Clownfish swimming down + shaking

[407Hunter]

I can't see the video. I would just point out that your ammonia is higher than usual, and your pH is a little low - which is probably what's protecting your fish from being somewhat effective. Since your alkalinity is so far off (also probably not affecting your fish) - I wonder if your testing is correct. If you calculate the assumed mg/l based on an alkalinity it would be 288 not 120.

The alkalinity is in dKh and the kH reading is in ppm (mg/L) I didn’t convert anything just used two different tests. The alkalinity at 16 was tested at my local shop and the kH was tested at home.

 

[MnFish1]

The alkalinity is in dKh and the kH reading is in ppm (mg/L) I didn’t convert anything just used two different tests. The alkalinity at 16 was tested at my local shop and the kH was tested at home.

Yes - great - all I was saying is that the 2 tests are quite a bit apart - so its totally unable for anyone to interpret your results?

 

[407Hunter]

Yes - great - all I was saying is that the 2 tests are quite a bit apart - so its totally unable for anyone to interpret your results?

No your comment definitely makes sense. I was just sharing how I came up with them. I’ll take a look at my readings and conversions again to see where I defaulted. Thanks for calling out the initial anomalies in those readings!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Dear R2R community,

Maybe some help with my new tank. 6 weeks in. Topped off RO last night. Placed 6 new soft corals in last week.

Darker clownfish affected in videos.
Lighter clownfish will occasionally nudge him at his belly to move or play.

Last evening: Clownfish pointing downwards, hanging in corner of tank.

This early morning: same but with more movement. Ate something off the substrate twice and started shaking. Did spit some out. Not sure if was bloated and belched. But yesterday evening ate nothing.

An hour ago: swimming freely as if nothing wrong. Not pointing down as much. Not hanging in corner. Barely ate.

Parameters today
Salinity (yesterday) 1.026 pre top off
GH 170 ppm (mg/L)
Alkalinity (yesterday) 16!! Pre top off
KH 120 ppm (mg/L)
pH 7.7
No2 ppm <1
No3 ppm <10
Ammonia (yesterday) 0.5 pre top off

Not sure if swimming bladder disease was due to bloating or actual parasite. If meds are needed can someone recommend where to purchase? And if local that would be a plus. CFL area.

Also, how soon would clownfish need a nem or coral to host? Didn’t want to place something that big early in the tank but local market has nice hammerheads that I could afford 3” for $49.
Last Q: wanted to change water today 20%, recommended to wait?

Sorry for the long videos. And thanks in advance!

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

The larger clown is actually breathing too fast. I could not get a good look at the smaller one's breathing rate.

Seeing the low pH, I would suspect that low oxygen/high carbon dioxide is one issue. You need to add some aeration to the tank an air stone driven by an air pump would be best.

Also, 0.50 ppm ammonia is too high, it needs to be below 0.25 ppm.

Jay

 

[407Hunter]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

The larger clown is actually breathing too fast. I could not get a good look at the smaller one's breathing rate.

Seeing the low pH, I would suspect that low oxygen/high carbon dioxide is one issue. You need to add some aeration to the tank an air stone driven by an air pump would be best.

Also, 0.50 ppm ammonia is too high, it needs to be below 0.25 ppm.

Jay

Jay thanks for your input!

I’m always trying to see if their mouths are moving fast. Good eyes!
I just switched to a smaller air filter because my cardinals were getting sucked in the air filter. So I put a sponge and purchased a 100gph hang on air filter. The water movement has definitely simmered down though.

Would a 500 gph powerhead do justice? Or stick to an air pump?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay thanks for your input!

I’m always trying to see if their mouths are moving fast. Good eyes!
I just switched to a smaller air filter because my cardinals were getting sucked in the air filter. So I put a sponge and purchased a 100gph hang on air filter. The water movement has definitely simmered down though.

Would a 500 gph powerhead do justice? Or stick to an air pump?

You need something to break the surface tension of the water, I find that air pumps do this the best.

This may not be the other issue, but it is certainly one. Here is another issue though - if you drive off the carbon dioxide with an air pump, the pH will rise. That is good for most aquariums EXCEPT your tank has an ammonia problem. Ammonia is much more toxic at a high pH than a lower one. You will need to reduce the ammonia and increase the aeration together.....

 

[407Hunter]

You need something to break the surface tension of the water, I find that air pumps do this the best.

This may not be the other issue, but it is certainly one. Here is another issue though - if you drive off the carbon dioxide with an air pump, the pH will rise. That is good for most aquariums EXCEPT your tank has an ammonia problem. Ammonia is much more toxic at a high pH than a lower one. You will need to reduce the ammonia and increase the aeration together.....

Thanks again for the education on this.
I’ll do a water change first. Most 20% then add the pump. Meanwhile do I lower ammonia with a simple ammonia filter or some additives?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks again for the education on this.
I’ll do a water change first. Most 20% then add the pump. Meanwhile do I lower ammonia with a simple ammonia filter or some additives?

Bottled bacteria like Dr. Tim’s is one way. If you have an established tank you can move some bio media from, that can help. In dire cases you can add Amquel to detoxify some of the ammonia.

 

[407Hunter]

Bottled bacteria like Dr. Tim’s is one way. If you have an established tank you can move some bio media from, that can help. In dire cases you can add Amquel to detoxify some of the ammonia.

Thank you! Ordered Dr Tim’s should pick up in the am. Bought fluval ammonia pack then I find out it’s freshwater will be returning. Will post updates.

 

[407Hunter]

I’d like to thank everyone who provided help and hoped on board to keep up with this post. I found the culprit. My wife and I believe my 4 year old is the scapegoat. Pulled this dried out starfish from the tank that was buried in the sand. It’s from her dried coral collection. It was so gross and so much slough came off that I wasn’t able to catch it all and dissipated into the tank. I did a 20% water change (20G tank). I’m guessing this caused the incline in the ammonia due to organic matter coming off the dried starfish. I was so confused as my parameters were fabulous for the past 5-6 weeks of this new tanks life and kept on researching and was always going back to dead organic matter, eventually as I was cleaning through the sand (for uneaten food) I found the starfish. I’m still going to add Dr Tim’s and do another water change in two days. Hopefully that will do some justice and I can save my clownfish.

 

[Treefer32]

I think those jumped after adding new corals. Usually my ammonia is undetectable. I topped off last night and should do a water change today about 15% and see readings. Thinking of another 15% by tomorrow. Suggestions?

New corals wouldn't / shouldn't cause amonia spikes, unless there's critters on the corals that died. I would retest ammonia to make sure it's not a false positive.

For Alk, what test kit are you using? I'd compare with another test. You don't want to fix things that aren't broken. If things are not dying (as they should be at 16dkh) I wouldn't fix it, I would retest with different test kits. Test your water change water as well. What alk does it test at? Hopefully at this point a couple days, if the tank is cycled and went through a mini cycle, it could be over already. If fish and corals are behaving and not showing signs of stress, I wouldn't do too anything too invasive other than more tests. Don't overreact. If test numbers are wrong then, reacting to false information creates new problems.

 

[407Hunter]

New corals wouldn't / shouldn't cause amonia spikes, unless there's critters on the corals that died. I would retest ammonia to make sure it's not a false positive.

For Alk, what test kit are you using? I'd compare with another test. You don't want to fix things that aren't broken. If things are not dying (as they should be at 16dkh) I wouldn't fix it, I would retest with different test kits. Test your water change water as well. What alk does it test at? Hopefully at this point a couple days, if the tank is cycled and went through a mini cycle, it could be over already. If fish and corals are behaving and not showing signs of stress, I wouldn't do too anything too invasive other than more tests. Don't overreact. If test numbers are wrong then, reacting to false information creates new problems.

Testing again with API test kit 5-in-1. Kh still 120, GH 160-180. Not seeing the colors correctly. For the alk my local lfs (WWC) provided those results at 16 alk. Will have them test again today. Corals are looking great my magic zoas are opening up per lighting schedule and my anthelias are fully extended and in the direction of my lighting. other zoas (tic tack) look healthy but heads haven’t opened up (very small). So I’m assuming all is good. I see a lot of debris in the sand (over feeding) will clean that today but I think I’ll hold off on adding anything as you have suggested.

 

[407Hunter]

Update. He’s doing well. Still acts like a clownfish definitely less playful than my other clownfish. Will nibble the smaller frozen pellet foods and nibble Mysis shrimp. Looks good overall. Did see a long string of poop with a ball (maybe undigested pellet at the end) that hung off him for a whole day so maybe he was constipated. Will stay in one corner by the heater and under the tank assuming it’ll need something to host soon. Otherwise thank you for everyone’s input and help. Parameters are good after removing dried starfish.