One of my clownfish is not eating. He hasn’t eaten in almost a week, he normally has a Monster appetite for any and everything. He swims at the top of the water column, whereas he used to swim all around and his anemones. He showed no signs on him of ich or external parasites. At night he almost floats on his side. He is so lethargic I picked him up. When I did that he went nuts, so he had some strength, but that was four days ago.... Please any ideas are welcome!! He’s one of my originals besides being an expensive one I care about him more than the$$...
Help Please!
- Thread starter Ryana4d
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Crabs McJones
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What are your water parameters? Have you added anything new to the tank recently? Any pictures of the little guy to help us out?
Crabs McJones
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Can you take a picture of him? Could be an internal parasite or swim bladder issue if he's lying on his side. #reefsquad @Humblefish may be able to help as well
EmdeReef
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What other fish do you have and are any other acting the same way? Any discoloration or change to the body?
Lethargy, swimming around the surface etc could be a few things but perhaps the first thing to look at would be flukes, a FW dip could help you rule it out.
Lethargy, swimming around the surface etc could be a few things but perhaps the first thing to look at would be flukes, a FW dip could help you rule it out.
nautical_nathaniel
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What are you trying to feed it? Some garlic dosed mysis shrimp might get it in the mood to eat more. I would also look for any signs of aggression if you have multiple clowns.
EmdeReef
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Can you take a picture of him? Could be an internal parasite or swim bladder issue if he's lying on his side. #reefsquad @Humblefish may be able to help as well
+1 a good picture would likely help
EmdeReef
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In swim bladder cases a fish swims upside down, may float on the top or bottom of the tank (often flipped over) but will exhibit at least intermittent erratic swim patterns as it struggles to right and maintain itself. To the OP, does that sound like what your clown is doing?
Not home right now so I can’t get a better pic... I have one other clown that is bonded with this one, she checks in on him because they normally are Always together, now since where it swims they don’t stay together. I have a couple tangs, a tailspot blenny, couple orchid dottybacks... The tank is Extremely peaceful(I love it). He doesn’t always swim on his side, just more does that at night
Crabs McJones
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Agreed. Most likely culprit would be an internal parasite of some sort.
Do you notice white poop? Clownfish can do strange things as well. Not eating and lethargy are concerning. What are your parameters, no ammonia or nitrite showing? Possible bullying causing him not to eat?
rockstarta78
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I wouldn't dose the tank. Plus with the Nem in the tank, it's a big risk. See if you can catch him and put him in a QT, and dose with API General Cure. I would definitely do the treatment in isolation.
I wouldn't dose or pull him yet. Let's see if we can figure out what's going on before taking extreme measures. @Humblefish might be able to shed some light.
He doesn’t always swim like this. Also swims vertically (mainly, since noticing). I don’t think it’s a swim bladder(could be wrong) he can go up and down in the water column. I don’t have a quarantine tank...
