Clownfish laying down - Brook?

[Jacko85]

Hey all,

Have had a pair of clownfish for about 6 months now (they were the first fish in the tank). Were fine this morning last feed (~10 hours ago) but got home from a day out and one of them was laying down on the sand, with the other nudging it. Heavy breathing. Immediately removed from the tank into a makeshift hospital bucket with a small pump (not running in video). Have done about a 50% new salt water addition into it to drop levels in case they are an issue (below).



No signs of any white on the body, and I haven't noticed anything else until today. The other clownfish is currently acting normally.

Nitrates at ~44 and Phos at ~0.2 and both more elevated due to battling dinos at the moment, but it's never been higher than that. Ph 8.0 KH ~8.4 Cal/Mag both normal levels.

Any thoughts on what it could be? Definitely brook? Or something different? It's been a public holiday here today, but will be able to get to the LFS in the morning (late night here now).

Jack

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The overall symptoms of this fish - not swimming and breathing really fast, but with no external lesions has all the signs of marine velvet, Amyloodinium. The trouble is, that is a very contagious, fast acting disease, and I cannot account for why this fish is so bad off and the other clown is fine.

Can you get a video of the remaining clownfish? Maybe I'll see some symptoms with it?

Jay

 

[Jacko85]

Appreciate the help @Jay Hemdal !

Couple of videos (pre and post giving the glass a bit of a clean). Note its lights out here so they are tucked in the normal corner where both of them sleep. Can't see any particular symptoms myself but maybe you can.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Appreciate the help @Jay Hemdal !

Couple of videos (pre and post giving the glass a bit of a clean). Note its lights out here so they are tucked in the normal corner where both of them sleep. Can't see any particular symptoms myself but maybe you can.

This clown is breathing a bit too fast (tough to see, but in the second video, I could see its mouth moving pretty fast). I think this may be velvet.....

 

[Jacko85]

This clown is breathing a bit too fast (tough to see, but in the second video, I could see its mouth moving pretty fast). I think this may be velvet.....

Thanks. I'll try get a video in the morning when they wake up.

If velvet, hospital tank for both and copper? Or something else?

J

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. I'll try get a video in the morning when they wake up.

If velvet, hospital tank for both and copper? Or something else?

J

Yes - coppersafe is the best treatment for velvet. Hydrogen peroxide dips also work, but you need to have a sterile tank to move the fish into after each dip.

 

[Jacko85]

Update. Just went to check and symptomatic clown has passed :crying-face:. Can see red behind the gills now (not sure if normal or not). Extremely quick progression whatever it was. Other clown is still the same, no change.

Just not really sure how to proceed now. Should i get the other clown out and isolated tonight? I'm currently running UV directly in / out of the DT as part of the dino treatment so there's at least that :confused-face:.

Yes - coppersafe is the best treatment for velvet. Hydrogen peroxide dips also work, but you need to have a sterile tank to move the fish into after each dip.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Update. Just went to check and symptomatic clown has passed :crying-face:. Can see red behind the gills now (not sure if normal or not). Extremely quick progression whatever it was. Other clown is still the same, no change.

Just not really sure how to proceed now. Should i get the other clown out and isolated tonight? I'm currently running UV directly in / out of the DT as part of the dino treatment so there's at least that :confused-face:.

What other fish are in the tank?

Isolating all fish and treating with coppersafe right away would be the best course of action.

 

[Jacko85]

What other fish are in the tank?

Isolating all fish and treating with coppersafe right away would be the best course of action.

Tomini Tang, Foxface, Midas Blenny, Coris/Exsquisite Wrasse, Flame Hawkfish, (and now one clown).

Going to be tough to get them all out.

Will look to get to the LFS in the morning and see if I can get some copper and what I need for at least a couple of hospital tanks. That's another 12 hours away, so any other advice in the meantime from yourself (or anyone else) while I sleep is appreciated.

First fish loss.. so going to be a bit sad about that. Especially if it's not the last.

J

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all,

Have had a pair of clownfish for about 6 months now (they were the first fish in the tank). Were fine this morning last feed (~10 hours ago) but got home from a day out and one of them was laying down on the sand, with the other nudging it. Heavy breathing. Immediately removed from the tank into a makeshift hospital bucket with a small pump (not running in video). Have done about a 50% new salt water addition into it to drop levels in case they are an issue (below).



No signs of any white on the body, and I haven't noticed anything else until today. The other clownfish is currently acting normally.

Nitrates at ~44 and Phos at ~0.2 and both more elevated due to battling dinos at the moment, but it's never been higher than that. Ph 8.0 KH ~8.4 Cal/Mag both normal levels.

Any thoughts on what it could be? Definitely brook? Or something different? It's been a public holiday here today, but will be able to get to the LFS in the morning (late night here now).

Jack

Fish is thin and appears to be moribund, in which it may not eat or swim normal moving forward. Lighting is low to see any signs of brook and if there is any aggression playing a part with this, from experience, my suspect would be the flame hawk who can be aggressive and especially towards clowns, anthias, chromis and eat your ornamental shrimp without a thought.

 

[Jacko85]

Fish is thin and appears to be moribund, in which it may not eat or swim normal moving forward. Lighting is low to see any signs of brook and if there is any aggression playing a part with this, from experience, my suspect would be the flame hawk who can be aggressive and especially towards clowns, anthias, chromis and eat your ornamental shrimp without a thought.

I’ll get a better pic today, second clown still showing no symptoms. They are only small (~2-3cm or 1in) and so hadn’t really expected them to be ‘bigger’.

Haven’t noticed any aggression from the flame (it’s also only about 3cm) toward them, and they usually stick to themselves in their back right tank corner, flame is all over the shop. That being said my peppermint shrimp haven’t been seen recently so I’m pretty sure he’s no angel.

Feeding is done broadcast with frozen mysis and sometimes copepods. Plus formula 2 and other things for the herbivores. But they should definitely have been eating.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ll get a better pic today, second clown still showing no symptoms. They are only small (~2-3cm or 1in) and so hadn’t really expected them to be ‘bigger’.

Haven’t noticed any aggression from the flame (it’s also only about 3cm) toward them, and they usually stick to themselves in their back right tank corner, flame is all over the shop. That being said my peppermint shrimp haven’t been seen recently so I’m pretty sure he’s no angel.

Feeding is done broadcast with frozen mysis and sometimes copepods. Plus formula 2 and other things for the herbivores. But they should definitely have been eating.

Consider adding to diet. . . . .
LRS Fish frenzy
plankton
Brine shrimp
TDO pellets

 

[Jacko85]

Consider adding to diet. . . . .
LRS Fish frenzy
plankton
Brine shrimp
TDO pellets

Have dosed live phyto and copepods from time to time. Will see about adding frozen brine to the mix.. I’m down here in Aus so I’ll see what those others are and see if we have equivalents.

All the fish in the aquarium are fairly small, even the tang and fox are only 2-3inches. So I’ve keep the food relatively small just because mouth size.

 

[Jacko85]

Consider adding to diet. . . . .
LRS Fish frenzy
plankton
Brine shrimp
TDO pellets

Oh… also use aqua forest fish-v with the frozen at the moment too.

 

[Jacko85]

Update for anyone interested. No additional fish symptomatic in any way so far, including the other clown.

Spoke to the LFS, who's advice was given no external symptoms, may just have been a fish thing. But i've got on hand what I need now in case I need to do any quick freshwater dips or hospital quarantine in future.

Thanks for all the help!

J

 

[jqmarsh]

How is your clown today?

 

[Jacko85]

How is your clown today?

Still completely fine, along with all other inhabitants!