What would cause clownfish to leave their anemone?

[laezur]

Just wondering if this is normal behaviour or not, but my clownfish have been living in my anemone for a good month or two now.

Came back from Vacation two days ago and noticed they’re now hanging out by a rock next to the anemone. They still go into the anemone if spooked, or occasionally to play inside there but for the most part they seem to be hanging out by a rock now.

Is it normal for them to leave an anemone this often after forming thag relationship, or even abandon it?

 

[blaxsun]

Maybe they're also on "vacation".
I wouldn't worry about it too much. The fact that they're sticking around close by means they haven't abandoned it completely. Maybe they laid eggs near the rocks?

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Mine...after a year of ignoring my nems decided to start hosting. Oddly enough, they only host at night. During the day, they completely ignore (although when spooked they will dart into it). Clowns are just little fickle beasts.

 

[laezur]

Update: something isn’t right… they look like they are producing excessive slime coat all of a sudden and the smaller clownfish looks even like he is shedding skin like a snake, it’s weird.

I’ll try get pics

 

[laezur]

What’s happening to my little guy
?

#fishmedics

 

[NanoJHB]

Looks like brook, hopefully someone more experienced can chime in and give you some treatment advise

 

[laezur]

Looks like brook, hopefully someone more experienced can chime in and give you some treatment advise

My biggest fear, god I love these clowns I’ve raised them from basically fry

 

[laezur]

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Sorry you’re the only two I know

 

[Jay Hemdal]

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Sorry you’re the only two I know

That does look like Brooklynella, but I can’t explain how that would show up in a tank where they’ve grown up in - you typically see this in newly acquired wild caught clownfish, or fish exposed to those.
What else is in the tank with them? No issues with any of those?

Brooklynella is tough to treat - best option is formalin in a treatment tank. If you can’t do that, you might try ruby reef rally pro, but that doesn’t seem as effective.

You might try giving them each a 5 minute freshwater dip to try and buy some time.

Jay

 

[laezur]

That does look like Brooklynella, but I can’t explain how that would show up in a tank where they’ve grown up in - you typically see this in newly acquired wild caught clownfish, or fish exposed to those.
What else is in the tank with them? No issues with any of those?

Brooklynella is tough to treat - best option is formalin in a treatment tank. If you can’t do that, you might try ruby reef rally pro, but that doesn’t seem as effective.

You might try giving them each a 5 minute freshwater dip to try and buy some time.

Jay

Right? That was my thought.
Could it be ick? I had a butterfly fish that succumbed to ich but was moved to a QT when unfortunately it didn’t make it. No other fish now, just the clowns. I moved the butterfly the very second I knew it was ich. Just didn’t move the clowns, they seemed healthy. This was over a week ago.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agree illness such as brook would as clown is becoming irritated and likely displaying lethargic behavior, loss of appetite and even breathing heavier.

 

[Dburr1014]

Just wondering if this is normal behaviour or not, but my clownfish have been living in my anemone for a good month or two now.

Came back from Vacation two days ago and noticed they’re now hanging out by a rock next to the anemone. They still go into the anemone if spooked, or occasionally to play inside there but for the most part they seem to be hanging out by a rock now.

Is it normal for them to leave an anemone this often after forming thag relationship, or even abandon it?

Is it the right anenome for the clownfish?

 

[laezur]

Is it the right anenome for the clownfish?

It is yes, Ritteri. We seem to have narrowed this down to an illness. Pictures are a little further up in the comments

 

[laezur]

Agree illness such as brook would as clown is becoming irritated and likely displaying lethargic behavior, loss of appetite and even breathing heavier.

Illness it seems definitely, just confused how it could be brook

 

[vetteguy53081]

Illness it seems definitely, just confused how it could be brook

Going to a larger screen, the most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria.

 

[Dburr1014]

It is yes, Ritteri. We seem to have narrowed this down to an illness. Pictures are a little further up in the comments

Yes, saw the pics.
Could have put something new in the tank with no quarantine. That would explain how brook entered.
I was just asking about the og question.

 

[laezur]

Going to a larger screen, the most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria.

Can brook be brought into the aquarium by frag plugs or anything other than fish? No fish added for months and months

Thwyre now hiding away in dark areas of the tank under rockwork where I can’t see them

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can brook be brought into the aquarium by frag plugs or anything other than fish? No fish added for months and months

Thwyre now hiding away in dark areas of the tank under rockwork where I can’t see them

Likely not. Brooklynella disease is actually a type of parasitic infection that are shaped like kidney beans. They’re covered in cilia and they’re microscopic. Poor or less than satisfactory water conditions cause your clownfish to experience stress. When they get stressed, they develop compromised immune systems. It is often wild caught clowns that get this disease.

 

[laezur]

Likely not. Brooklynella disease is actually a type of parasitic infection that are shaped like kidney beans. They’re covered in cilia and they’re microscopic. Poor or less than satisfactory water conditions cause your clownfish to experience stress. When they get stressed, they develop compromised immune systems. It is often wild caught clowns that get this disease.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

One of them has died. This is less than 24 hours from showing symptoms, what the heck could kill that quickly? Brook takes a day or two doesn’t it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

One of them has died. This is less than 24 hours from showing symptoms, what the heck could kill that quickly? Brook takes a day or two doesn’t it?

With the amount of slime on it, it was accelerated and first showed up but likely there longer
Sorry to hear it died