Clarkii Clown swimming strangely

[Floyd R Turbo]

I started this thread

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/i-found-another-tank-in-trouble-136317.html

But wanted a specific question addressed, related to this Clarkii Clown

He swims around head-up or at an angle. He doesn't seem to be able or willing to swim head-down or level himself out. He was active when I got there, going up/down/back/forth. He camps out at the bottom of the tank a lot, same story - always head up/tail down. The owner/staff said he spent about a month laying on his side in a corner of the tank, but seems more active now.

The tank conditions are horrid (pH 7.84, temp 73.5, Nitrates off API scale immediately, haven't tested anything else) so I suspect swim bladder disease/disorder, but can anyone help pin down the problem and possible solutions?

 

[thincat]

Okay, I posted on your other thread, but I'll repeat. That may be a submissive posture due to the fact that one of the other fishes my be picking on him. I had a clarkii do that and now I have a P.clown that swims with a heads up posture..Go figure.............

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Do you mean Posture?

 

[thincat]

Yeah, my bad...I spell like you know what and I type even worse.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

The other fish in the tank (300g) are a bi-color Foxface and a Blue Tang w/HLLE. I don't think either of those are particularly aggressive, are they?

 

[thincat]

Being the smallest of the three, who knows. 300g is allot of space for three firsh. But then again, was he picked on by the others that have died off.