Clownfish Constipated?

cameronh21 · Mar 28, 2021

Hey everyone,

I have had this blizzard clownfish for about a week and a half and it seemed to be adjusting well and swimming around more until yesterday. Also it has barely eaten anything since I picked it up which is also a bit concerning. For the past few days he has been staying against the tank wall and breathing pretty quickly. I noticed this brown clump seemingly stuck in its butt which is concerning me. I have included a picture so it would be awesome if someone could give me advice or if anyone knows what to do about this, thanks!

Jay Hemdal · Mar 28, 2021

Did it eat well earlier on, or has it always been a poor feeder? The rapid breathing is a serious, but unrelated issue. Can you post a short video? How long has that clump been there? It could be a wad of algae, but that should pass after a bit.

Jay

cameronh21 · Mar 29, 2021

Jay Hemdal said:
Did it eat well earlier on, or has it always been a poor feeder? The rapid breathing is a serious, but unrelated issue. Can you post a short video? How long has that clump been there? It could be a wad of algae, but that should pass after a bit.

Jay

It has been a poor feeder since I got it and that clump is now gone which is good, also here is the video of the rapid breathing. I appreciate the response!

Jay Hemdal · Mar 29, 2021

Yes, the rapid breathing is the worrisome symptom. The trouble is, I can't tell you what the disease might be. There are two common causes for this; Brooklynella and Velvet. White fish just don't show Brooklynella well. See how the fish's tail fin is cloudy? The white portion of the fish's body could also be cloudy, but because the fish is white, I can't tell. Velvet requires a copper treatment and Brooklynella is best treated with formalin, or possibly Ruby Reef as a dip.

Do you have a treatment tank available? You might perform a 5 minute freshwater dip to try and buy you some time.

Jay