Help! Clownfish is dying

TerraCaelus · Feb 27, 2016

Not 5 minutes ago I was cleaning my tank glass and all my fish looked fine....now my phantom clownfish is lying on the substrate gasping for air and my angelfish is picking on him...I have given him a safe space to rest...its almost like he is in shock. Everyone ate this morning too!

Anyone have this happen? Could he have been hit by the pistol shrimp?

40 gallon breeder..water checks out
2 clownfish
pygmy angel fish
cleaner shrimp
watchman goby
pistol shrimp

Humblefish · Feb 27, 2016

Anything visible on him (white spots, cut/injury)? Any of your other fish acting weird? When was the last fish added to your DT and do you QT?

TerraCaelus · Feb 27, 2016

Humblefish said:
Anything visible on him (white spots, cut/injury)? Any of your other fish acting weird? When was the last fish added to your DT and do you QT?

No visible injuries. I haven't added any fish in the last month. I don't have a QT at this time. It is really like he is severely stunned, I'm wondering if my pistol shrimp could be to blame.

I have him in a thick net right now to keep him safe from the others.

Humblefish · Feb 27, 2016

TerraCaelus said:
It is really like he is severely stunned,

It can happen. I had a wrasse that was running from a angelfish one time. He dove into the sand a little too close to a rock and knocked himself out cold. Died instantly. Accidents happen in the "war of the ocean".