Clownfish breathing rapidly, won’t eat, during copper treatment

[crazyclownlady]

My small clown had white spots and was exposed to brook, so I put him into the QT and started treating with cooper and metroplex. I also had a new larger clown arrive so i dropped him into the QT as well.

The small fish has completely recovered but now the large fish is breathing rapidly, won’t eat, and is very lethargic. He seemed healthy with a strong appetite up to this point. Now he is swimming vertically against the back wall. I added an airstone yesterday incase oxygen was a problem but he looks the same today

i am on day 10 of copper and metroplex treatment.

Should i keep going with the treatment, or change course?

ammonia badge reads SAFE.

here is a video:

 

[Dom]

My small clown had white spots and was exposed to brook, so I put him into the QT and started treating with cooper and metroplex. I also had a new larger clown arrive so i dropped him into the QT as well.

So, you had a clown that was exposed to Brook. You placed it in QT and began treatment.

Then the new clown arrived and you dropped into the same tank that you were treating the first fish. Is this correct?

If so, I am thinking you infected the new arrival by dropping it into the QT with the sick fish.

For me, QT is about observation. I QT new arrivals and only being treatment when I observe symptoms. The new arrival should have gone into a different tank.

I would stay the course.

 

[crazyclownlady]

So, you had a clown that was exposed to Brook. You placed it in QT and began treatment.

Then the new clown arrived and you dropped into the same tank that you were treating the first fish. Is this correct?

If so, I am thinking you infected the new arrival by dropping it into the QT with the sick fish.

For me, QT is about observation. I QT new arrivals and only being treatment when I observe symptoms. The new arrival should have gone into a different tank.

I would stay the course.

thanks for your response.

Yes, i likely infected the new fish by dropping it in with the sick one. I bought the new fish before i knew the old one was still sick and so I thought i could just treat them both before putting them back in the DT. I had nowhere else to put it because both of my tanks are fallow. I thought/hoped the new fish wouldn’t get sick since there was medication in the water.

 

[Dom]

thanks for your response.

Yes, i likely infected the new fish by dropping it in with the sick one. I bought the new fish before i knew the old one was still sick and so I thought i could just treat them both before putting them back in the DT. I had nowhere else to put it because both of my tanks are fallow. I thought/hoped the new fish wouldn’t get sick since there was medication in the water.

Live and learn.

Some people like to treat new arrivals as if they are sick but asymptomatic. I like to observe and treat only if symptoms appear.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Live and learn.

Some people like to treat new arrivals as if they are sick but asymptomatic. I like to observe and treat only if symptoms appear.

I used to think this was a good plan of action. The problem is some bugs such as ich can live in the gills of the fish which can be asymptomatic. I follow Jay Hemdal's quarantine procedures now.

 

[Dom]

I used to think this was a good plan of action. The problem is some bugs such as ich can live in the gills of the fish which can be asymptomatic. I follow Jay Hemdal's quarantine procedures now.

Jay knows his stuff.