Question about new clown fish possible disease

[Braedo_Reef]

Hello,

Looking for some advice on possible clownfish disease and treatment if necessary. I purchased a small ocellaris clown fish (aquacultered from LFS) and put him in a new 40g breeder build after completing the cycle. I have been in the hobby for 3 years, but don't know too much about fish disease/treatment and QT protocols. The single clown is the only fish that has been put in the system.

Tank parameters are stable as of today (Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Alkalinity is a little low at 6.1, NO3 is 0.7, PO4 is 0, salinity 1.026, temp 78 degrees)

Since getting the clown, he has not been eating as much as Im used to seeing clowns eat (I have had another clown for 3+ years in a different tank). He will eat 3-4 pellets per day only if they float right in front of his face. Not actively chasing after food like my other clown. I have been spot feeding 1-2 pellets at a time to get him to eat. Ive tried multiple different brands/types of dried foods and frozen foods with no luck.

About 1 week after getting the fish, his left eye become super cloudy (right eye was fine). This seems to have mostly resolved about 5-6 days later. While his eye was cloudy, he was running into rocks/glass. Basically like he was blind.

As of today, the fish has been in the system for about 3 weeks and acting completely normal, but still doesn't seem like it has much of an appetite. Maybe only eating 3-4 pellets a day is normal for a small clown?

Im attaching pictures and video of the fish. It seems like he has super small white specks on one side of the body and only in that one area (the side in the video is the side im referring too). Probably hard to see via photo/video, but am I overthinking it? I am wanting to move my fish from my old system into this new build, but didn't want the new clown to spread disease/parasites.

I should note, that I have equipment to set up a 10g QT tank if you think I need to treat the fish. However, I have observed him for 3 weeks and these are the only things I notice. If I need to treat, what do you think he has and what is the treatment?

Thanks in advance!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,

Looking for some advice on possible clownfish disease and treatment if necessary. I purchased a small ocellaris clown fish (aquacultered from LFS) and put him in a new 40g breeder build after completing the cycle. I have been in the hobby for 3 years, but don't know too much about fish disease/treatment and QT protocols. The single clown is the only fish that has been put in the system.

Tank parameters are stable as of today (Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Alkalinity is a little low at 6.1, NO3 is 0.7, PO4 is 0, salinity 1.026, temp 78 degrees)

Since getting the clown, he has not been eating as much as Im used to seeing clowns eat (I have had another clown for 3+ years in a different tank). He will eat 3-4 pellets per day only if they float right in front of his face. Not actively chasing after food like my other clown. I have been spot feeding 1-2 pellets at a time to get him to eat. Ive tried multiple different brands/types of dried foods and frozen foods with no luck.

About 1 week after getting the fish, his left eye become super cloudy (right eye was fine). This seems to have mostly resolved about 5-6 days later. While his eye was cloudy, he was running into rocks/glass. Basically like he was blind.

As of today, the fish has been in the system for about 3 weeks and acting completely normal, but still doesn't seem like it has much of an appetite. Maybe only eating 3-4 pellets a day is normal for a small clown?

Im attaching pictures and video of the fish. It seems like he has super small white specks on one side of the body and only in that one area (the side in the video is the side im referring too). Probably hard to see via photo/video, but am I overthinking it? I am wanting to move my fish from my old system into this new build, but didn't want the new clown to spread disease/parasites.

I should note, that I have equipment to set up a 10g QT tank if you think I need to treat the fish. However, I have observed him for 3 weeks and these are the only things I notice. If I need to treat, what do you think he has and what is the treatment?

Thanks in advance!

Need brighter white light intensity to clearly see but can be sting or bite marks, even secondary infection

 

[Braedo_Reef]

Need brighter white light intensity to clearly see but can be sting or bite marks, even secondary infection

Can I proceed with adding my other clown to the tank? Ive waited/observed for 3 weeks now.

 

[Jordxn]

Can I proceed with adding my other clown to the tank? Ive waited/observed for 3 weeks now.

What you feeding the clown? And is the other clown paired with this one. Just concered on how they might react with eachother especially if he's in a fragile state might not be good to induce any stress.

 

[Braedo_Reef]

What you feeding the clown? And is the other clown paired with this one. Just concered on how they might react with eachother especially if he's in a fragile state might not be good to induce any stress.

Ive tried different pellets and flake food (Omega one, benepets) and frozen food (Mysis, marine blend). It will only eat the benepets pellets right now.

 

[Braedo_Reef]

Ive tried different pellets and flake food (Omega one, benepets) and frozen food (Mysis, marine blend). It will only eat the benepets pellets right now.

I only have 2 clowns, in seperate tanks. Ive had one of them for 3+ years and then the new one. Obviously the older one is a lot bigger in size than the new guy.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I only have 2 clowns, in seperate tanks. Ive had one of them for 3+ years and then the new one. Obviously the older one is a lot bigger in size than the new guy.

I would be REALLY careful trying to pair these two clowns. You should have an exit strategy if they start to fight.

In the video, the clown looks o.k., but it is breathing a bit fast. Does that tank it is in have good aeration?

I think that 3 pellets of food at a time is not right, I have a clown in my home office that eats 20+ NLS pellets per day. Sometimes, pellets are too large, or too hard. Have you tried softer food like small krill?

 

[Braedo_Reef]

I would be REALLY careful trying to pair these two clowns. You should have an exit strategy if they start to fight.

In the video, the clown looks o.k., but it is breathing a bit fast. Does that tank it is in have good aeration?

I think that 3 pellets of food at a time is not right, I have a clown in my home office that eats 20+ NLS pellets per day. Sometimes, pellets are too large, or too hard. Have you tried softer food like small krill?

Why is that? I was told it would be fine as long as one clown is clearly bigger than the other.

 

[Jordxn]

I would be REALLY careful trying to pair these two clowns. You should have an exit strategy if they start to fight.

In the video, the clown looks o.k., but it is breathing a bit fast. Does that tank it is in have good aeration?

I think that 3 pellets of food at a time is not right, I have a clown in my home office that eats 20+ NLS pellets per day. Sometimes, pellets are too large, or too hard. Have you tried softer food like small krill?

+1, my broodstock pair loves enriched brine shrimp and mysis with garlic. They go crazy for it.

 

[Braedo_Reef]

I would be REALLY careful trying to pair these two clowns. You should have an exit strategy if they start to fight.

In the video, the clown looks o.k., but it is breathing a bit fast. Does that tank it is in have good aeration?

I think that 3 pellets of food at a time is not right, I have a clown in my home office that eats 20+ NLS pellets per day. Sometimes, pellets are too large, or too hard. Have you tried softer food like small krill?

I would say it has good aeration. Its plumped to a sump, has 2 Nero 3's, and return lines are pointed towards surface

 

[Jordxn]

They are very, VERY terriotiral. My pairs will constantly fight their own reflection especially when breeding. I would definately observe for another week just to be safe, one of my clown pairs don't like normal mysis unless it's with garlic. Brineshrimp enriched is what every one of my clowns devour so if it doesn't try that it may be that somethings wrong. Usually, wild caught clowns will tend to pick and bat about food, if the fish shop was feeding him them pellets and you're doing the same, it might just prefer them. Don't feed the pellets for now and just add the brineshrimp/mysis shrimp and then you can introduce pellets.

Do be wary though, if a clown is a male and in a system without another female present he will turn into a female, hence giving it another week and if all is okay try using an acclimation box/breeding box to see how your existing female reacts with this one, after 2-3 days if all is well release him and observe closely. If they don't get along, they will fight until one is dead.

Hopefully all goes well :).

Why is that? I was told it would be fine as long as one clown is clearly bigger than the other.

 

[Jordxn]

Why is that? I was told it would be fine as long as one clown is clearly bigger than the other.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can I proceed with adding my other clown to the tank? Ive waited/observed for 3 weeks now.

separate in acclimation box if possible as there could be a war and give the clown a ruby Rally Bath if you have product before introduction

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Why is that? I was told it would be fine as long as one clown is clearly bigger than the other.

With clowns housed together, the larger fish turns female and the smaller one stays male. However, these sizes are relative. Your big clown, in absence of a pair bond, could be a male. Then, there can be some fighting as they establish dominance even if they are male and female to start with.

 

[Braedo_Reef]

They are very, VERY terriotiral. My pairs will constantly fight their own reflection especially when breeding. I would definately observe for another week just to be safe, one of my clown pairs don't like normal mysis unless it's with garlic. Brineshrimp enriched is what every one of my clowns devour so if it doesn't try that it may be that somethings wrong. Usually, wild caught clowns will tend to pick and bat about food, if the fish shop was feeding him them pellets and you're doing the same, it might just prefer them. Don't feed the pellets for now and just add the brineshrimp/mysis shrimp and then you can introduce pellets.

Do be wary though, if a clown is a male and in a system without another female present he will turn into a female, hence giving it another week and if all is okay try using an acclimation box/breeding box to see how your existing female reacts with this one, after 2-3 days if all is well release him and observe closely. If they don't get along, they will fight until one is dead.

Hopefully all goes well :).

Thank you