EMERGENCY FORUM - Dying Clownfish

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Dying Clownfish

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Help
Forum Name: EMERGENCY FORUM
Forum Description: If you have an Emergency post here and you should receive a quick reply.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48936
Printed Date: July 31 2026 at 11:14pm
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Topic: Dying Clownfish

Posted By: Haley'sfish
Subject: Dying Clownfish
Date Posted: May 14 2011 at 10:47pm

I have a male clownfish that is lying on the sand and breathing heavy. I did notice a small nip on his tail, but I don't think he is really being picked on. Everything else in the tank is alive and healthy. All of the parameters are good. I put the clownfish in a separate box in the tank with some nori hoping that he will eat it without any competition. I tried feeding several things that had been soaked in GO before I moved him. Does anyone know what else I can try?

Replies:

Posted By: ptronsp
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:07am

He has no other visible spots on him?

Posted By: Haley'sfish
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:11am

No, no ich or fungus etc. He does look slightly skinny but that's it.

Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:37am

If he's breathing heavily, he could have amyloodinium and/or cryptocaryon irritans (ich) in the gills. Unfortunately when the parasite(s) attack the gills, treatment must be done immediately. I would start it on a copper treatment right now.

--Edit: Just was reading through my fish treatment notes, and wanted to add this. Unfortunately copper isn't great against amyloodinium (but works for ich). Formalin is better for killing the amyloodinium...but it won't work against crypt well (and it's just a nasty nasy treatment.) Not sure what to tell you now. Any other signs of illness? Any unusual sheen to the fish? Lesions? Spots (may have to look really really hard.)

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www.reefdup.com
Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987
200g, 75g, & 15g Systems
PADI Advanced Open Water

Posted By: Haley'sfish
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:47am

I don't have the ability to do a copper treatment right now. For the future, how do you set that up, just in like a pico aquarium or what? How to you dose the copper?

Posted By: BnK
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:53am

I did mine in a 20g tank with a heater some pvc t's and a nano powerhead. It will give instructions on the copper think mine is like 4 tsp for every gallon something like that I would have to look. Seems all the fish are doin real good now.

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Brett and Kristine | Layton, UT | Brett's e-mail: [email protected] | Kristine's e-mail: [email protected]

Posted By: davser
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 1:44am

This happen to my blue tang and if it has the same thing my tank did it wont be pretty it gets real bad real quickly, (next morning I found the por guy dead) have you done any recent water changes? Withink like the last day?

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It's not about what you know but about who you know

Posted By: SGH360
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 2:33am

can you tell us what are your water parameters besides saying its fine, give us numbers plz.

do you have pic of the clown?

how long had you had the clown?

does it show excessive amount of mucus?

when did it start happening?

how did you acclimate your fish?

what are the other fish that you have?

can you provide a full pic of the tank?

Posted By: Haley'sfish
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 9:21am

He's still alive and I think looking slightly better. I have had him for a long time, over a year. I did a water change last week. I can redo all of my testing today and post a pic in a little bit. I don't see mucus and I didn't notice this until last night at like 9:00.