Clownfish Upside down?

[mythical]

This is new behavior for my clown. He was eating well today, then when it was time for him to sleep, I was noticing new behavior that he wasn’t sleeping like he usually does. After a few hours of keeping an eye, he started going upside down. He rights himself up sometimes, but goes back to being upside down. I’m curious to see how he will act in the morning, and if this is just some strange way of sleeping, but if anyone sees anything abnormal, please let me know.

 

[littlefoxx]

Fish looks like its dying and probably will be dead by morning. I would consider this an emergency, lets get the medics to assess.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

 

[littlefoxx]

Tell us about your tank, what are your parameters, oxygen levels, age of tank, other fish in the tank?

 

[mythical]

Fish looks like its dying and probably will be dead by morning. I would consider this an emergency, lets get the medics to assess.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Thank you

 

[Idech]

It’s dying. Test your water and aerate the water but it’s probably too late.

 

[littlefoxx]

See if you can edit your post and put the red emergency tag on it to get people’s attention

 

[mythical]

Tell us about your tank, what are your parameters, oxygen levels, age of tank, other fish in the tank?

Ammonia and nitrite are 0. Nitrate is 4.6, phosphate is 0 (currently fighting Dino). I can test for alk if you think it’s necessary. Tank is about 5 months old. Only other fish are a second clown and a royal gramma. I don’t have anything to test oxygen. Have not done a water change in 2 weeks due to Dino.

 

[littlefoxx]

Ammonia and nitrite are 0. Nitrate is 4.6, phosphate is 0 (currently fighting Dino). I can test for alk if you think it’s necessary. Tank is about 5 months old. Only other fish are a second clown and a royal gramma. I don’t have anything to test oxygen. Have not done a water change in 2 weeks due to Dino.

By oxygen I mean do you have good surface agitation or an airstone to add?

 

[mythical]

It’s dying. Test your water and aerate the water but it’s probably too late.

Is there any way I can manipulate my pump or wave maker to aerate the water? I don’t own anything else to do so. I thought I was getting enough surface agitation

 

[mythical]

By oxygen I mean do you have good surface agitation or an airstone to add?

I believe I do. I have good gas exchange in the return pump chamber, as well as a wave maker running

 

[littlefoxx]

Is there any way I can manipulate my pump or wave maker to aerate the water? I don’t own anything else to do so. I thought I was getting enough surface agitation

Move your wave maker closer to the surface and aim pump returns at the surface that should help

 

[mythical]

Move your wave maker closer to the surface and aim pump returns at the surface that should help

Will do

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is new behavior for my clown. He was eating well today, then when it was time for him to sleep, I was noticing new behavior that he wasn’t sleeping like he usually does. After a few hours of keeping an eye, he started going upside down. He rights himself up sometimes, but goes back to being upside down. I’m curious to see how he will act in the morning, and if this is just some strange way of sleeping, but if anyone sees anything abnormal, please let me know.

This fish is unfortunately thin and is actively moribund in which it will not likely eat or swim normal moving forward. Unfortunately there is no medication or advise to turn a fish around in this state of health. You can add stone to see if it perks the fish up, but chances are low. Its hard to see in video if any signs of aggression or body damage
Moving wavemaker will do nothing at this point

 

[mythical]

This fish is unfortunately thin and is actively moribund in which it will not likely eat or swim normal moving forward. Unfortunately there is no medication or advise to turn a fish around in this state of health. You can add stone to see if it perks the fish up, but chances are low. Its hard to see in video if any signs of aggression or body damage
Moving wavemaker will do nothing at this point

That sucks to hear. He is now in the back of the tank right side up. I’m going to hope for the best. Thank you for the resposne

 

[vetteguy53081]

That sucks to hear. He is now in the back of the tank right side up. I’m going to hope for the best. Thank you for the resposne

Adding airstone may help but does not look good. had it been eating well and what have you been feeding?

 

[mythical]

Adding airstone may help but does not look good. had it been eating well and what have you been feeding?

TDO pellets in the morning, and mysis in the evening. I’ve had these clowns for about 3.5 months now, and they have been finicky eaters and gave me trouble at first. I usually just see them eat just a few pellets or a few pieces of mysis before going back to their normal activities.

Thinking back, I did notice earlier today and a couple times over the last few days that he would rest on a rock for a few seconds at a time, but that rock was where my toadstool was, so I had assumed it was hosting.

 

[Tamberav]

The clown is thin, the feeding behavior does not sound normal for clowns you had have 3.5 months, possibly internal parasites.

 

[mythical]

The clown is thin, the feeding behavior does not sound normal for clowns you had have 3.5 months, possibly internal parasites.

Should I look into treating the other two fish if this is the case?

 

[MnFish1]

That sucks to hear. He is now in the back of the tank right side up. I’m going to hope for the best. Thank you for the resposne

One thing to be watchful of - the fish is also breathing fast, and probably a gill issue of some kind, you would want to make sure your other fish do not begin to show symptoms. Did you quarantine your other fish - and if so, how>

 

[vetteguy53081]

TDO pellets in the morning, and mysis in the evening. I’ve had these clowns for about 3.5 months now, and they have been finicky eaters and gave me trouble at first. I usually just see them eat just a few pellets or a few pieces of mysis before going back to their normal activities.

Thinking back, I did notice earlier today and a couple times over the last few days that he would rest on a rock for a few seconds at a time, but that rock was where my toadstool was, so I had assumed it was hosting.

This is not a proper diet. With other two doing well, Observe them as after 3 months, this is not a matter of quarantine but rather husbandry. Add foods to diet such as LRS fish frenzy, plankton and even flakes such as Formula one. The weight loss can be as simple as aggression in which one or both clowns are depriving it of eating often associated with clownfish hierarchy in which one will steal all the food. chase it and push the fish to a corner of tank