Help!! Clownfish gone super pale

[bgovoni]

My black and white clownfish started tilting, swimming sideways, and face down yesterday afternoon. Her front half and top fin have gone pale and she can no longer right herself like she did yesterday. She doesn't seem to want to eat anymore like she did yesterday. I really need help cause I'm sure she might die.

 

[bgovoni]

My black and white clownfish started tilting, swimming sideways, and face down yesterday afternoon. Her front half and top fin have gone pale and she can no longer right herself like she did yesterday. She doesn't seem to want to eat anymore like she did yesterday. I really need help cause I'm sure she might die.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to Reef2Reef.

I can see a few spots on the clownfish’s head, but really nothing definitive.

Can you post a video? Hosting on YouTube works pretty well.

How long have you had this fish?
How are its tankmates doing?
What are your water quality readings?

 

[bgovoni]

Welcome to Reef2Reef.

I can see a few spots on the clownfish’s head, but really nothing definitive.

Can you post a video? Hosting on YouTube works pretty well.

How long have you had this fish?
How are its tankmates doing?
What are your water quality readings?

 

[bgovoni]

I've had her since December 2024 so a bit over a year now. Her tank mate isn't showing any abnormal behavior or white spots and color is still bright. All the water parameters are within normal range no spikes in nitrites or nitrates or change in PH. I thought she might have scraped herself up on some rocks while trying to get somewhere she didn't fit, but I wasn't sure of that when it persisted.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've had her since December 2024 so a bit over a year now. Her tank mate isn't showing any abnormal behavior or white spots and color is still bright. All the water parameters are within normal range no spikes in nitrites or nitrates or change in PH. I thought she might have scraped herself up on some rocks while trying to get somewhere she didn't fit, but I wasn't sure of that when it persisted.

This is a really odd case. I don't think that it is anything contagious - more like a spinal injury, but I cant account for how that could have happened. I can see a pale area on both sides of the fish in front of its tail.

I don't see anything treatable here - can you target feed it so that it gets more food? Could you isolate it in a hanging acclimation chamber?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've had her since December 2024 so a bit over a year now. Her tank mate isn't showing any abnormal behavior or white spots and color is still bright. All the water parameters are within normal range no spikes in nitrites or nitrates or change in PH. I thought she might have scraped herself up on some rocks while trying to get somewhere she didn't fit, but I wasn't sure of that when it persisted.

With the funny swim pattern, slight loss of color and secondary bacterial lesions, I suspect Early brooklynella.
Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
Temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

 

[bgovoni]

With the funny swim pattern, slight loss of color and secondary bacterial lesions, I suspect Early brooklynella.
Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
Temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

I've bought some Ruby Rally Pro and Metroplex which will be coming tomorrow. I've given her a freshwater dip, I've gotten her to eat a little, and plan to start treatment tomorrow so hopefully she'll get better.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've bought some Ruby Rally Pro and Metroplex which will be coming tomorrow. I've given her a freshwater dip, I've gotten her to eat a little, and plan to start treatment tomorrow so hopefully she'll get better.

no metro but Ruby, yes