Fish behaving erratically, inexplicably

[Lyss]

Hi All, looking for a bit of advice on the below:

Late yesterday afternoon I noticed my female clownfish behaving erratically. I have a clown pair and a tailspot blenny in a Max Nano, and on further observation I saw all 3 behaving this way: rapid gill movements, gasping/open mouths, darting around the tank frantically, flicking on rocks and the tank walls. All of the inverts, including a cleaner shrimp, couple hermits, snails, and 2 feather dusters were 100% normal, and nothing had been out of the ordinary with the fish prior – this was very sudden.

The protein skimmer was running, and I have the return nozzle set to create a ton of surface tension, so I ruled out lack of O2. Tested for ammonia and that came up zero. Tested Ph and that came up 8.0, which is typical – tank usually runs 8 – 8.1. At this point I’m baffled.

Even though ammonia was zero, I added Prime just to be safe. The only other thing I could think of was stray voltage. I have no way of checking (ordered a meter that should arrive today), but I began turning off stuff one by one just to see what would happen. When I turned off the return pump, the fish stopped the scary behavior and went back to behaving normally, just like that. Turned it back on, and the weird behavior starts up again. So I added an extra wavemaker pointed at the surface in DT to help move water through the surface skimmer, kept the protein skimmer running in the back sump, and left the return pump off overnight. Figured I’d found the issue and I’d replace the pump today.

Well this morning I turned the pump back on and the fish are perfectly fine. So now I’m back to being baffled. What other potential causes could that behavior be linked to? Possible a contaminant somehow got into the tank and the Prime detoxified it, and it wasn’t the pump at all? I’m just unsure what to look for next. I’ve also ordered Poly Filters (coming today), and am preparing a water change (RO/DI). Will prob also pull the pump out and clean/inspect it this weekend either way.

As of now all looks as usual in the tank. The fish are behaving normally and have eaten their morning food.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you able to post either video or several pics under white lighting?
May be brook, flukes or other irritants

 

[Lyss]

Sorry, I should have mentioned I checked for diseases and the fish are clear on that front -- though it would be extremely unlikely that is the cause since I haven't added anything new to the tank in months. And forgot to mention I checked salinity as well but that was where it always is. Still, this felt very much like a sudden environmental issue. One minute they were all behaving normally, the next they were all simultaneously frantic. It seemed to me that either the Prime, or turning off the return pump stopped the episode. The only things I could think of were a chemical pollutant, or stray voltage. I'm just very scared it will happen again. Is there anything else environmental I'm not thinking of that I could troubleshoot?

Prior to this episode I dosed my regular small afternoon live Phyto dose for the feather dusters. I wondered if the pipette was contaminated or something. It was all just so freakish.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry, I should have mentioned I checked for diseases and the fish are clear on that front -- though it would be extremely unlikely that is the cause since I haven't added anything new to the tank in months. And forgot to mention I checked salinity as well but that was where it always is. Still, this felt very much like a sudden environmental issue. One minute they were all behaving normally, the next they were all simultaneously frantic. It seemed to me that either the Prime, or turning off the return pump stopped the episode. The only things I could think of were a chemical pollutant, or stray voltage. I'm just very scared it will happen again. Is there anything else environmental I'm not thinking of that I could troubleshoot?

Prior to this episode I dosed my regular small afternoon live Phyto dose for the feather dusters. I wondered if the pipette was contaminated or something. It was all just so freakish.

Normally, if fish are affected but the invertebrates are fine, it is almost 100% of the time a fish parasite. Contaminated water, low pH, low dissolved oxygen all will show some affect on the invertebrates. However, fish parasites that cause acute symptoms NEVER just go away on their own.

In some rare cases, high carbon dioxide will affect only the fish - however, that isn't it if your pH is at 8.0

Induced, or "stray voltage" is a red herring, it doesn't cause this sort of issue. What CAN cause this issue is a electrical short to ground. That can also be very dangerous for you! Is the aquarium connected to an electrical circuit that is protected by a GFCI?


Jay

 

[Lyss]

Here are the clowns -- they're just fine swimming in their corner. Couldn't get the blenny -- lighting change spooked him and he went into his barnacle house. They most definitely don't have a disease, and I'm sure I would have noticed that sooner.

Everything is plugged into a surge protector that is plugged into a GFCI outlet, yes. But like I said, I added Prime, and a few moments later turned the return pump off and instantly they stopped. It was literally a mass event of this distress behavior that ended as quickly as it began, and I'm very confused.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here are the clowns -- they're just fine swimming in their corner. Couldn't get the blenny -- lighting change spooked him and he went into his barnacle house. They most definitely don't have a disease, and I'm sure I would have noticed that sooner.

Everything is plugged into a surge protector that is plugged into a GFCI outlet, yes. But like I said, I added Prime, and a few moments later turned the return pump off and instantly they stopped. It was literally a mass event of this distress behavior that ended as quickly as it began, and I'm very confused.

Pics a little fuzzy but I want to say it appears to be brooklynella for which you would see erratic behavior, loss of appetite, acting lethargic and the list goes on
Hazy, milky skin appearance also a sign as is rapid breathing due to mucus
A freshwater dip will offer temporary relief but a formalin based treatment would be the cure.
Quick cure or ruby rally pro are best treatment choices

 

[Lyss]

Pics a little fuzzy but I want to say it appears to be brooklynella for which you would see erratic behavior, loss of appetite, acting lethargic and the list goes on
Hazy, milky skin appearance also a sign as is rapid breathing due to mucus
A freshwater dip will offer temporary relief but a formalin based treatment would be the cure.
Quick cure or ruby rally pro are best treatment choices

I'm sorry? There is definitely not Brooklynella on the clowns, no skin problems, no ich. I'm not sure where you're seeing that? I can say for a fact that they are clear. They are behaving perfectly normally again as well, and have been nice when I described I'd shut off the return pump y'day evening.

 

[Lyss]

Attaching a video of the clowns and Mr. blenny -- normal behavior, no sign of spots or disease. Sorry for the color -- when I turn off the lights they scatter and the blenny hides.

Can someone help me more w/the idea of an electrical short to the ground? Red Sea is sending me a new pump, so that is nice. Should I also try a grounding probe and see if it trips the GFCI? What is the best way to discover and deal with something like that? it's very important to me that I do what I can to get to the bottom of this, especially if it could be dangerous to me and my family.

Edit: Sorry, it's not letting me add this video. Here is a link to where I posted it on my IG:

 

[Uzidaisies]

My hypothesis; Added prime, detoxified the ammonia. Ammonia was the cause.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My hypothesis; Added prime, detoxified the ammonia. Ammonia was the cause.

OP said they tested zero ammonia though.....

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm sorry? There is definitely not Brooklynella on the clowns, no skin problems, no ich. I'm not sure where you're seeing that? I can say for a fact that they are clear. They are behaving perfectly normally again as well, and have been nice when I described I'd shut off the return pump y'day evening.

As I said- pics are fuzzy and hard to tell
I saw what appeared to be haziness but again can be due to picture quality

 

[vetteguy53081]

Attaching a video of the clowns and Mr. blenny -- normal behavior, no sign of spots or disease. Sorry for the color -- when I turn off the lights they scatter and the blenny hides.

Can someone help me more w/the idea of an electrical short to the ground? Red Sea is sending me a new pump, so that is nice. Should I also try a grounding probe and see if it trips the GFCI? What is the best way to discover and deal with something like that? it's very important to me that I do what I can to get to the bottom of this, especially if it could be dangerous to me and my family.

Edit: Sorry, it's not letting me add this video. Here is a link to where I posted it on my IG:

I was able to open video and yes they do appear clear.
Am I seeing a good later if cyano in video?

 

[Uzidaisies]

OP said they tested zero ammonia though.....

Jay

Haha, I didn’t say it was a good hypothesis.

 

[Lyss]

I was able to open video and yes they do appear clear.
Am I seeing a good later if cyano in video?

No cyano -- there is some turf algae on the sand and back wall that I've been working on, but I think what looks like a thick layer is just shadows and the poor video quality from my phone.

I DID have a small outbreak of green cyan on the sand after dosing aminos a couple weeks ago. That cleared up with manual removal and a water change. Now my phosphates are coming in at .15 - .2 since the cyan is gone. Turf algae looks to be starting to move in on the sand.

 

[Uriken]

Do you by chance have an electrical test meter or know someone that has one? You can read stray voltage in the water with that. Especially if its an intermittent issue from a pump, etc, that may be failing slowly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No cyano -- there is some turf algae on the sand and back wall that I've been working on, but I think what looks like a thick layer is just shadows and the poor video quality from my phone.

I DID have a small outbreak of green cyan on the sand after dosing aminos a couple weeks ago. That cleared up with manual removal and a water change. Now my phosphates are coming in at .15 - .2 since the cyan is gone. Turf algae looks to be starting to move in on the sand.

Chemipure blue or elite may be of help in reducing PO4 and polishing water and removing toxins if any are present

 

[Lyss]

Do you by chance have an electrical test meter or know someone that has one? You can read stray voltage in the water with that. Especially if its an intermittent issue from a pump, etc, that may be failing slowly.

I don't but I will get one, thanks! I'm not married to the idea that's exactly what the cause was but do want to thoroughly check it out in case it is something like the pump failing slowly.

 

[Lyss]

Chemipure blue or elite may be of help in reducing PO4 and polishing water and removing toxins if any are present

Yep, I've got the Blue in right now!

 

[Uriken]

I suggested the electrical tester as I know how it is to have a gut feel and wanting to "just know" and check it off the list if its not. I'm thinking a parasite as I'm going through a similar thing with my clowns and have one in quarantine because of it as we speak. Brook although I know in my experience is sneaky at first. The outside will look fine yet the fishes insides have things going on. Then the progression you see the shift and its clearly noticeable on the outside. Just been my experience.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Need to get a $15 multimeter at Walmart or elsewhere and also make sure you have a grounding probe in your tank. Test the equipment one by one. Need to rule out it is not sporadic voltage from a different piece of equipment.