Clownfish breathing heavly

[Captainscott]

Hey everyone just got this clown 3 days ago and seems to be breathing heavily and once in a blue moon he slams the side of his face into the sand I do water change 20% once a week with ro/di water and sometimes mixed saltwater reef crystals
Perimeters are
PH 8.0
Salinity is 1.023 check with refractometer
Ammonia .25ppm
Nitrite 0.0ppm
Nitrate 0.0 ppm
Here’s a video of him

 

[Jonify]

Hey everyone just got this clown 3 days ago and seems to be breathing heavily and once in a blue moon he slams the side of his face into the sand I do water change 20% once a week with ro/di water and sometimes mixed saltwater reef crystals
Perimeters are
PH 8.0
Salinity is 1.023 check with refractometer
Ammonia .25ppm
Nitrite 0.0ppm
Nitrate 0.0 ppm

Your ammonia looks closer to .50, but even so, anything .25 and higher needs immediate treatment; it can burn your fish's gills and interfere with its blood cells' ability to supply their organs with oxygen. You can do more water changes or dose something like Prime until it falls naturally. What changed recently? New tank, or did something die?

 

[Captainscott]

Thanks I will add prime and another water change maybe 50% the tank is 3 months old

 

[Jonify]

Sure thing ... Prime can "bind up" ammonia for about 24-48 hours, but it's only temporary (ammonia will still be in your system, it just won't be toxic). If the ammonia hasn't been converted to nitrite by your tank's bacteria within 24-48 hours, the ammonia will be released and you'll have to dose again/do a water change. In this case, Prime is really meant as an immediate treatment so you have time to do water changes and so that your tank's bacteria has time to begin breaking it down into less toxic nitrite, then nitrate. So just keep an eye on it, dose every day and do your water changes until it's back at zero. I've been in this situation once before and it was touch and go for about a week

 

[W1ngz]

Can you get video of the behaviour where it is hitting the sand? It sounds like flashing, but need to see it really. Flashing can be caused by ammonia burns, but can also be cause by parasites in the gills.

That fish looks fine to me.

The ammonia reading is probably false. Prime is known to create false positive ammonia readings, and API tests are known to give false low range readings as well.

 

[Captainscott]

Thanks guys going to do a 50% water change right now and that made me some turbo start just a little help introduce bacteria that might’ve been lost from the water change I haven’t really added Prime but I do have some so I guess I should add maybe just a little after the water change just to be safe how many water changes does it usually take for ammonia to be removed I guess it depends on amount and size of tank

 

[Captainscott]

I have a protein skimmer in the tank it’s only a week old I know that probably only helps with nitrates but hopefully you can help with ammonia to any other tips to help remove ammonia

 

[W1ngz]

Bacteria isn't reduced by water changes. Adding some still isn't a bad idea if you suspect there really is free ammonia in the water.

 

[Captainscott]

Thanks guys for the help I have done a 50% water change hope that helps clear the ammonia

 

[Difrano]

I have a protein skimmer in the tank it’s only a week old I know that probably only helps with nitrates but hopefully you can help with ammonia to any other tips to help remove ammonia

Protein skimmers does not reduce ammonia nor nitrates. If your tank is 3 months old and you added the fish just now, without seeding the tank during those 3 months, is the same as adding the fish 3 months ago, your tank is cycling, so dose as much bacteria as you can, test ammonia, your test look like more .5 than .25. If your fish is hitting the sand is stressed by the ammonia, if you do water changes and keep the ammonia low your tank will complete the cycle and your fish will be fine. Do not add anymore bioload until your tank complete the cycle.