Possibly sick clown
- Thread starter Mckitrick
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
TheTodd
Aquarium Advice Addict
What size tank do you have and what is pushing water around? Is there anything moving the water for good oxygen exchange on the surface? How did you "put air into the tank"? How old is the tank? What kind of filtration?
Do you not know water parameters because you do not have a test kit? If so, how do you know the tank is cycled? It's tough to do saltwater and keep fish happy without knowing the quality of your water.
Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to figure out what we are working with.
Do you not know water parameters because you do not have a test kit? If so, how do you know the tank is cycled? It's tough to do saltwater and keep fish happy without knowing the quality of your water.
Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to figure out what we are working with.
TheTodd said:
I plan to get a test kit after the sixth so I will know after then for sure. I have a aireator that I put in the tank for oxegeyn. My tank is 5 only the clown in it. The tank cycled for a few week with live sand. My filter is bigger than needed. And I know the tank is small but when I get more money i have a bigger tank to set up.
TheTodd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Was the clown in while it was cycling?
That process is not just a matter of throwing water into a tank with live sand and it will do its thing. It is also not something that you can just guess at. There are stages that your water will go through to end up producing the beneficial bacteria that you need/want. If there was no ammonia source, it probably did not cycle properly. I'm almost guessing that it did not cycle and your clown is getting its gills burned.
Also...A 5 gallon tank is way too small for a clown. 20-30 in most cases. A tank that small is going to be extremely difficult to maintain, as water parameters will change quickly. Not having a test kit will make it even more difficult as you have no idea what your Nitrate levels are at (high equals bad).
That process is not just a matter of throwing water into a tank with live sand and it will do its thing. It is also not something that you can just guess at. There are stages that your water will go through to end up producing the beneficial bacteria that you need/want. If there was no ammonia source, it probably did not cycle properly. I'm almost guessing that it did not cycle and your clown is getting its gills burned.
Also...A 5 gallon tank is way too small for a clown. 20-30 in most cases. A tank that small is going to be extremely difficult to maintain, as water parameters will change quickly. Not having a test kit will make it even more difficult as you have no idea what your Nitrate levels are at (high equals bad).
ok i was doing some reading and i found out what he has. although i dont know for sure the name is to complicated for me to remember but one of the nonchemical cure was a fw dip i just wanted to know how that works and what to do the only things i know about it is i have to get the temp the same other than that i need some help. by the way the would the clown show emmidente as a week to get sick if it wasnt cycled properly? if so that is not the case because he has been in there for over a week two or three if i am accurate. so that is why i am sure it is a bacterial infection\i found out how to fw dip i just want to know if he will be fine after placed back in the main tank
TheTodd
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have never done a freshwater dip, so I can not advise on that. I'm sure someone else can though.
My concern is that if you threw a clown into an uncycled tank, the ammonia,nitrites and nitrates bouncing around when it starts to cycle could do damage to its gils. if the gils are red, that is probably what is going on. If it was somehow cycled and then you added the clown, the nitrates could be high, which basically poisons the fish. I'm not getting a good read on this tanks timeline, so it's hard to tell.
My concern is that if you threw a clown into an uncycled tank, the ammonia,nitrites and nitrates bouncing around when it starts to cycle could do damage to its gils. if the gils are red, that is probably what is going on. If it was somehow cycled and then you added the clown, the nitrates could be high, which basically poisons the fish. I'm not getting a good read on this tanks timeline, so it's hard to tell.
bskerrichard27
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2011
- Messages
- 1,174
I agree with burnt gills that tanks not cycled yet ...research the nitrogen cycle ..and to save yur clown do a 25% water change to lower the toxicity of yur water hope this helps
nikki_kaiser
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Mckitrick said:
Do you have Ich? Are the white dots all over or just on his gills? Can you take a picture?
nikki_kaiser
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Mckitrick said:
Do you have a QT tank to put him in?
nikki_kaiser
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Mckitrick said:
Yes it will. What all do you have in the tank? Do you have live rock and sand? Read this link. It will help you to understand ich a lot better. As far as using a freshwater dip, I've done it before and would not recommend it. It stresses the fish out even more.
www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/23132-marine-ich-myths-facts.html
Take no offense, but you obviously are new to saltwater, and probably aquariums in general. One word: RESEARCH!!!! you apparently did not research starting a saltwater tank!? Unless you are experienced, you just can't throw a fish in a new tank, and hope for the best. You can't research after the fact. If I sound harsh, it's because I am being. If you really want to start a SW tank, first make sure you have all proper equipment, including the size of the tank. Second ask us, or your LFS about everything! If you are new, then unless you have annoyed the staff of your LFS than you are not asking enough questions. All you did was make helpful people waste their time, because you couldn't give true data to us! And do your future fish a favor, until you know your stuff, never give your fish a fresh water dip as an inexperienced person. All you will do is torture and kill your fish. Once again, RESEARCH!!!!! Before not during!
TheTodd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry to hear about the loss.
I would seriously consider a larger tank, as 5g does not really work for most saltwater fish. A tank that small makes it tough to keep your parameters in check. Things can fluctuate quickly with that little water. Temperature should not fluctuate more than a degree or two a day, but in smaller tanks, it easily can. That stresses fish. Salinity can fluctuate due to evaporation. Nitrates can jump quickly and so on. Keeping things constant is the key with saltwater.
If you want more fish, leave the tank empty for 6-8 weeks. That should take care of any ich still in there so future additions dont get it.
I would also be sure to have a test kit and at least a hydrometer to test salinity. I'm still not sure how you are 100% sure it was cycled without doing tests all along. There is no way of knowing without testing. if it did cycle, then you could have had high nitrate levels. You mentioned a water change...how much did you do and with what water? How often did you change your filter? Those can quickly become nitrate factories.
Not trying to be harsh here. Just trying to ensure that future attempts will succeed. No test kit + a clown in a 5g tank was almost doomed from the start IMO.
I would seriously consider a larger tank, as 5g does not really work for most saltwater fish. A tank that small makes it tough to keep your parameters in check. Things can fluctuate quickly with that little water. Temperature should not fluctuate more than a degree or two a day, but in smaller tanks, it easily can. That stresses fish. Salinity can fluctuate due to evaporation. Nitrates can jump quickly and so on. Keeping things constant is the key with saltwater.
If you want more fish, leave the tank empty for 6-8 weeks. That should take care of any ich still in there so future additions dont get it.
I would also be sure to have a test kit and at least a hydrometer to test salinity. I'm still not sure how you are 100% sure it was cycled without doing tests all along. There is no way of knowing without testing. if it did cycle, then you could have had high nitrate levels. You mentioned a water change...how much did you do and with what water? How often did you change your filter? Those can quickly become nitrate factories.
Not trying to be harsh here. Just trying to ensure that future attempts will succeed. No test kit + a clown in a 5g tank was almost doomed from the start IMO.
