Clownfish Heavy Breathing

Saleh

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Around 2 weeks ago, I bought 2 clownfish for my 3 months old reef tank. They were fine for the first 10 days (first couple of days of stress than normal eating and exploring). A few days ago the one that was very active started getting lethargic and breathing heavy. He swims around his favorite corner and doesn't lay in the sand but he started now getting to the top of the tank and staying there occasionally. He doesn't eat and there is no aggression (they are the only fish there plus cuc and cleaner shrimp). There are no visible signs of ich, velvet or fluke. He does look skinnier than usual and his color is slightly getting darker on the head and near the top fin. He seems to be getting worse in terms of breathing.

The other fish is perfectly fine and active.

Params:
20g AIO
Salinity 35
Ammonia 0
Nitirite 0
Nitrate 5
Phosphate 0 (I have byropsis)
Ph 8.3
Alk 8.9

What should I do? All my reading are getting me no where and I am starting to stress out because I feel the fish is suffering and I don't know what to do :(
 
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PP123

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Hi

Is it possible that one clownfish is excessively dominant over the other.. could be causing the issue.

If no aggression is evident... maybe a picture could help people diagnosis the problem.
 
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Saleh

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There is no aggression at all between them. I'll try and get pictures in the morning with better lighting.
 
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Saleh

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Here are a couple of videos. I just gave them mysis shrimp and you can see he is indifferent. Today he is even swimming erratically most of the time facing up. I just hope I am worried for nothing.

20210516_125008.jpg
 

Hot2na

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could be brooklynella.. but other than the heavy breathing , I dont see any other signs.. if it's brook..bad news..hard to treat.. keep observing or get him in a QT asap...HTH
 
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Saleh

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I read about brook, I don't see many of the other symptoms

I did a freshwater dip and that stressed him greatly. He survived 12 hours after the dip but after an hour of taking these videos, just saw him sink to the bottom of the tank struggling to swim and breath :(

Now I'll setup a QT for the other one, or is he a goner too? I doubt I'll have access to formaldehyde. I only have copper.
 
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