Clownfish fin damage aggression or fin rot?? (help needed)

[SaltTank]

Hi .... I've added (2) young clownfish into my tank. Everything was well for the 1st couple of days and then I noticed tears in one of the clown's tail fins and fading to white spots on the tail fin. Each day it looks like the white spots are getting more prominent and chucks of the tail are missing. I have seen the other clown chasing the damaged clown at one time but it calmed down a bit and then i noticed chasing again today. The clown with the damaged tail frequently is swimming side ways in the tank and also has picked a corner by the sump inlet to swim bob vertically.

Free ammonia is 0

Attached are a few pics of the damaged tail, the other aggressor clown and a short video to show how the clown is swimming.

Is this "normal" for clowns?
Does this look like agressive behavior, fin rot or possibly both?
Should i put the aggressive clown in a breeder box? I read that if i put the damaged clown in a box that upon release the more dominant clown will have established territory even more.
I have snails, crabs and coral in the tank.
Should i medicate with something and if so what/how or just let the process run its course?

Thanks for the HELP

 

[Uncle99]

Very beaten up.
Doubt that’s going to work.
Separate
Fin rot takes quite some time.

 

[SaltTank]

Very beaten up.
Doubt that’s going to work.
Separate
Fin rot takes quite some time.

thanks @Uncle99
Does it look like fin rot to you? I just separated them? Anything special i should do when i prepare to re-introduce the the aggressor

 

[SaltTank]

I moved forward with putting the aggressor in a mesh box. the other clown is swimming around without a care in the world now . How long should I keep them seperated?

 

[moz71]

That first fish looks a lot more than just getting beat up. It looks like a bacterial infection set up. Yes rot. I would get in treat with antibiotic. I see white patches on tail that is more than nipping.

 

[moz71]

Btw seachem kanaplex worked for me. Also how new is that tank? Did you go though the cycle?

 

[SaltTank]

That first fish looks a lot more than just getting beat up. It looks like a bacterial infection set up. Yes rot. I would get in treat with antibiotic. I see white patches on tail that is more than nipping.

Thanks @moz71 I noticed a faint white patch on the tail after I purchased and brought home but then the nipping and chasing started 3days later and move white patches emerged and chunks of fin were missing. i know for sure that the other clown was chasing and nipping it but suspected also that there could be some fin rot going on also.

The tank is new 2week new but ammonia level is 0 for free ammonia.

I can start the kanaplex, i guess i need to mix with food because i have CUC and coral in tank so cannot just dose the tank water.

Was your fish fin this bad or worst when you had an issue? How long did it take for the kanaplex to clear it up?

 

[moz71]

2weeks is very early! What test kit did you use? The reason I ask is because I got false reading before and had small spikes in ammonia that made matters much worse. The ammonia alert badge failed me. Anyway I fear the first fish appears to have have some spines bones exposing at ends which makes it very hard to heal but can heal. The most important thing to do is treat quickly if can get in a quarantine tank. Also I see it on your second fish as well .
I saved fish when caught early and only took a couple days and big improvement overnight I also had a fish that deteriorated so fast it surprised me like tail completed deteriorates within hours and died. All you can do is try. Wish you luck

 

[SaltTank]

2weeks is very early! What test kit did you use? The reason I ask is because I got false reading before and had small spikes in ammonia that made matters much worse. The ammonia alert badge failed me. Anyway I fear the first fish appears to have have some spines bones exposing at ends which makes it very hard to heal but can heal. The most important thing to do is treat quickly if can get in a quarantine tank. Also I see it on your second fish as well .
I saved fish when caught early and only took a couple days and big improvement overnight I also had a fish that deteriorated so fast it surprised me like tail completed deteriorates within hours and died. All you can do is try. Wish you luck

Hi @moz71 I have the API ammonia test but know that detects “total ammonia” so I picked up a Seachem ammonia test kit and with that one there is 0 “free ammonia” so its matching what is on the ammonia badge.

I don’t have a QT tank currently running but could make one but the person at LFS told me that if I put them in an uncycled QT tank it would stress the fish more. I have a 5gal and 10gall tank free, HOB filters, heater and bio cycle starter that I could use to set it up if you think that would be better. I did go to the LFS and purchased some kanaplex and mixed with food and fed both fish. I put some focus, garlic guard enticer and boyd vitachem in the mix also.

Do you think feeding them 2-3 times a day for the next week will heal them or should i try to get a QT tank going.

If you think it would help I could also do frequent water changes in either tank as i have an ro/di system and a case of salt

Just want to save this fish and getting back to the beauty it was ……

 

[moz71]

Hi @moz71 I have the API ammonia test but know that detects “total ammonia” so I picked up a Seachem ammonia test kit and with that one there is 0 “free ammonia” so its matching what is on the ammonia badge.

I don’t have a QT tank currently running but could make one but the person at LFS told me that if I put them in an uncycled QT tank it would stress the fish more. I have a 5gal and 10gall tank free, HOB filters, heater and bio cycle starter that I could use to set it up if you think that would be better. I did go to the LFS and purchased some kanaplex and mixed with food and fed both fish. I put some focus, garlic guard enticer and boyd vitachem in the mix also.

Do you think feeding them 2-3 times a day for the next week will heal them or should i try to get a QT tank going.

If you think it would help I could also do frequent water changes in either tank as i have an ro/di system and a case of salt

Just want to save this fish and getting back to the beauty it was ……

You can definitely try feeding them the food soaked meds and that may work. Then if seeing getting worse need to take another action. The reason I think kanaplex is so good is because the fish easily absorb though skin and gills so works fast. But knowing that you separated and removed the main stress you may get under control with the food.

 

[SaltTank]

You can definitely try feeding them the food soaked meds and that may work. Then if seeing getting worse need to take another action. The reason I think kanaplex is so good is because the fish easily absorb though skin and gills so works fast. But knowing that you separated and removed the main stress you may get under control with the food.

thanks @moz71 i decided to toss in the towel and returned the beat up clown to the LFS and exchanged for a new one that is a little smaller. They are going to put it in one of their quarantine tanks and see how it fairs. I'm going to keep feeding kanaplex infused food until next week to both the old and new clown.