Clownfish in Rough Shape

[ZachBuysFrags]

Last night I noticed one of my clowns a little more pale than usual, but it was still eating and swimming more or less okay, so I decided to check on it again in the morning. Today it looks worse and it's not swimming around as much, fins look beat up. I had been out of town for a few days so I don't know how its behavior was before. I did have someone feeding them in the meantime, they just said it was eating. I did notice the other clown bullying this one a bit before I left, but it didn't seem much worse than the usual occasional aggression from the female. They've been together for 4 years now.

My other fish (one other clown, and a gramma) seem fine so far. I could really use help figuring out what this is so I can treat it. I don't really see mucus coating like is usually mentioned with brook, I am noticing the fins look rough, breathing might be a little heavier than usual. It is still trying to eat, although moving a little slower. I scooped it in this cup just temporarily to inspect it.

 

[KrisReef]

Looks like a potential mate rejection, or failure to yield to the mistress beating. These wars of rejection often end with a dead fish as they battle for dominance. If she is rejecting him, she will keep fighting until he is gone.

 

[ZachBuysFrags]

Looks like a potential mate rejection, or failure to yield to the mistress beating. These wars of rejection often end with a dead fish as they battle for dominance. If she is rejecting him, she will keep fighting until he is gone.

I think you're right. It's just strange to me that this would start suddenly after they've been together for a long time.

One thing that I was thinking might have caused it, I bought new food about a week ago and it was baby brine shrimp which I got because they were out of the mysis I usually feed them. I didn't realize how small the baby brine shrimp were, and when I was feeding them, I wondered if they were really getting enough of the food. I'm wondering if the female started getting aggressive because she wasn't getting enough food and began chasing him away from it. I got different food today and I'm hoping that'll help.

 

[KrisReef]

Hopefully that will help

 

[shawnycool319]

Last night I noticed one of my clowns a little more pale than usual, but it was still eating and swimming more or less okay, so I decided to check on it again in the morning. Today it looks worse and it's not swimming around as much, fins look beat up. I had been out of town for a few days so I don't know how its behavior was before. I did have someone feeding them in the meantime, they just said it was eating. I did notice the other clown bullying this one a bit before I left, but it didn't seem much worse than the usual occasional aggression from the female. They've been together for 4 years now.

My other fish (one other clown, and a gramma) seem fine so far. I could really use help figuring out what this is so I can treat it. I don't really see mucus coating like is usually mentioned with brook, I am noticing the fins look rough, breathing might be a little heavier than usual. It is still trying to eat, although moving a little slower. I scooped it in this cup just temporarily to inspect it.

It sounds like your clownfish is showing stress and early signs of disease, possibly fin rot or a bacterial infection, especially with the pale color, rough fins, slower swimming, and heavier breathing, even though it’s still eating. The fin damage could be from bullying, but combined with lethargy, infection is likely. Immediate steps are to quarantine the fish, check water parameters carefully, and consider a broad-spectrum antibacterial treatment while keeping conditions stable. Minimizing bullying and maintaining clean, stable water will help recovery, and if symptoms worsen—like rapid color loss or mucus—it may require more targeted medication.