What’s wrong with my tank?

[ZachariahBeanzz]

I just walked into my room where my tank is, and something seems seriously wrong. About a week ago, I noticed that one of my clownfish had what looked like an infection or parasite, and although I did what I could to treat it, it unfortunately passed away. I removed it from the tank, and after that everything seemed fine, my corals looked healthy and my other clownfish appeared okay, though a bit skinny, which I’ve been trying to address. Last night, however, I noticed the remaining clownfish was hiding much more than usual and breathing rapidly, so I performed a 20 percent water change to try to help before going to bed. This morning, when I tried to feed him, he seemed hesitant and only ate a couple of pellets, and while he is still hiding, the rapid breathing has stopped. Now that I’ve come back to check again, none of my corals are open and my Duncan coral looks particularly unhealthy. I’m about to test for ammonia and will have those results shortly, but I wanted to ask what might be going wrong in the meantime. Here are some pictures.

 

[W31Olds]

We need shots of your Clownfish, preferrable under white lighting and Tank Parameters are also good to know.

 

[JayM]

No way to tell without knowing water quality for starters. Pics of your fish will also be helpful.

No such thing as too much information.

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

No way to tell without knowing water quality for starters. Pics of your fish will also be helpful.

No such thing as too much information.

We need shots of your Clownfish, preferrable under white lighting and Tank Parameters are also good to know.

Sorry, was getting that stuff now, I just wanted to post the forum first. So something definitely is up, my ammonia is around 0.3, and I was be doing a 30% water change to hopefully bring that down. My nitrate is 5, and I don’t think any other levels would be useful, but if they are let me know. Sorry for the not best photos of my clown, I haven’t gotten to do my weekly cleaning yet.

 

[Uncle99]

Has something big recently died in the tank and releasing an unusual amount of ammonia?
Move any rockwork or stir sand?
How old is the system?
Definitely bring that down with water changes.

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

Has something big recently died in the tank and releasing an unusual amount of ammonia?
Move any rockwork or stir sand?
How old is the system?
Definitely bring that down with water changes.

My fish died a couple days ago, but I pulled her out quick, probably within a couple hours. I think it was a dead snail yesterday I pulled out, I didn’t want to risk it
But nothing else has changed for the last month

 

[Uncle99]

My fish died a couple days ago, but I pulled her out quick, probably within a couple hours. I think it was a dead snail yesterday I pulled out, I didn’t want to risk it
But nothing else has changed for the last month

Is ammonia zero now?

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

Is ammonia zero now?

Not yet, but I’m going to be doing another water change soon

 

[Uncle99]

Not yet, but I’m going to be doing another water change soon

And how long has it been running?
Just two fish?
Any spots?

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

And how long has it been running?
Just two fish?
Any spots?

Yeah it was just two fish and three coral for about 2-2 1/2 months, with everything going smoothly. I started seeing a new head form on my Duncan, and my two Zoas were growing a lot of new polyps. I didn’t see any spots, so I don’t think it was ich or anything like that. Though, I think my clownfish that died had some sort of infection/parasite, which killed it. Also, in writing this I remembered I added a dose of reef flux yesterday because I’m getting some bryopsis, but that said it was reef/fish/invert safe. I’m also feeding more because my nutrients seemed like they were almost going to bottom out, and my clowns were skinny. Sorry for all this new info, I’m just thinking of it now

 

[Marine Betta]

And how long has it been running?
Just two fish?
Any spots?

Yeah it was just two fish and three coral for about 2-2 1/2 months, with everything going smoothly. I started seeing a new head form on my Duncan, and my two Zoas were growing a lot of new polyps. I didn’t see any spots, so I don’t think it was ich or anything like that. Though, I think my clownfish that died had some sort of infection/parasite, which killed it. Also, in writing this I remembered I added a dose of reef flux yesterday because I’m getting some bryopsis, but that said it was reef/fish/invert safe. I’m also feeding more because my nutrients seemed like they were almost going to bottom out, and my clowns were skinny. Sorry for all this new info, I’m just thinking of it now

Sorry you’re dealing with this. The glass is a little dirty, so it’s hard to see. What other symptoms did the clowns have? Slime coat sloughing off? If it was a parasite, it was likely velvet or brook (if lesions and sloughing of slime coat were present). It does sound like there was a spike in ammonia which I believe is the most likely cause of death for the fish and the issues the coral are having given the information that has been provided. I doubt flux caused this unless there was a massive die off of bryopsis.

What are your water parameters?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry, was getting that stuff now, I just wanted to post the forum first. So something definitely is up, my ammonia is around 0.3, and I was be doing a 30% water change to hopefully bring that down. My nitrate is 5, and I don’t think any other levels would be useful, but if they are let me know. Sorry for the not best photos of my clown, I haven’t gotten to do my weekly cleaning yet.

Fish is quite thin and not sure who glued the anemone to a rock but a huge- Never. Ammonia slightly elevated and how are you testing levels?

 

[Zymotic]

The reef flux may have killed off beneficial bacteria that was keeping your ammonia low.

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

Sorry you’re dealing with this. The glass is a little dirty, so it’s hard to see. What other symptoms did the clowns have? Slime coat sloughing off? If it was a parasite, it was likely velvet or brook (if lesions and sloughing of slime coat were present). It does sound like there was a spike in ammonia which I believe is the most likely cause of death for the fish and the issues the coral are having given the information that has been provided. I doubt flux caused this unless there was a massive die off of bryopsis.

What are your water parameters?

I can get better pictures today once my lights turn on, I did my maintenance yesterday so they should be better. And the clown only had inflamed gills, and was handing near the sandbed, but nothing else, no slime coat, no white dots, nothing like that. That’s why I suspected an infection or parasite because my other clown (the still alive one) was acting totally fine, and my corals were still good at that point. My nitrate is around 2, my calcium is around 430, my alkalinity is about 10, I don’t test for magnesium, and I’m waiting on a phosphate test kit.

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

Fish is quite thin and not sure who glued the anemone to a rock but a huge- Never. Ammonia slightly elevated and how are you testing levels?

Yeah, someone in an earlier forum I had said my clowns looked thin, so I’ve been feeding more, it was totally just me not feeding enough, they ate very well. Also, that’s a Duncan coral, and I’m using Red Sea test kits.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah, someone in an earlier forum I had said my clowns looked thin, so I’ve been feeding more, it was totally just me not feeding enough, they ate very well. Also, that’s a Duncan coral, and I’m using Red Sea test kits.

What foods are you feeding them? Ok, looked like a nem in pic. Was clown trying to get duncan to host it?

 

[Uncle99]

There we go, reef flux…..
While it works, ammonia spikes and low oxygen can occur through rapid die off.

 

[W31Olds]

What foods are you feeding them? Ok, looked like a nem in pic. Was clown trying to get duncan to host it?

I made a point a week ago that they were very thin and OP was not feeding near enough and to feed pellets multiple times a day as much as they could eat.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I made a point a week ago that they were very thin and OP was not feeding near enough and to feed pellets multiple times a day as much as they could eat.

While they eat flakes and pellets , its not a complete diet. They need meats and fats and I still would like to know what foods are being fed. No need to question that

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

While they eat flakes and pellets , its not a complete diet. They need meats and fats and I still would like to know what foods are being fed. No need to question that

I made a point a week ago that they were very thin and OP was not feeding near enough and to feed pellets multiple times a day as much as they could eat.

What foods are you feeding them? Ok, looked like a nem in pic. Was clown trying to get duncan to host it?

Yeah, I’m now feeding pellets, and frozen food, pellets in the morning, and frozen at night, I’m trying to make sure I’m feeding more than I think I need. And the clowns were trying to host anything.