Clownfish is not eating anymore, for about a week.

[jimbinsc]

Hi, I hve a single Ocellaris clown in a 75 gallon tank. It's been there for almost 4 weeks. At first it ate frozen Mysis shrimp very well. It would come to the glass when people approached and ate well. Then about a week ago it would spit the mysis back out one day, and now the fish refuses to take the shrimp at all. Just lets it float by. I tried some Hikari small pellets that gets spit out, and some gel food from Petsmart, it doesn't get eaten. It seemed to hang out in the back more as well but today came to the glass and charged the shrimp when I drop it in, but backed off and wouldn't eat.
The LFS said to do a freshwater bath, I did that today so I don't know it worked or not.

Parameters are normal: Amm:0 Nitrite 0, nitrate 5 or so. The pH may be a little low, it was testing at 7.8 and I was adding Seachem Buffer to raise it. Filtration is 10 lbs of live rock on 50 lbs of dry rock, and n Eheim canister with just filter pads for water movement. Also 2 Koralia nano 425's. And an HOB skimmer.

I hadn't noticed any spots or sores, just some white stringy poo occasionally.

Please share any ideas. Should I try to switch to brine shrimp or algae sheets for awhile?
Thanks

 

[mallorieGgator]

I would just leave the water alone and don't add buffer. Also, I would have not done the FW dip. It's very stressful to the fish especially if you didn't adjust the pH of the FW to that of the salt water. The white poop is because it's not eating. Just let it be and try not to bother it. What is your water temp at and how old is your tank? Also, are you testing your own water or is the LFS doing it?

 

[FOO-CAT]

Your fish has worms if it has white stringy poo. I would treat in a quarantine tank with some PraziPro.

 

[wysiwyg]

try switching to brine shrimp with some garlic additive to the food

 

[jimbinsc]

wysiwg, that's exactly what I was thinking. I was also wondering if the fish is eating something else. I noticed copepods (I guess:little white moving dots on the glass), maybe it's eating those?
Will probably buy some brine shrimp eggs and grow my own!

 

[wysiwyg]

problem with hatching your own brine shrimp is A) when they first hatch they are to small for any fish to eat B) they carry little to no nutrients. your best bet would be to buy a small frozen bag of them and try them out. san fransisco bay brand sells small 4oz bags up to 32oz bags

 

[kmaintl]

+1 on adding garlic to the food (soaking the food in garlic before feeding)

 

[ritter6788]

I would just leave the water alone and don't add buffer. Also, I would have not done the FW dip. It's very stressful to the fish especially if you didn't adjust the pH of the FW to that of the salt water. The white poop is because it's not eating. Just let it be and try not to bother it. What is your water temp at and how old is your tank? Also, are you testing your own water or is the LFS doing it?

+1000 to all of this^^^

You also need to check your alkalinity ASAP. You are trying to bump an acceptable ph a few points higher and you are driving your alkalinity upwards. Stop worrying about the ph, it's not the problem with your fish and you are throwing your chemistry out of whack.