but the rapid breathing is a bit concerning. I don't see anything obvious in the pics, it would be a good idea to start with a freshwater dip to check for flukes

Freshwater Dip

Freshwater Dip What It Treats – Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases: 1) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) 2) Brooklynella hostilis 3) Uronema marinum 4) Flukes (Monogeneans) 5) Black Ich (Turbellarians) Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes (see video...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Hallowhead]

Clowns can exhibit strange behavior sometimes but the rapid breathing is a bit concerning. I don't see anything obvious in the pics, it would be a good idea to start with a freshwater dip to check for flukes

Freshwater Dip

Freshwater Dip What It Treats – Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases: 1) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) 2) Brooklynella hostilis 3) Uronema marinum 4) Flukes (Monogeneans) 5) Black Ich (Turbellarians) Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes (see video...

www.reef2reef.com

Any advice to get the clown out of the tank without destroying everything?

 

[Mjrenz]

Any advice to get the clown out of the tank without destroying everything?

I generally try to chase a fish into a specimen container with a net, sometimes it takes a while and can be quite frustrating

 

[Hallowhead]

I generally try to chase a fish into a specimen container with a net, sometimes it takes a while and can be quite frustrating

I was trying last night to treat for brooks in a ich-x bath. Couldn't really get the poor guy. Than the female started nipping at me.

I will get a net and try again tonight.

Does this all stress the fish even further?

 

[Mjrenz]

I was trying last night to treat for brooks in a ich-x bath. Couldn't really get the poor guy. Than the female started nipping at me.

I will get a net and try again tonight.

Does this all stress the fish even further?

I've been nipped at plenty of times too, it does stress the fish but unless they're on death's doorstep it's rarely enough stress to cause harm

 

[5altkreep]

Clowns are usually pretty easy. Wait until the lights are out for a bit, then, with your net ready, hit em with a flash light and scoop them out.

 

[Dom]

Never give weight to the word of strangers... even the local fish store. I work under the assumption that everything I purchase is sick and requires quarantine.

The recent addition of the 2 Cardinals without quarantine is a concern to me.

 

[Hallowhead]

Never give weight to the word of strangers... even the local fish store. I work under the assumption that everything I purchase is sick and requires quarantine.

The recent addition of the 2 Cardinals without quarantine is a concern to me.

How would I have treated the Cardinals though? In a QT if they were carrying brooks.. but didn't have it how do I preventively treat it?

I bought a QT last night and will never just acclimate anymore

 

[Hallowhead]

Clowns are usually pretty easy. Wait until the lights are out for a bit, then, with your net ready, hit em with a flash light and scoop them out.

I'll try this tonight

 

[Dom]

How would I have treated the Cardinals though? In a QT if they were carrying brooks.. but didn't have it how do I preventively treat it?

I bought a QT last night and will never just acclimate anymore

Standard operating procedure for me is to place the new arrivals in QT and monitor. I only treat when I observe behavior indicating disease.

Typically, my new arrivals are in QT for 90 days. Longer when treated. Upon completion of treatment, I place them in a second QT and start the observation clock over.

 

[Hallowhead]

Standard operating procedure for me is to place the new arrivals in QT and monitor. I only treat when I observe behavior indicating disease.

Typically, my new arrivals are in QT for 90 days. Longer when treated. Upon completion of treatment, I place them in a second QT and start the observation clock over.

That is a very long procedure but hey... it's what works.

Have you ever had a breakout in your DT?

But as I am saying if the cardinals were carrying brooks and showed no signs of symptoms or carrying it how do you treat it or see it in the QT?

 

[Dom]

That is a very long procedure but hey... it's what works.

Have you ever had a breakout in your DT?

But as I am saying if the cardinals were carrying brooks and showed no signs of symptoms or carrying it how do you treat it or see it in the QT?

No, I've never had disease reach any of my display tanks. I attribute that to the long and patient quarantine process I have in place.

The Idea of using a quarantine tank is this:

You put seemingly healthy fish in to monitor. If they have disease and are not yet showing symptoms, being in QT is what allows you to monitor for disease without risking your displays.

I do not fix what isn't broken. Many people will proactively treat for disease, even without signs and symptoms of disease. I don't see the purpose of putting fish through the stress of treatment when it may not be necessary. And I deem fresh water dips and copper treatment as stressful, only doing when necessary.

 

[Hallowhead]

No, I've never had disease reach any of my display tanks. I attribute that to the long and patient quarantine process I have in place.

The Idea of using a quarantine tank is this:

You put seemingly healthy fish in to monitor. If they have disease and are not yet showing symptoms, being in QT is what allows you to monitor for disease without risking your displays.

I do not fix what isn't broken. Many people will proactively treat for disease, even without signs and symptoms of disease. I don't see the purpose of putting fish through the stress of treatment when it may not be necessary. And I deem fresh water dips and copper treatment as stressful, only doing when necessary.

I'll try a fresh water dip first thing tonight

 

[Mjrenz]

Here is information about quarantine procedures, read through it and you can decide what is best for you

Thread Links to All Things Quarantine - Fish/Inverts

The original comprehensive guide to quarantine by @Humblefish How to Quarantine Also by @Humblefish, this pretty much speaks for itself. The Do's and Dont's of Quarantine The dangers of Aerosol Transmission by @Humblefish Aerosol transmission Information on Bio-film and its impact on...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Dom]

I'll try a fresh water dip first thing tonight

Are you seeing any white spots on the Clown? If so, it could be flukes and a fresh water dip would be beneficial. No harm in it. But, limit the dip to a minute or two tops. Fresh water dips are somewhat stressful to the fish.

Is the clown exhibiting any other strange behavior, such as swimming into the flow of power heads or returns?

 

[Hallowhead]

Are you seeing any white spots on the Clown? If so, it could be flukes and a fresh water dip would be beneficial. No harm in it. But, limit the dip to a minute or two tops. Fresh water dips are somewhat stressful to the fish.

Is the clown exhibiting any other strange behavior, such as swimming into the flow of power heads or returns?

The clown has zero marks/mucus or anything. Doesn't swim into the power head. Stays stationed at the rock on the substrate almost as if it's guarding something there..

It just breathes super heavily.

 

[Mjrenz]

Are you seeing any white spots on the Clown? If so, it could be flukes and a fresh water dip would be beneficial. No harm in it. But, limit the dip to a minute or two tops. Fresh water dips are somewhat stressful to the fish.

Is the clown exhibiting any other strange behavior, such as swimming into the flow of power heads or returns?

I would recommend at least 3 minutes unless the fish is in distress, that's how long it takes for the flukes to start dropping off (if there are any)