Clownfish acting funny

[gfeb]

Hello I would like some help. Also I am new to this salt water tank thing! I love it so far but man it’s hard compared to fresh! Excited to be a part of this community.

I have a 55 gallon tank. 2 months old. FOWLR. Currently have two Bangnaii Cardinals and chromies. And they have been healthy and happily eating.

I also have a small quarantine tank set up. Bare bottom with a couple rocks in it.

I recently purchased two naked clown fish from my local fish store. I put them both in my quarantine tank to prep them for the main. I have had them for three days now. One of them I noticed yesterday was not swimming as vigorous as the other. He also was putting food in his mouth and spitting it out. The first day I got him he seem to be fine and eating. Then when I got home from work today he was at the bottom of the tank. He was upright and would swim around well when stimulated. But he just seem to be sluggish. He also is breathing heavy.

After reading one of the other threads I decided to do a freshwater dip. I also have been Dosing the tank with CURE For parasites. I did the for five minute dip and honestly did not notice any flukes or anything come off. He did tolerate the process as well. After, I put them back in the quarantine tank he was still swimming around the same.. maybe a little more vigorous but not a ton more.
However he still wont eat and is still kind of sluggish compared to the other. I have now separated the two clownfish in abundance of caution.
The other clown fish is also getting very fat because he is eating all the food. :/ The sick one is looking pretty skinny and I am kind of worried if I don’t get him to eat and the next day or two he will not make it. I have tried freeze dried brine shrimp and mysis shrimp as well as seachem flakes. He won’t take anything.


I have done partial water changes and check the parameters daily.

salinity 1.024
Ph 8.2
Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~0
temp 80F

I’ve attached a video from yesterday. He has since gotten maybe a little worse.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can’t open video but if it has lost appetite, seems lethargic and has developed rapid breathing- may be brooklynella
Other symptoms may be milky hazy appearance, listless or twitching.
Please provide a couple still pics under white lighting

 

[gfeb]

This morning he’s doing way worse. Sitting at the bottom and moving very little— only if I touch him.
Definitely not going to make it.
second one is doing excellent. Still very vigorous and eating like a champ.

Any thoughts? I want to know if this is something I did or if it was just stress from the move? Maybe just a sick one to begin with. There’s no visible signs of illness.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

This morning he’s doing way worse. Sitting at the bottom and moving very little— only if I touch him.
Definitely not going to make it.
second one is doing excellent. Still very vigorous and eating like a champ.

Any thoughts? I want to know if this is something I did or if it was just stress from the move? Maybe just a sick one to begin with. There’s no visible signs of illness.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Sorry - just seeing this now. One thing I didn't see in your post was the ammonia level. How is that and what test kit are you using to measure that with?

It is unusual for two fish, from the same source added to the same tank not to have the same issues; diseases, water quality problems both will affect fish more or less equally. Fighting will of course have a winner and a loser, but there is no evidence of that (ripped fins).

At this point, I don't have much to offer in that the fish is likely too far gone. You could try a 5 minute freshwater dip, but that will likely just push it over the edge.

Have you contacted the store to see what they think?

Jay Hemdal

 

[gfeb]

Thank you for your insight.
ammonia is 0.
I use the 5-test strips at least daily to twice daily and then API test kit when I suspect something is wrong or at least weekly routinely before water changes.
I came home and he had Jumped out of the QT tank and was dead. :/.
I’ll swing by the store today. They don’t have any fish guarantees unfortunately.
I’m thinking of ordering from live aquatica for now on. I’ve heart good things.