Clownfish Troubles

[gretz32]

Clownfish has been acting slightly off. Will occasionally appear to spiral out of control, swim erratically, and breathing heavy but eats/craps normally. This has been happening off and on for just under a week. I thought he was a goner the first night I saw this and woke up to him swimming around perfectly normal. Mostly eats live baby brine, but has TDO pellets and frozen brine occasionally. No aggression from his pair, who appears to be in great shape. At least not that I have seen (LFS said they were paired for a year prior to selling); however, I noticed this blemish (?) on him when I first got him home. Any idea what this could be and if its causing the erratic swimming? Anything info or ideas for treatment will help and are greatly appreciated!

Parameters: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 ppm Nitrates, 8.0 pH, 420 Calcium, 10 dkh, 1560 Magnesium, 1.026 Salinity, 77.5 degrees F

 

[randomfishdude]

Like does he kinda girate really fast in place randomly?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Clownfish has been acting slightly off. Will occasionally appear to spiral out of control, swim erratically, and breathing heavy but eats/craps normally. This has been happening off and on for just under a week. I thought he was a goner the first night I saw this and woke up to him swimming around perfectly normal. Mostly eats live baby brine, but has TDO pellets and frozen brine occasionally. No aggression from his pair, who appears to be in great shape. At least not that I have seen (LFS said they were paired for a year prior to selling); however, I noticed this blemish (?) on him when I first got him home. Any idea what this could be and if its causing the erratic swimming? Anything info or ideas for treatment will help and are greatly appreciated!

Parameters: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 ppm Nitrates, 8.0 pH, 420 Calcium, 10 dkh, 1560 Magnesium, 1.026 Salinity, 77.5 degrees F

Can you capture the behavior in a video?
Jay

 

[gretz32]

Like does he kinda girate really fast in place randomly?

I wouldn't say in place.

Can you capture the behavior in a video?
Jay

I will try to do that tonight. He is completely normal right now as seen below:

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I wouldn't say in place.

I will try to do that tonight. He is completely normal right now as seen below:

Sorry - not sure what to tell you, the clown looks fine.

How long have you had the fish?
Is it mostly eating brine due to its choice, or just that is what you mostly feed it?

Jay

 

[gretz32]

Sorry - not sure what to tell you, the clown looks fine.

How long have you had the fish?
Is it mostly eating brine due to its choice, or just that is what you mostly feed it?

Jay

Here you go. It is hard to sit there and just watch. Seems to be struggling so much, but then every morning he appears to be completely fine.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Here you go. It is hard to sit there and just watch. Seems to be struggling so much, but then every morning he appears to be completely fine.

O.K., that is clearly a neurological issue. I cannot, however, tell you why it comes and goes like that. Causes for this can be internal parasites, viruses, injury, toxins in the water and even bacterial infection. The causes in bold would be confined to a single fish, while the others would more often involve multiple fish.

Jay

 

[randomfishdude]

O.K., that is clearly a neurological issue. I cannot, however, tell you why it comes and goes like that. Causes for this can be internal parasites, viruses, injury, toxins in the water and even bacterial infection. The causes in bold would be confined to a single fish, while the others would more often involve multiple fish.

Jay

I say injury.
I don't see anything external.

But it does make the fish dance!

 

[gretz32]

O.K., that is clearly a neurological issue. I cannot, however, tell you why it comes and goes like that. Causes for this can be internal parasites, viruses, injury, toxins in the water and even bacterial infection. The causes in bold would be confined to a single fish, while the others would more often involve multiple fish.

Jay

Appreciate you taking a look! One more thing to note as I have pretty much been watching him for the last 24 hours straight. It appears this behavior is happening only at night when the light is out. I have the light on extremely low during the day. Not sure if that makes much of a difference in figuring things out but thought I would at least throw my observation out there. Thinking probably back into QT by himself, but dont want to stress him out further. Thanks again

 

[gretz32]

Just wanted to throw an update in here. I have been closely monitoring him for the last week and in the last three days I have seen zero erratic swimming. Not sure if we are 100% cleared yet but he's looking good.