Possible Sick Clowns?

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SsSarahsS

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 10, 2005
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Location
Ontario, Canada
I have 2 sebae clownfish, 1 coral beauty and a sand sifting star. The clownfish which I have had since mid Jan, almost 2 months now have started demonstrating some strange behaviour. Up until now they have been fine, but on Sunday night I noticed that they were both swimming behind the rocks near the bottom whereas before then they would swim above the rocks and around the tank. They are also been breathing fairly rapidly but have no visual signs on their bodies...yet?. They come up from beneath the rocks as soon as I put food in and they eat fine and don't spit any food out. I haven't noticed anything wrong with the coral beauty. I checked all of the parameters today and they were all at the appropriate readings, but I did I 25% water change anyway. When the lights go out at night they come above the rocks again a sleep where they usually sleep. I am going to go and talk to the people at the fish store tomorrow and see what they can tell me. But your thoughts on my situation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Hello, welcome to the forum.
What specifically are the water parameters?
Clown are strange creature and do some strange things from time to time. The fact that they are eating is a great sign.
Keep an eye on them and let us know if the display another other strange behavior or stop eating.
 
This morning everything seems to be the same. Really fast breathing, and hovering behind the rocks. Their gills are both moving at the same time there breathing doesn't look too difficult but the little clown seem to gasp sometimes. I still see nothing on them, I am not sure but I may have seen some white feces and I don't know which fish it came from. This is so confusing lol. I still don't see anything much wrong with the coral beauty but it looks like he may be breathing fast too, it's harder to tell. They still go crazy as soon as they know food is coming and they are eating fine. I just don't know what to do lol. I am going away next week and someone else will be feeding my fish, but thats probably all they really know how to do. Any Other Advice, I am so concerned. Thanks.
 
I am not sure but I may have seen some white feces and I don't know which fish it came from

WHat do white feces indicate? My PJ cardinal was showing white feces, too, I think, before he leaned over and died.

(Of course, I'm not sure I know the normal color of cardinal feces :| )
 
White (usually stringy as well) feces (if the food was dark going in) will often be an indication of either an internal bacterial or parasitic problem, usually parasitic. Rapid breathing is not typically a symptom though. External parasites, stress or water quality issues will be moreso the cause in that regard.

Which was added first, the clowns or the angel and how far apart. I am assuming none where QT'd? What foods are you feeding?

First off I would try a few large water changes with well aged/aerated SW. At the next feeding mix a few slightly softend and mashed peas in with the food normally fed to the fish and observe what happens over the next day or so.

If the problem is internal, the best action would be to QT and treat with a Metronidazole based med. Observation is key here because you also need to rule out velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum) and Brooklynella hostilis.

Cheers
Steve
 
Whatever it was it wasn't stringy, the clowns were added first and the angel and star were added about 5 weeks after and all of the inhabitant have been together about 4 weeks. I did not use QT for any of them as I do not have a QT(what do you need to have for a QT? and what is the cheapest way to make one?). I have done 3 water changes since the star and angel were added. I feed the fish flake, mysis and brine and I alternate. Thank you for you advice I will try the water changes. What % Water change do you recommend. And I will also try the mashed peas thing(what does that do exactly?).
 
SsSarahsS said:
(what do you need to have for a QT? and what is the cheapest way to make one?).
<<Quarantine>>

What % Water change do you recommend.
20% each but be sure the new SW has been mixing with a powerhead and heated to the same temp as the main for at least 24 hrs before use. Also be sure to test pH and salinity for a proper match.

And I will also try the mashed peas thing(what does that do exactly?).
In this regard not much if bacterial or parasitic. It can be a great "laxative" though. Heavy meat diets can often cause digestive problems which can be common to smaller fish especially clowns. The added "green" will also help you determine if the feces remain so or are much paler. Generally speaking, the food should be the same/similar color coming out as it went in.

Cheers
Steve
 
Here is a pic of a 10 gallon qt tank. Its basically a bare bottom tank with a heater, trickle filter and PVC for the fish to hide in.
Perfect islolation tank for treating ailments or for a 4 week observation period before adding the fish to your main to be assured no disease make it that far.
 

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What is your water turn over (gph)? Is it possible that the fish aren't getting enough O2? How big are each of your fish? Do the fish appear any better/worse after the water changes? Are you using RO/DI or tap for your saltwater?
 
Hmm I am not sure on my GPH or even how to figure that out. I know that I have an algea problem but I don't know if it is a big problem or not. I clean the glass almost every day to every two days because algea has grown again, and there is some on the rocks but the coral beauty eats a lot of that. I don't know about the O2 I figure if it was on oxygen problem they would be trying to get air near the top of the tank, but they stay at the very bottom behind the rocks. My Coral beauty is about 2.5-3 inches, 1 clown is 1 inch and the other is 1.5 inches. I use tap water, and I add a water conditioner that removes ammonia chlorine and Chloramine from the water. After the water change I did yesterday there doesn't seem to be any change at all better or worse. I really don't know if anything is wrong at all but the fast breathing was my first concern.
 
The pumps that I have have a GPH rating on them (ie my return pump is a mag12 rated for 1200gph at 0 head, but at 4' that drops down to 1130). The O2/flow was just a thought given the fact that the sabae's can each get to 6" and the coral beauty 4". Full grown that would be 16" of fish in a 29g tank so I just wanted to explore that angle. What brand of test kit are you using for your tests?
 
ya I can't find anything that states the gph. My tank is kind of a beginner tank and doesn't have anything to fancy. I use fasTest test kit.
 
Thank you for all of your advice. I think my clowns are going to be alright.. They a still breathing a little fast I think (but I get a little paranoid sometimes) but no spot or visible problems. I also tried the mysis/peas thing (they love it, thank you for that idea I think I am going to continue with it because they like it so much) and I saw some feces and it was greenish brown so I am guessing thats a good thing. They also seem to be swimming around more not so much hiding behind the rocks. Thanks again.
 
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