Afraif clown is sick

[Treenk]

I had to move my fish to a smaller temporary tank. The ammonia got up to 1ppm and I did a 60% water change already. But one clown seems totally find while the other keep swimming to the surface kind of goes on its side for a second then swims around and bit and does it again. It's always in the same spot but there is nothing around it, just the middle of the top of the water, and sometimes he goes up and puts his mouth out of the water

Any advice I really don't want to lose him I bought this tank just to save him.

 

[Treenk]

Just a note the tank looks like it has small particles everywhere but that may just be bubbles from the skimmer.

 

[Treenk]

Also I've been using bottled water to top off evaporation is that ok?

 

[Hepatitis]

Also I've been using bottled water to top off evaporation is that ok?

I've used tap water for top offs for years. Usually I don't even treat it for chlorine, just dump it in. Never been an issue, never lost a fish mysteriously, lost the tank to a horrible velvet outbreak once, but that was a long time ago. You'll be fine.

Edited - check and make sure you're not using Dasani or some other bottled water as it does contain trace salt content (little trick to make you just a tad thirsty so you buy more. It won't hurt in the short term, but over a month or so you could notice a small rise in salinity

As for the clown, if it's abnormal behavior for him, then yeah, little dude is probably sick. Check for external signs of illness (white specks/ich, puffy dusty blotches of white dots/velvet, swollen abdomen etc) and treat accordingly. If he doesn't show any signs externally, then check your water parameters in the new tank. You said it has high ammonia, what else is or could be wrong/out of whack?

 

[ariellemermaid]

Keep in mind your 60% water change still left 0.4 ppm ammonia and that’s still high. Do you have some Prime on hand to drop in? Those symptoms sound similar to clowns I killed with ammonia when I first started in the hobby before I really knew what I was doing. Not every fish is going to be affected in the same way at the exact same time.

 

[jeffchapok]

Sounds like he's oxygen starved if he's gulping at the surface. Either the temporary tank has insufficient surface agitation to properly oxygenate the water, or his gills were burned by the exposure to the ammonia.

Do you have a wave maker in this tank and is is properly aimed to disturb the surface of the water?

 

[Treenk]

Keep in mind your 60% water change still left 0.4 ppm ammonia and that’s still high. Do you have some Prime on hand to drop in? Those symptoms sound similar to clowns I killed with ammonia when I first started in the hobby before I really knew what I was doing. Not every fish is going to be affected in the same way at the exact same time.

No what is prime like the quicksand stuff?

 

[Treenk]

Sounds like he's oxygen starved if he's gulping at the surface. Either the temporary tank has insufficient surface agitation to properly oxygenate the water, or his gills were burned by the exposure to the ammonia.

Do you have a wave maker in this tank and is is properly aimed to disturb the surface of the water?

Yeah there is surface agitation and there is a protein skimmer there are lots of bubbles in there

 

[ariellemermaid]

No what is prime like the quicksand stuff?

Seachem Prime is an ammonia binder. It only works for 24-48 hours but it’s great in an emergency to make the ammonia preset non-toxic while still leaving it available to the bacteria. So it doesn’t slow down the cycle, but keeps fish safe. It’s available locally at Petco.

 

[californiarob]

I would check ammonia levels, then the nitrite and lastly nitrate, the cycle could be lost and the tank is cycling again and even very high levels of nitrate will have fish gasping... usually 150ppm and over

 

[Treenk]

Well I went to my lfs yesterday and he suggested another turbo boost maybe it wasn't enough for 2 fish or how much I feed. So I went home did another water change 1/3rd tank water and put it in. I actually sat around to see how long it took my fish to eat, which is too much it took them almost 3m to eat it all.. I went to check the amonia and it was higher than ever. So thought about it, and I'd been using my finger to shake it. I did it again and no amonia. Yeah my finger must have a lot of amonia lol. So now I have no idea what's wrong with him. I definable miss my sump tank it took care of everything I needed. Side from clean and add trace elements for coral growth.