Is there anything wrong with my clown?

laezur

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Okay! So I got two clownfish yesterday. I had them bagged seperate lot but when acclimating I put the bags close to each other. Initially, they swam around the tank together. The larger one (not in the video) soon found my anemone and chose its home. Since then, it’s been quite aggressive towards the smaller one.

I’m noticing rapid breathing and clear signs of stress in this smaller clown, generally staying nearer the middle of the tank since it gets chased away if it goes near the female.

Seens to be some slight slime coat. I’m convinced it’s NOT brook since my tank has been fallow for 2 months and the other clownfish is in perfect health.




If seeing the other clown would help, let me know and I’ll get a video!

Fenale clown: https://youtube.com/shorts/UQcGbUJha9k?feature=share
 
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Rick's Reviews

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Looks like it's just adjusting to flow in video, did you reduce flow before adding? Also what other clowns do you have in aquriam, give it a couple of days for them to get used to surroundings
 
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laezur

laezur

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It doesn't look unhealthy. Anemones do funny things to clownfish. I'd be inclined to keep observing for a few more days and see if things improve.
I don’t believe this smaller one has interacted with the nem, it was when the female decided her “territory” that this one started getting stressed. Maybe just more time needed to bond?

I’m glad to have the second opinion that it doesn’t LOOK unhealthy. It just scares me to see slime coating since my last clowns did die from brook.

Here is the female clown. Yes, I know the nem is bleached unfortunately. Just been trying to nurse it back.

 

Rick's Reviews

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I don’t believe this smaller one has interacted with the nem, it was when the female decided her “territory” that this one started getting stressed. Maybe just more time needed to bond?

I’m glad to have the second opinion that it doesn’t LOOK unhealthy. It just scares me to see slime coating since my last clowns did die from brook.

Here is the female clown. Yes, I know the nem is bleached unfortunately. Just been trying to nurse it back.

Keep an eye on them but nothing looks bad, don't expect them to bond in a day, like don't expect them to host anemone, just let them get used to surroundings and take it from there, what other clowns do you have?
 

Garf

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Looks like he’s trying to ice skate up a hill. He probably ain’t found a calm spot yet. My female clown was a menace to the male for a few weeks, now they are inseparable.
 
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vetteguy53081

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Larger is female and often the territorial aggressor preventing the smaller from eating and even free swimming
You may have to place her in an acclimation box for 2 weeks for behavioral training
It’s known as clown hierarchy
 
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laezur

laezur

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Looks like he’s trying to ice skate up a hill. He probably ain’t found a calm spot yet. My female clown was a menace to the male for a few weeks, now they are inseparable.
Hahaha perfect description. There’s some perfectly good rockwork behind him. Silly clown.
 

Jay Hemdal

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Okay! So I got two clownfish yesterday. I had them bagged seperate lot but when acclimating I put the bags close to each other. Initially, they swam around the tank together. The larger one (not in the video) soon found my anemone and chose its home. Since then, it’s been quite aggressive towards the smaller one.

I’m noticing rapid breathing and clear signs of stress in this smaller clown, generally staying nearer the middle of the tank since it gets chased away if it goes near the female.

Seens to be some slight slime coat. I’m convinced it’s NOT brook since my tank has been fallow for 2 months and the other clownfish is in perfect health.




If seeing the other clown would help, let me know and I’ll get a video!

Fenale clown: https://youtube.com/shorts/UQcGbUJha9k?feature=share


Clownfish bonding is a tricky thing. As you know, larger clowns are typically female and smaller ones are either male, or quiescent females. They can change sex to match the current needs in the tank. However, the sex change isn't instantaneous, and severe fighting can result during that time. In some cases, they just don't work things out. Watch for fin rips - that indicates that one clown is tagging the other (you'll probably never see that happen).
One thing that *might* work is to put the larger one in a hanging basket, to allow the smaller, weaker one to get settled in.

Jay
 
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laezur

laezur

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Clownfish bonding is a tricky thing. As you know, larger clowns are typically female and smaller ones are either male, or quiescent females. They can change sex to match the current needs in the tank. However, the sex change isn't instantaneous, and severe fighting can result during that time. In some cases, they just don't work things out. Watch for fin rips - that indicates that one clown is tagging the other (you'll probably never see that happen).
One thing that *might* work is to put the larger one in a hanging basket, to allow the smaller, weaker one to get settled in.

Jay
Absolutely! I have definitely seen the larger clown swim up to the smaller one and “nip” it to get I to move out of its area. I’ll try splitting them in a basket for a while as you say.

If you’ve watched the videos, no other issues you can see in the clowns? I want to 100% put this down to them working out their differences and not an illness
 

Jay Hemdal

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Absolutely! I have definitely seen the larger clown swim up to the smaller one and “nip” it to get I to move out of its area. I’ll try splitting them in a basket for a while as you say.

If you’ve watched the videos, no other issues you can see in the clowns? I want to 100% put this down to them working out their differences and not an illness

The video was pretty pixelated, I couldn't see clearly enough to know if there is also a disease issue going on. Watch for excess mucus and rapid breathing (as well as classic ich spots).

Jay
 
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laezur

laezur

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The video was pretty pixelated, I couldn't see clearly enough to know if there is also a disease issue going on. Watch for excess mucus and rapid breathing (as well as classic ich spots).

Jay
Are there any reasons these symptoms might show unrelated to brook?

Example could stress from bullying also make the clown slime coat excessively?
 

Jay Hemdal

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Are there any reasons these symptoms might show unrelated to brook?

Example could stress from bullying also make the clown slime coat excessively?

I wouldn't expect aggression itself to cause lots of excess mucus. Can you try posting another video at higher res?

Jay
 
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laezur

laezur

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I wouldn't expect aggression itself to cause lots of excess mucus. Can you try posting another video at higher res?

Jay
I recorded this at 4K @ 60fps so hopefully it’s better. I suspect the resolution you were speaking about it just YouTube still processing the video but I know videos on here don’t always work.

Let me know if this works or not.

(it may take a few mins to process)
 
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Jay Hemdal

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This Vimeo link may be better, make sure to chose the highest quality obviously


O.K., I can see more detail here. Did the two clowns from the same tank at the store? If not, we’re they in the same water system? Do you have access to a treatment tank?
You may need to separate them….
Jay
 
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laezur

laezur

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So I’m in a bit of a weird spot now. I took him out of the tank last night, did a freshwater dip and placed him into a 10g bucket with a filter and beater as temporary quarantine.

I’ve woke up today to check on him and he’s swimming healthier, still had rapid mouth movements but not as crazy as yesterday.. He still won’t eat, he looks like he’s interested and then just leaves it. This COULD be because the pellets are as big as the guys face though lol. He’s tint

Im also seeing is right eye appears to be a little cloudy now? I can’t tell if he still has slime coat, he doesn’t look as pale as he did yesterday.

Looking to go to the LFS today for meds so if anyone knows what’s up please help me out
 
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laezur

laezur

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#fishmedics
0A73D731-1712-4804-8BE8-38FB85034DD1.png
 
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