Please help - clownfish dying.

[bookeey517]

I looked at my clown fish this morning (had for 7 months, always healthy as an ox) and it had ripped fins, discoloration on the top of it, fast breathing, and a weird swimming pattern. He was my first fish and it would take a good toll on me if I lost him . Can anyone please help?

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

#fishmedic

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I looked at my clown fish this morning (had for 7 months, always healthy as an ox) and it had ripped fins, discoloration on the top of it, fast breathing, and a weird swimming pattern. He was my first fish and it would take a good toll on me if I lost him . Can anyone please help?

My first question would be - what other fish are in the tank with your clownfish? It looks like it has been attacked by another fish. If no other fish are in the tank, we would need more background information to try to figure this out. This post explains that:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[bookeey517]

My first question would be - what other fish are in the tank with your clownfish? It looks like it has been attacked by another fish. If no other fish are in the tank, we would need more background information to try to figure this out. This post explains that:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Hi Jay, thanks for your response.

the only other fish in my tank that could possibly pose a threat to the clown fish is the humu humu trigger fish.
I don’t think it is another fish doing this to it because for one, I have never seen my triggerfish hurt or even try to hurt another fish in my tank. Secondly, because it is a maroon clownfish, I think it would be able to put up a fight against the trigger fish and atleast damage it a little but I haven’t seen a single mark on the trigger.
My ammonia is practically zero
Nitrite is practically sero
Nitrate is 15 ppm (higher than normal, could this relate to the problem?)
Phosphate is 0.20ppm
Salinity is 0.024 ppm.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi Jay, thanks for your response.

the only other fish in my tank that could possibly pose a threat to the clown fish is the humu humu trigger fish.
I don’t think it is another fish doing this to it because for one, I have never seen my triggerfish hurt or even try to hurt another fish in my tank. Secondly, because it is a maroon clownfish, I think it would be able to put up a fight against the trigger fish and atleast damage it a little but I haven’t seen a single mark on the trigger.
My ammonia is practically zero
Nitrite is practically sero
Nitrate is 15 ppm (higher than normal, could this relate to the problem?)
Phosphate is 0.20ppm
Salinity is 0.024 ppm.

Humu Humu very capable having extremely strong jaws and attitude. While Maroon can have an attitude, theyre no match for certain fish.
last 2-3 days, have you noticed any change in diet-breathing-swimming behavior ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi Jay, thanks for your response.

the only other fish in my tank that could possibly pose a threat to the clown fish is the humu humu trigger fish.
I don’t think it is another fish doing this to it because for one, I have never seen my triggerfish hurt or even try to hurt another fish in my tank. Secondly, because it is a maroon clownfish, I think it would be able to put up a fight against the trigger fish and atleast damage it a little but I haven’t seen a single mark on the trigger.
My ammonia is practically zero
Nitrite is practically sero
Nitrate is 15 ppm (higher than normal, could this relate to the problem?)
Phosphate is 0.20ppm
Salinity is 0.024 ppm.

I think the trigger could be the culprit, they can turn very nasty. Coral reef fish are very alert to everything around them - including you being in the room. They will often be on their "best behavior" while you are watching them, and then turn nasty when you leave. Social dynamics with fish also change over time - so fish that have been living together fine may end up fighting over time. What other fish do you have in there? Clownfish very often have breakdowns and fight....

Jay

 

[HBtank]

That trigger is certainly capable of that, regardless of how feisty a maroon may be.

 

[bookeey517]

Humu Humu very capable having extremely strong jaws and attitude. While Maroon can have an attitude, theyre no match for certain fish.
last 2-3 days, have you noticed any change in diet-breathing-swimming behavior ?

i don’t know what is going on and I’m kind of panicking. I went up to check on it and it is breathing rapidly and flapping its find upside down. Please help.

 

[vetteguy53081]

i don’t know what is going on and I’m kind of panicking. I went up to check on it and it is breathing rapidly and flapping its find upside down. Please help.

This fish may be Moribund and in honesty not much you can do. Isolating it and providing it added oxygen may help but there is nothing you can add to reverse this more than likely

 

[bookeey517]

I think the trigger is the culprit, they can turn very nasty. Coral reef fish are very alert to everything around them - including you being in the room. They will often be on their "best behavior" while you are watching them, and then turn nasty when you leave. Social dynamics with fish also change over time - so fish that have been living together fine may end up fighting over time.

Jay

Hi Jay, I think there is something in the water that is killing it but I can’t catch it.
I can tell that it is slowly dying and I don’t think it will last another hour.
It flapps it’s fins while upside down on the ground and it is breathing very rapidly. Every 30 seconds it gets a burst of energy and swims “normally” for about a minute. It is slowly running out of energy, is it time to let go?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

i don’t know what is going on and I’m kind of panicking. I went up to check on it and it is breathing rapidly and flapping its find upside down. Please help.

For this emergency, you should isolate the clownfish in another tank, or more easily, in a isolation tank hanging on your DT. However, skin and fin damage to a fish makes it difficult for them to osmoregulate properly, so if the damage is too great, stopping the issue may not be enough. Also, there is the chance that the clownfish had some predisposing issue that allowed it to get beaten up....I can't tell you what that might be, but just isolating the clown won't solve that problem.

Jay

 

[bookeey517]

For this emergency, you should isolate the clownfish in another tank, or more easily, in a isolation tank hanging on your DT. However, skin and fin damage to a fish makes it difficult for them to osmoregulate properly, so if the damage is too great, stopping the issue may not be enough. Also, there is the chance that the clownfish had some predisposing issue that allowed it to get beaten up....I can't tell you what that might be, but just isolating the clown won't solve that problem.

Jay

I see,
As of now it is laying on the ground with minimal fin movement but rapid gill movement.
It was my first fish so saying goodbye brings a tear to my eye, but I guess things happen.

 

[bookeey517]

This fish may be Moribund and in honesty not much you can do. Isolating it and providing it added oxygen may help but there is nothing you can add to reverse this more than likely

You are right, I just had to say goodbye to it, I guess things happen.

 

[vetteguy53081]

You are right, I just had to say goodbye to it, I guess things happen.

sorry to hear

 

[Uncle99]

Just part of the hobby.
We learn each time.
Next…..