Is my Clown sick?

[MB_Reef]

Hello,

i have 2 clown fish in a 10g saltwater tank. This tank was upgraded from a 3 gallon tank. I followed advice from LFS for transferring everything and getting it cycled.

fish are new to the 10g from lfs and were not previously in the smaller tank.

both clowns initially had white poop, but no odd behaviors. Few days later the poop is now a pale redish color and stays attached for quite some time.

one of the clowns I attached a video of for reference, but he has a patch on the 2nd white stripe that I am wondering if i should be concerned about.

The other clown seems pretty normal but less active I would say. No spots on that one.

any thoughts? I don’t have a quarantine tank and also have a long tentacle anenome and a few invertebrates, snails, red leg hermits, which all seem fine.

 

[MB_Reef]

Also forgot to mention, parameters all seem good as well using API test kit for all except ammonia. Using seachem for free ammonia which comes back at 0. Nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10.

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic

 

[Sharkbait19]

If they were eating brine shrimp and mysis primarily, it will cause white stringy poop. The reddish brown is a normal color (assuming it doesn’t look bloody). The clown looks healthy other than the mark (which looks like an injury). Keep an eye on it for now and look out for any change in behavior.
Without qt, there is a large risk to introducing diseases, and a number can pop up within the first few weeks.

As a side note, that nem looks bleached - was it like that when you got it?

 

[MB_Reef]

I would say it looks the same from when we got it. Here is a picture with different lighting. Color is more vibrant under blue lights.

 

[MB_Reef]

If they were eating brine shrimp and mysis primarily, it will cause white stringy poop. The reddish brown is a normal color (assuming it doesn’t look bloody). The clown looks healthy other than the mark (which looks like an injury). Keep an eye on it for now and look out for any change in behavior.
Without qt, there is a large risk to introducing diseases, and a number can pop up within the first few weeks.

As a side note, that nem looks bleached - was it like that when you got it?

They are fed frozen food in tank but not sure what they ate at lfs. The clowns were more aggressive at first but now seem very comfortable. So possibly a wound from initial aggression? I will keep tabs on behavior

 

[Sharkbait19]

Possibly or from a scrape on a rock - it looks like missing scales.

 

[MB_Reef]

Possibly or from a scrape on a rock - it looks like missing scales.

Okay! I'll keep an eye out and watch for anything else. Thanks for your help!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would say it looks the same from when we got it. Here is a picture with different lighting. Color is more vibrant under blue lights.

Mysis and brine does not cause white stringy poop but it’s the excess mucus that will cause it and mimics internal issues
Add LRS fish frenzy and too pellets to diet and you will see change in feces and color
As for what appears to be injury- should heal on its own
Wouldn’t be be bad to have seachem kanaplex on hand in case infection occurs

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I'm concerned because the clown seems to be breathing pretty deeply and a bit fast. You'll want to keep an eye on that, and then, if you see the fish's appeitite drop off.

Jay

 

[MB_Reef]

I'm concerned because the clown seems to be breathing pretty deeply and a bit fast. You'll want to keep an eye on that, and then, if you see the fish's appeitite drop off.

Jay

Sounds good. Thanks

 

[Weeb]

Okay! I'll keep an eye out and watch for anything else. Thanks for your help!

Try adding supplements to the fish's diet, as suggested in the Fish Nutrition post.