New clownfish breathing very heavily

[Randy’s reef]

Hey everyone I purchased a pair of clowns a week ago had them in the big tank both ate for the first day then started breathing heavily , unfortunately one died a few days later before he died he got very skinny and sluggish.

Now this one stopped eating and when it does it only eats tiny pellet particle not the whole pellet , nothing is on the fins that I can see also the body looks perfect nothing seems to be wrong , I moved him to my quarantine 3 days ago and he’s still breathing kind of heavy idk what to do I have him in coppersafe at 2.5 with Hanna checker , please help me , qt also had no ammonia and big tank also has no ammonia so idk what’s the cause.

I should add that both tanks no3 are also under 20 , I have about 8 fish in the big tank everything is doing well eating etc no Ich or anything I can see on any fish , I did have an Achilles tang I added to the tank that was eating like crazy then just passed away after a week I have no clue what’s going on tank is about 2 months old.

temp is 79-81
Sg is 1.025

 

[Randy’s reef]

Here’s a pic

 

[Randy’s reef]

I posted a video idk if it went tru

 

[Randy’s reef]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[vetteguy53081]

I posted a video idk if it went tru

Video plays but for two seconds total
Ned at least 15-20 seconds and under blue lighting. I think I see dots on the tail but cant confirm with light and insufficient time to see anything including breathing rate

 

[Randy’s reef]

Video plays but for two seconds total
Ned at least 15-20 seconds and under blue lighting. I think I see dots on the tail but cant confirm with light and insufficient time to see anything including breathing rate

One sec

 

[Randy’s reef]

Here hope it plays

 

[LoveReefing]

Awesome looking clown

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here hope it plays

It plays but image still dark due to blue lighting. Must be white only to see anything.
On the breathing, can be as simple as elevated ammonia and/or nitrate, ph high, salinity high as well as elevated temperature.
Flukes or velvet are others as well as Brook but will not assume anything without it being visible which the light holds it back

 

[Randy’s reef]

It plays but image still dark due to blue lighting. Must be white only to see anything.
On the breathing, can be as simple as elevated ammonia and/or nitrate, ph high, salinity high as well as elevated temperature.
Flukes or velvet are others as well as Brook but will not assume anything without it being visible which the light holds it back

Oh sorry I thought u said u wanted blue lighting I apologize gonna do it now

 

[Randy’s reef]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Perfect video. Breathing is not crazy fast but not a normal rate. Unless you see unusual behavior such as itching, darting, scratching or lethargic behavior, assure the following listed above are met and that water flow isnt too much for fish to swim
I assume this is a quarantine tank? If so, are you medicating it with anything?

 

[Randy’s reef]

Perfect video. Breathing is not crazy fast but not a normal rate. Unless you see unusual behavior such as itching, darting, scratching or lethargic behavior, assure the following listed above are met and that water flow isnt too much for fish to swim
I assume this is a quarantine tank? If so, are you medicating it with anything?

Yes with coppersafe at 2.5, and yeah no scratching or anything just the breathing, also had him in copper for 2 days so far

 

[tgrick]

Yes with coppersafe at 2.5, and yeah no scratching or anything just the breathing, also had him in copper for 2 days so far

How fast did you raise it to that level? When I use copper...it takes DAYS to get there. What test kit? Hanna? If the level was 2.5 when the fish was added it's usually a problem. Slow is fine. Fast is not. Let us know.

 

[Randy’s reef]

How fast did you raise it to that level? When I use copper...it takes DAYS to get there. What test kit? Hanna? If the level was 2.5 when the fish was added it's usually a problem. Slow is fine. Fast is not. Let us know.

I did 1.3 then 2.5 over the course of 2 days , should I lower it? And it was breathing heavy since before I put it in the qt

 

[tgrick]

I did 1.3 then 2.5 over the course of 2 days , should I lower it? And it was breathing heavy since before I put it in the qt

In my opinion, 2.5 days is too quick. Others may disagree. What I would do is place the fish in normal sea water for a few days or until he starts to relax. Then, my 1st dose would be to about .5. The next day .75. Then about another quarter until I hit 2. I do not like to go over 2.

Did the fish come from a known infected tank? I might rush it more if it was velvet, but not for ick. Having fish for 40 years there are subtle signs. Breathing is one. Another is hanging out in one place. Also hovering around the top or bottom. This fish to me looks stressed, not sick. The issue is that stress kills fish.

 

[tgrick]

Also, and I CAN NOT explain why. But, I FEEL that copper safe is more harsh than say copper power. That's my thought.

 

[Spare time]

In my opinion, 2.5 days is too quick. Others may disagree. What I would do is place the fish in normal sea water for a few days or until he starts to relax. Then, my 1st dose would be to about .5. The next day .75. Then about another quarter until I hit 2. I do not like to go over 2.

Did the fish come from a known infected tank? I might rush it more if it was velvet, but not for ick. Having fish for 40 years there are subtle signs. Breathing is one. Another is hanging out in one place. Also hovering around the top or bottom. This fish to me looks stressed, not sick. The issue is that stress kills fish.

It needs to be raised to 2.5 in the first day. Otherwise a disease can grab a foothold

 

[tgrick]

It needs to be raised to 2.5 in the first day. Otherwise a disease can grab a foothold

I have never had a fish survive when done instantly. Not once.

 

[tgrick]

Read his 2nd post. I agree 100% with this.

Copper treatment

Copper treatment What It Treats – Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) and Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum). There is some anecdotal evidence that copper will suppress symptoms of Brooklynella hostilis and Uronema marinum; however it is unlikely to completely eradicate either. How...

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