Clown fish swimming weird

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

Hey,
I'm in need of some help. I recently had my other clownfish die and now my last clownfish starting to swimming vertically. When I put food in this morning he was also not even interested in it. He's not pale like the other clownfish was, but definitely not feisty like normal.

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef..
not sure it would survive a freshwater bath..
let's call the Dr. @Jay Hemdal

 

[Uncle99]

More details.....what’s your water parameters like.
Is this a new tank, is it cycled.

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

He's been in the tank for about a month. He just started acting this way yesterday. So you're saying I need to change 50% of the water? I just put a protein skimmer in last week as my coworker/aquatics specialist told me that may have been the problem with my overall tank.

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

More details.....what’s your water parameters like.
Is this a new tank,

More details.....what’s your water parameters like.
Is this a new tank, is it cycled.

It's a 40 gallon breeder. It has live sand with bacteria. I work at a pet store and my coworker is an aquatics specialist. He said the tank will probably never cycle because of this. The fish themselves have been in there for about a month.

 

[fishguy242]

what type of filtration you running?

 

[jtp7004ft]

More details.....what’s your water parameters like.
Is this a new tank, is it cycled.

What Uncle99 is asking for is your test results and salinity
ammonia, ph, nitrite, nitrate, alk, phosphates...etc

 

[dedragon]

He's been in the tank for about a month. He just started acting this way yesterday. So you're saying I need to change 50% of the water? I just put a protein skimmer in last week as my coworker/aquatics specialist told me that may have been the problem with my overall tank.

thats a big assumption from them, protein skimmers help remove organics and increase O2 in water but that look like either ammonia problems or parasite or infection rather. Are you using rodi water or dechlorinator as well for the freshwater going into the tank

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

First thing - is this clownfish breathing fast/heavy?
Jay

 

[dedragon]

It's a 40 gallon breeder. It has live sand with bacteria. I work at a pet store and my coworker is an aquatics specialist. He said the tank will probably never cycle because of this. The fish themselves have been in there for about a month.

what is this coworker talking about specifically why would your tank not cycle?

And tg, we got Jay on the job

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

what type of filtration you running?

I have a fluval aqua clear and a protein skimmer.

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

what is this coworker talking about specifically why would your tank not cycle?

And tg, we got Jay on the job

He said bc it's 40 gallons with live sand, so it probably won't ever cycle.

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

First thing - is this clownfish breathing fast/heavy?
Jay

Yes.

 

[dedragon]

He said bc it's 40 gallons with live sand, so it probably won't ever cycle.

Thats just wrong information he gave you, unless you went with fully live rock that has been matured, that would be a different story, bags of live sand (gonna guess caribsea?) will not instantly cycle an aquarium. A cycle is probably still occurring, but without ammonia and other parameter readings it is hard to say.

what size aqua clear? what protein skimmer? any powerheads throughout the tank for water movement?
Jay is going to be one of the best with diagnosing illness in your fish so I would def listen to his advice.

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

thats a big assumption from them, protein skimmers help remove organics and increase

Thats just wrong information he gave you, unless you went with fully live rock that has been matured, that would be a different story, bags of live sand (gonna guess caribsea?) will not instantly cycle an aquarium. A cycle is probably still occurring, but without ammonia and other parameter readings it is hard to say.

what size aqua clear? what protein skimmer? any powerheads throughout the tank for water movement?
Jay is going to be one of the best with diagnosing illness in your fish so I would def listen to his advice.

Seaclone, 50 to 70 gallon

Thats just wrong information he gave you, unless you went with fully live rock that has been matured, that would be a different story, bags of live sand (gonna guess caribsea?) will not instantly cycle an aquarium. A cycle is probably still occurring, but without ammonia and other parameter readings it is hard to say.

what size aqua clear? what protein skimmer? any powerheads throughout the tank for water movement?
Jay is going to be one of the best with diagnosing illness in your fish so I would def listen to his advice.

I have a sea clone and 70 gallon filter. I don't have any power heads. My tank moves pretty well with both my protein skimmer, and filter moving it around and it only being a 40 gallon. When I tested my parameter readings and they weren't terrible. My nitrite was slightly elevated but I did add chemical to fix it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes.

Ah, I should have asked at the same time - are there any invertebrates in the tank as well? If so, and if they are doing well, but the fish are breathing fast and one has died, you can stop looking at water quality issues and focus on a protozoan fish disease. My guess is velvet, but that is very difficult to cure once fish have begun dying from it.

jay

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

Ah, I should have asked at the same time - are there any invertebrates in the tank as well? If so, and if they are doing well, but the fish are breathing fast and one has died, you can stop looking at water quality issues and focus on a protozoan fish disease. My guess is velvet, but that is very difficult to cure once fish have begun dying from it.

jay

Yes I do and yes they are alive and well. What's the best cure for this?

 

[Kaylaskarlettgabriel]

Yes I do and yes they are alive and well. What's the best cure for this?

And if he dies he's the last fish in my tank. Do I need to still do anything with my tank or do I just give it a little time before putting anymore fish in the tank?

 

[dedragon]

Seaclone, 50 to 70 gallon

I have a sea clone and 70 gallon filter. I don't have any power heads. My tank moves pretty well with both my protein skimmer, and filter moving it around and it only being a 40 gallon. When I tested my parameter readings and they weren't terrible. My nitrite was slightly elevated but I did add chemical to fix it.

This will be fine for fish or some soft corals but if you get any corals in the future i do suggest a powerhead. The seaclone is a very bad protein skimmer though and i wouldnt suggest it but it will work for now to add oxygen to the water mostly and it isnt too large of a tank anyway so a protein skimmer I wouldnt say is absolutely necessary in really any setup.

Jay- I think 45 day fallow is protocol for velvet, right?

 

[dedragon]

I had a seaclone too, over 10 years ago, its a shame they still sell them because it is that bad. Just coming from personal experience with that one.