Clownfish Swim Bladder Issue?

[brclark82]

I have a Clownfish that has some sort of issue. Occasionally throughout the day he just lays on the sand. He doesn’t seem to be struggling to breathand is easy to arouse but something isn’t right for sure.

He seems to be expending a lot of energy swimming because it looks like he has a weight tied to his tail. He swims in a slightly heads up orientation all the time and seems to sink as soon as he stops “fighting”.

He does also seem to have some pelvic fin damage that I suppose could also be playing a part.
I have attached a video.

Any help would be appreciated.

Tank info
3 weeks old, Cycled a little over a week ago. Clownfish added after ammonia at zero.


Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- ~10
Phosphate- Barely Registers on Salifert Test maybe 0.01
DKH- 8.0
pH- 8.2
Temp- 79
Salinity- 1.023

Those have all stayed consistent through the 10 days I’ve had the fish except nitrates started closer to 5.

 

[Dom]

Can you post a video of it? If you attached one, I missed it.

 

[brclark82]

Trying, sorry it says I attached the video but nothing shows up

 

[Sharkbait19]

Could you try reattaching the video - nothing is showing on my end (ideally as a YouTube link).

 

[Dom]

Also, a still shot of the entire tank is helpful.

 

[brclark82]

 

[brclark82]

 

[Sharkbait19]

It looks like the fish is struggling against the current - can you try turning down the powerhead for a bit and see if that helps?

 

[brclark82]

 

[brclark82]

It looks like the fish is struggling against the current - can you try turning down the powerhead for a bit and see if that helps?

It’s funny you say that…I did do that and he is doing better but the video you are watching is with the powerheads off ‍

 

[Dom]

Nice looking tank for sure! You have lots of Coraline growth on the rocks, but curiously, you don't have it anywhere else.

I do not observe anything in the picture to suggest the issue is parameter related.

Post a video and then get some feedback from @Jay Hemdal and @vetteguy53081

 

[brclark82]

Nice looking tank for sure! You have lots of Coraline growth on the rocks, but curiously, you don't have it anywhere else.

I do not observe anything in the picture to suggest the issue is parameter related.

Post a video and then get some feedback from @Jay Hemdal and @vetteguy53081

I just bought the rocks that way, the tank is less than a month old. The video should be available above now

 

[Dom]

I think you can relax; based on the video, I don't see anything to be concerned about. Clownfish routinely display odd behavior.

 

[brclark82]

Here is another video showing how he swims…I have turned off all flow in the tank except the HOB’s and he still just looks like he’s swimming much harder than the other clown and will just go “take a break” in the sand every once in a while. Although it has definitely gotten better (less often for shorter periods) since I turned the flow down.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is not a bouyancy issue but may be from strong current. Shut pumps off for 5 minutes and see if swimming behavior is corrected.

 

[brclark82]

This is not a bouyancy issue but may be from strong current. Shut pumps off for 5 minutes and see if swimming behavior is corrected.

In the video you watched I had just turned the flow off about 5-10 minute prior and he was still swimming like he was a salmon returning to spawn.

I will continue to monitor. Both of them do seem a bit more active since I turned it off; exploring parts of the tank they never really went to before.

Thanks for the input.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In the video you watched I had just turned the flow off about 5-10 minute prior and he was still swimming like he was a salmon returning to spawn.

I will continue to monitor. Both of them do seem a bit more active since I turned it off; exploring parts of the tank they never really went to before.

Thanks for the input.

is the fish eating?
Is it breathing normal or labored?

 

[brclark82]

is the fish eating?
Is it breathing normal or labored?

He is eating, very well. Super energetic and darts to the food everytime.


He does not seem to have labored breathing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

He is eating, very well. Super energetic and darts to the food everytime.


He does not seem to have labored breathing.

Are you feeding flake and pellets only?

 

[brclark82]

Are you feeding flake and pellets only?

Mainly just pellets. I did recently switch from a very fine freshwater pellet (didn’t realize it was freshwater, may not matter) to a larger marine pellet but I the behavior was happening before hand as well.

I tried some frozen brine but they had no interest. Honestly the smaller of the 2 is very small, the brine shrink were probably too big for him, he would always try it and spit it out.