Clown not looking good...

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

Hello,

I just got back from vacation and my clown is swimming vertically in the corner. I'm worried about him and I haven't seen my Roysl Gramma. What should I do? Sorry the pics aren't great.

sc50964 · Mar 18, 2023

Check ammonia, temp, ph

look for bodies.

prepare to qt

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

sc50964 said:
Check ammonia, temp, ph

look for bodies.

prepare to qt

Ammonia: 0
Temp: 77.5
Phosphate: .3, I know it's a high, but I have a FOWLR and I've read everything should be okay as long as it's not over .5

Can find any bodies.

I don't have a QT. What can I do instead?

Dom · Mar 18, 2023

Your water looks cloudy. Maybe it is a bacterial bloom which can effect oxygen levels.

Please post a complete list of your most current water test results.

Also, tell us more about your tank too...

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

We need better close up pics. Is he breathing hard? Eating? Staying in front of wave maker?

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

Just posted some stuff, but I forgot that to add:

pH: 8.2
Salinity: 36ppt

Tank is 55 gallons, set up in early November, only current residents are the clown and the Gramma.

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

Lavey29 said:
We need better close up pics. Is he breathing hard? Eating? Staying in front of wave maker?

He's not breathing hard or staying in front of the wave maker, however, he is not eating and appears like he is trying to jump out.

sc50964 · Mar 18, 2023

danenelsen said:
Ammonia: 0
Temp: 77.5
Phosphate: .3, I know it's a high, but I have a FOWLR and I've read everything should be okay as long as it's not over .5

Can find any bodies.

I don't have a QT. What can I do instead?

Ph isn’t phosphate.

it should be around 8.0.

does he eat?

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

sc50964 said:
Ph isn’t phosphate.

it should be around 8.0.

does he eat?

pH is 8.2

He is not eating.

sc50964 · Mar 18, 2023

danenelsen said:
He's not breathing hard or staying in front of the wave maker, however, he is not eating and appears like he is trying to jump out.

Were they ever treated for flukes, ich, and velvet? Were they QT’ed?

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

sc50964 said:
Were they ever treated for flukes, ich, and velvet? Were they QT’ed?

No, but they have both been in my tank for several months.

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

Hard to tell in pics but any cloudy dust looking on his top half body?

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Hard to tell in pics but any cloudy dust looking on his top half body?

No.

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

First course is always a water change maybe 10g for your tank.

Run carbon too

danenelsen · Mar 18, 2023

Lavey29 said:
First course is always a water change maybe 10g for your tank.

Just did 5g, that's all I have.

Dom · Mar 18, 2023

danenelsen said:
Just posted some stuff, but I forgot that to add:

pH: 8.2
Salinity: 36ppt

Tank is 55 gallons, set up in early November, only current residents are the clown and the Gramma.

What about filtration?

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

danenelsen said:
Just did 5g, that's all I have.

Ok can you add a bag of carbon. I'm concerned his surfacing motion is lack of 02 or something way off in water. Did you calibrate tool for salinity?

sc50964 · Mar 18, 2023

danenelsen said:
No, but they have both been in my tank for several months.

Fish swimming near the surface, gasping for air, or even jumping out of desperation means they have problem breathing as something is attacking his gills. Typical rule of thumb based on my exp is either ich if you can count the white dots, velvet if it’s covered by countless white dots, or fluke when you don’t see any white dots. You can dose meds to your DT since it’s FOWLR but it’s best to get a QT if you can. Now as to what to dose it with, it depends on what problem you think it has. Better upload a better video so it’s more clear to see if there is anything on him or not.