Found clownfish dead

[Turtleman87]

Last night I went to bed and notice my new clown fish (added 2 days ago with another clown) was swimming up towards the top of the tank kind of erratically and weird. I check ammonia and Nitrite levels and they were 0. This morning the poor guy was dead. I checked all parameters

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 2 ppm
Ph 8.0
Salinity 1.024
Temp 77.7
Phosphates .08
Calcium 420
Magnesium 1320

All other fish seem healthy. I took out the fish and examined for spots, injuries etc and saw nothing.

Not quite sure what to do at this point. First fish that has died so im not sure what else I should do to prevent this in the future.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

how big is the tank, how many fish in the tank, and how old is the tank?

 

[Tamale]

Could have been a combo of stress/bullying maybe? What are the other fish?

 

[Turtleman87]

how big is the tank, how many fish in the tank, and how old is the tank?

how big is the tank, how many fish in the tank, and how old is the tank?

55 gallon
4 fish (3 fish now, fire fish, royal gramma and the other clown.)
Set up tank 6 weeks ago. Finished cycling 2 weeks ago.

No ammonia or nitrites in tank

 

[Turtleman87]

Could have been a combo of stress/bullying maybe? What are the other fish?

Another clown I purchased him with, a fire fish and a royal gramma

 

[maleks.reef]

4 fish in the span of 2 weeks in such a new tank sounds like a lot. It could have been a small ammonia spike + the stress.

 

[Cell]

4 fish in the span of 2 weeks in such a new tank sounds like a lot. It could have been a small ammonia spike + the stress.

Maybe for a nano tank. 4 small fish in a 55G barely registers.

 

[Turtleman87]

4 fish in the span of 2 weeks in such a new tank sounds like a lot. It could have been a small ammonia spike + the stress.

I am newer to this so I'm not disagreeing however, I know there was no ammonia spike because I have seneye

Maybe for a nano tank. 4 small fish in a 55G barely registers.

I thought the same thing. Plus I added 2 then waited 2 weeks and added the other 2. I also know for a fact I had no ammonia spikes.

 

[Cell]

Think of it this way, if 4 fish in 55G is too much, then how would you ever stock a 10G tank safely?

 

[Grumblez]

Did you quarantine your fish? @revhtree we need a bot in the disease form that asks if you quarantine and links to this https://humble.fish/quarantine/ or the jay post lol.

Could have been disease but also could have been the old clown bullying, did you buy the fish in person or have it shipped? If shipped could be shipping stress

 

[Rocklefrag]

Some fish just don’t travel well. I would keep an eye on everything but not freak out. This has happened to me for no rhyme or reason before with new fish. Inspect the body for any signs of disease or trauma. Also as long as you get a clown to replace in the next few weeks they should still pair/bond as long as you make sure you get a bigger or smaller one than the one still in tank. Sorry about the loss but it happens.

 

[Turtleman87]

Did you quarantine your fish?

The small LFS I bought from quarantined for me since my quarentine tank is.t ready yet. Maybe bad idea? He does it for all his customers if you ask and he came highly recommended but a lot of people.

 

[Cell]

Quarantine procedures can greatly differ between individuals or LFS'. Unless you know the exact protocol followed, it may not have been sufficient.

 

[Grumblez]

The small LFS I bought from quarantined for me since my quarentine tank is.t ready yet. Maybe bad idea? He does it for all his customers if you ask and he came highly recommended but a lot of people.

What fish store NC isn't to far from me that's cool, and what is his quarantine protocol? If none of your other fish show any symptoms in the next week or so I would assume some sort of combo of stress and bullying

 

[Harold999]

Did he eat well?

What i've learned with clowns is make sure you have watched them eating, ask the seller to feed them before you let them bag.

 

[Reefahholic]

I think your culprit is Uronema. I’ve had the same symptoms happen with multiple clowns on several occasions. Clowns & blue-green Chromis have been coming in with Uronema or pick it up at the LFS or wholesalers.

Look familiar:

 

[Turtleman87]

Did he eat well?

What i've learned with clowns is make sure you have watched them eating, ask the seller to feed them before you let them bag.

No he did not eat the when I fed the tank. That was my first sign of something

 

[Turtleman87]

I think your culprit is Uronema. I’ve had the same symptoms happen with multiple clowns on several occasions. Clowns & blue-green Chromis have been coming in with Uronema or pick it up at the LFS or wholesalers.

Look familiar:

Yeah. Very well could be.

 

[Turtleman87]

I think your culprit is Uronema. I’ve had the same symptoms happen with multiple clowns on several occasions. Clowns & blue-green Chromis have been coming in with Uronema or pick it up at the LFS or wholesalers.

Look familiar:

I just looked up uronema and don't think that was it. He didn't have any skin lesions.

 

[Reefahholic]

I just looked up uronema and don't think that was it. He didn't have any skin lesions.

In the beginning stages they won’t and sometimes never do. It will go internally and kill the fish quickly. Chromis are really the only fish I’ve constantly seen the vertical head lesions on. Not sure why.