Clownfish breathing fast

[Cjnadler]

I woke up and my clown is breathing heavy, yesterday I did my weekly water change. I recently bought fish from saltwater fish.com and two of the fish died after 2 days of hiding in my rocks. Do you think they sent me sick fish ? This clownfish I have had for about 5 months now. Was acting perfectly fine until those 2 fish died. What should I do? I did my water change yesterday before he was acting weird this morning I dosed prime and amguard and added an air stone to put my oxygen in water.

 

[fishguy242]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[ShakerBreaker]

have you tested your ammonia levels?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very hard working with pics under heavy blue lighting
Please retake under white lights
Looking at bottom photo and gill area, it appears fish may have brooklynella which often affects clowns
You will see a haze or mucus around its face and body, acting lethargic, loss of appetite and heavy breathing.
if you see these symptoms, you can give freshwater bath for temporary relief but you will have to treat with formalin based med such as quick cure or ruby rally pro for 7-10 days

 

[Cjnadler]

have you tested your ammonia levels?

i have always had very very little ammonia that i can never get rid of for some reason. I have talked to my local fish store and they said that it is normal to have a little ammonia.

 

[ShakerBreaker]

i have always had very very little ammonia that i can never get rid of for some reason. I have talked to my local fish store and they said that it is normal to have a little ammonia.

how much is a little? .001?

I'd follow vetteguys advice, he's definitely better qualified than I am to give advice.

You might want to try adding something like microbacter clean in the future to help with the ammonia. Just thinking that if you just added a couple of new fish and already had ammonia levels it may have spiked causing stress that results in sick fish.

 

[BiggestE22]

I woke up and my clown is breathing heavy, yesterday I did my weekly water change. I recently bought fish from saltwater fish.com and two of the fish died after 2 days of hiding in my rocks. Do you think they sent me sick fish ? This clownfish I have had for about 5 months now. Was acting perfectly fine until those 2 fish died. What should I do? I did my water change yesterday before he was acting weird this morning I dosed prime and amguard and added an air stone to put my oxygen in water.

I hate buying new fish(never do since I don’t have a quarantine tank)Possibly ich or Velvet.

 

[BiggestE22]

I woke up and my clown is breathing heavy, yesterday I did my weekly water change. I recently bought fish from saltwater fish.com and two of the fish died after 2 days of hiding in my rocks. Do you think they sent me sick fish ? This clownfish I have had for about 5 months now. Was acting perfectly fine until those 2 fish died. What should I do? I did my water change yesterday before he was acting weird this morning I dosed prime and amguard and added an air stone to put my oxygen in water.

A 5 month old tank with ammonia? What kind of filtration are you using?

 

[Cjnadler]

Very hard working with pics under heavy blue lighting
Please retake under white lights
Looking at bottom photo and gill area, it appears fish may have brooklynella which often affects clowns
You will see a haze or mucus around its face and body, acting lethargic, loss of appetite and heavy breathing.
if you see these symptoms, you can give freshwater bath for temporary relief but you will have to treat with formalin based med such as quick cure or ruby rally pro for 7-10 days

thank you for the response. I am at school and i work tonight i will try and get some better pictures tonight after work.

 

[Cjnadler]

A 5 month old tank with ammonia? What kind of filtration are you using?

So about 2 years ago i set up a 55 gallon. i then downgraded after a year to fluval evo 13 then about 2 months ago I switched again and went to a 3o gallon shallow and a 20 gallon sump i have sand and rock that i have had from the beginning.

 

[vetteguy53081]

have you tested your ammonia level

Can be type of water, dirty filters, over feeding and others to cause ammonia but a suspicion is false readings

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also, what test kits are you using ?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I woke up and my clown is breathing heavy, yesterday I did my weekly water change. I recently bought fish from saltwater fish.com and two of the fish died after 2 days of hiding in my rocks. Do you think they sent me sick fish ? This clownfish I have had for about 5 months now. Was acting perfectly fine until those 2 fish died. What should I do? I did my water change yesterday before he was acting weird this morning I dosed prime and amguard and added an air stone to put my oxygen in water.

It is pretty common for new fish to carry a disease into an established tank, we suggest all fish be quarantined before being added (this doesn't eliminate problems, but it does greatly reduce them).

Can you post a short video of the fish taken under white light?
What two fish died and what were their symptoms?
Swimming head down like that can be a very serious symptom, I presume the fish isn't eating?
You dosed Prime and Amguard - have you been getting a positive test for ammonia then?

Jay

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

1. Start with the basics: check all your parameters and correct them

2. There is a high possibility that by the time you get home he may have passed. Not to be pessimistic but he is struggling and may not have much time.

3. It is not normal for an established tank to have detectable ammonia. Your LFS is smoking something.

4. It is very possible the fish you received were sick. My understanding is that a lot (not the reputable ones that quarantine) of these vendors sell fish directly from wholesalers and the fish have been through hell by the time they get to you. That’s why a quarantine tank is always recommended.

I hope he pulls through!

 

[Cjnadler]

It is pretty common for new fish to carry a disease into an established tank, we suggest all fish be quarantined before being added (this doesn't eliminate problems, but it does greatly reduce them).

Can you post a short video of the fish taken under white light?
What two fish died and what were their symptoms?
Swimming head down like that can be a very serious symptom, I presume the fish isn't eating?
You dosed Prime and Amguard - have you been getting a positive test for ammonia then?

Jay

unfortunately when i got home I could not find my clown i think my anemone ate the clown.

 

[Cjnadler]

Very hard working with pics under heavy blue lighting
Please retake under white lights
Looking at bottom photo and gill area, it appears fish may have brooklynella which often affects clowns
You will see a haze or mucus around its face and body, acting lethargic, loss of appetite and heavy breathing.
if you see these symptoms, you can give freshwater bath for temporary relief but you will have to treat with formalin based med such as quick cure or ruby rally pro for 7-10 days

unfortunately when i got home I could not find my clown i think my anemone ate the clown. thank you for all your help though.

 

[SlugSnorter]

unfortunately when i got home I could not find my clown i think my anemone ate the clown. thank you for all your help though.

I don't think it could have done that, check any hiding places it could have collapsed in there. Even if dead, (sorry for your loss) it can still create lots of ammonia if left in

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I don't think it could have done that, check any hiding places it could have collapsed in there. Even if dead, (sorry for your loss) it can still create lots of ammonia if left in

And - if the anemone DID eat the clown, they very often will regurgitate the undigested carcass a day or two later....

Jay