Clownfish Swim Bladder Disease?

[Letterkenny]

I know clownfish can be weird at times but I’m suspecting that my female clown has swim bladder disease. I just got them in on Friday and the upward swimming has been more pronounced today. Can someone ID and know a treatment plan? Note: when she is on the bottom is when I have the pumps turned off.

 

[FangsAndGames]

This link should help you with possible treatments https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...-need-to-know-to-cure-fish-disease-parasites/

 

[FangsAndGames]

If you have a qt move her there. TLC, rest, water changes, quality food, and medication is all you can do.

 

[FangsAndGames]

Here is someone who treated it

 

[FangsAndGames]

Here is a last minute resort option

EMERGENCY FISH OPERATION: Venting A Swim Bladder

Editor’s Note: In the saltwater aquarium hobby, there are many challenges ranging from day to day tasks of maintaining a stable ecosystem to the more difficult issues that can arise due to disease or other problems in the reef. However, some of...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[FangsAndGames]

Normally what happens is that there is a breach in the fishes slime coat and a parasite or diesese takes advantage of it. Treat her for slime coat recovery if desired.

 

[Letterkenny]

I think it might be a parasite. Just saw it poop and it was white

 

[FangsAndGames]

Make sure to watch the brs video for treatment options

 

[FangsAndGames]

If shes eating steadily that is a great sign.

 

[Letterkenny]

If shes eating steadily that is a great sign.

I QT all my first for my main DT but since these are the only guys there I didn’t end up doing this. This is how she normally swims. Unfortunately, she isn’t eating much. I ordered the hatchery diet that they came from so will try that.

 

[FangsAndGames]

Out of curiosity who did you order from?

 

[Letterkenny]

Out of curiosity who did you order from?

Will post that info if needed. Essentially from a retailer that primarily serves one of the hatcheries.

 

[FangsAndGames]

I love storms so was wondering if their was any way I may have been able to order some from them

 

[Letterkenny]

So looks like this could be flagellates so ended up moving them into QT and will be treating with GC and food soaked in GC/focus/selcon.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I know clownfish can be weird at times but I’m suspecting that my female clown has swim bladder disease. I just got them in on Friday and the upward swimming has been more pronounced today. Can someone ID and know a treatment plan? Note: when she is on the bottom is when I have the pumps turned off.

Yes - it does look like it is negatively buoyant to me, sitting on the bottom like that when it isn't actively swimming. Is it still eating? Do you have a quarantine tank you could move it to?

Most swim bladder issues are related to over-inflation, and this is the opposite. I've seen that in fish that were "needled" to decompress them when collected in deep water - but that is obviously NOT the case with this tank raised clown.


Jay

 

[Letterkenny]

Yes - it does look like it is negatively buoyant to me, sitting on the bottom like that when it isn't actively swimming. Is it still eating? Do you have a quarantine tank you could move it to?

Most swim bladder issues are related to over-inflation, and this is the opposite. I've seen that in fish that were "needled" to decompress them when collected in deep water - but that is obviously NOT the case with this tank raised clown.


Jay

Another forum (humblefish) suggested that it could be an infection but more likely is worms/flagellates as I subsequently witness it having white stringy poop. Luckily my QT batch was almost finished with the 2 week observation so just cut that short and moved the two clowns into there. They are eating but not a lot.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Two separate issues - the white stringy poop is likely internal protozoan parasites but there are other causes, including dietary issues. The lack of buoyancy is unrelated *unless* the fish has gut nematodes that have migrated and entered the swim bladder, causing it to deflate. I doubt that is it since these are captive raised.

Your additional post indicating the treatment plan sounds good to me....

Jay

 

[Letterkenny]

Two separate issues - the white stringy poop is likely internal protozoan parasites but there are other causes, including dietary issues. The lack of buoyancy is unrelated *unless* the fish has gut nematodes that have migrated and entered the swim bladder, causing it to deflate. I doubt that is it since these are captive raised.

Your additional post indicating the treatment plan sounds good to me....

Jay

For the GC treatment (dosing in the water column), I believe I have seen both following the instructions (redose after 48 hrs and then 25% water change after another 48 hrs) or waiting a week and redosing. Any recommendations? Might also be mixing it up with metro, though, alternating GC and metro every 48 hours (since GC contains metro) might be beneficial here?

 

[onefern]

For the GC treatment (dosing in the water column), I believe I have seen both following the instructions (redose after 48 hrs and then 25% water change after another 48 hrs) or waiting a week and redosing. Any recommendations? Might also be mixing it up with metro, though, alternating GC and metro every 48 hours (since GC contains metro) might be beneficial here?

My storm clown is having the exact same issue. Did she end up surviving? If so, what was your treatment?