Hi, I am new to fishkeeping and currently have 2 small juvenile clownfish that seem ill. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me diagnose the problem. I want to provide as much detail as possible so I will go through the whole story.
I set up my new 64L tank. Originally I bought 2 Percula which where shipped to me and put them in the tank (after gradual acclimatization). The tank had only been filled for 3 days which I know understand is not long enough. To compensate I have been testing the water daily and doing frequent water changes as well as adding chemicals (Nitrate minus and Fast filter start). After one day in the tank I noticed that one of the clowns had white string attached to it which I research and learned it was faeces. It was also coming up to the surface gasping for air. Unfortunately, it died the next day. I checked the water parameters and the only thing I found was that the Nitrates were high (NO3=80ppm, NO2=3ppm) but that seems very unlikely to have killed a fish in 48 hours. The other fish was beginning to show the same symptoms and wasn't eating. However, 2 days later, and after a water change, it was showing signs of recovery and I got it to finally start eating. It was still dad stringy faeces though. So treated the tank with anti-fluke & wormer medicine.
I week later there were no signs of ill-health in my surviving fish so I decided to get a replacement for his lost friend. I went to a local aquarium so I could make sure I picked a healthy fish and could get it back home ASAP to reduce the stress. They didn't have any Percula so I got an Ocellaris instead. It was very slightly bigger than my Percula and unfortunately was being aggressive towards it. I was considering taking it back since they didn't get on, but the fish store suggested that I give it a couple of days.
I tried to feed the new fish a few hours after being placed in its new home and it ate fine. But to my surprise it also had the same white faeces problem. After just one day it stopped eating and spent much of its time in the top corner of the tank - just staring at the corner motionless. I put in some more anti-fluke medicine. Conversely, the Percula was doing fine. It had a a huge appetite. It would try to eat that moved like bubbles. It would still get bullied by the newcomer occasionally, but it would generally just ignore it or snap back. I was not that concerned though because they would also swim happily together as though they were best friends.
A few days later the Percula's appetite was showing signs of dwindling. I wasn't worried - I had quite possibly been over feeding him anyway. But I did noticed that the ammonia levels were beginning to rise (0.04ppm) so I did 50% water change. However, things very quickly got worse. The Percula stopped eating too. It went from its normally happy self (coming to the edge of the tank to stare at me) to swimming in the same spot continuously for hours next to the filter system. Both fish were also gasping. After the water change though the quality seemed good so I couldn't see what the problem was. I had added a couple of small marine plants a day earlier so I removed them just in case this was somehow the problem. The Occelaris was also showing a new symptom of hiding at the bottom of the tank.
It has now been 5 days since it last ate. The Percula is sill spending all of its time just swimming in the same spot near the surface. I should be clear that it is not gasping AT the surface (which is what its late friends did before it passed). This is where I am now and very worried about them. I have given another dose of any-fluke because I don't know what else to do.
I will give the current tank parameters since people usually ask for them:
Size: 64L
Temp: 26C (79F)
SG: 1.024
Ammonia: 0.03ppm
NO3: 60ppm
NO2: 2ppm
PH: 8.0
Also I am using unfiltered (but treated) tap water.
Thank you for taking time to read this and I hope someone can help. Here is a picture of them from a couple of days ago before they got worse:
TLDR:
Symptoms: Not eating, white stringy faeces, swimming in same spot near surface, hiding by the tank bed.
I set up my new 64L tank. Originally I bought 2 Percula which where shipped to me and put them in the tank (after gradual acclimatization). The tank had only been filled for 3 days which I know understand is not long enough. To compensate I have been testing the water daily and doing frequent water changes as well as adding chemicals (Nitrate minus and Fast filter start). After one day in the tank I noticed that one of the clowns had white string attached to it which I research and learned it was faeces. It was also coming up to the surface gasping for air. Unfortunately, it died the next day. I checked the water parameters and the only thing I found was that the Nitrates were high (NO3=80ppm, NO2=3ppm) but that seems very unlikely to have killed a fish in 48 hours. The other fish was beginning to show the same symptoms and wasn't eating. However, 2 days later, and after a water change, it was showing signs of recovery and I got it to finally start eating. It was still dad stringy faeces though. So treated the tank with anti-fluke & wormer medicine.
I week later there were no signs of ill-health in my surviving fish so I decided to get a replacement for his lost friend. I went to a local aquarium so I could make sure I picked a healthy fish and could get it back home ASAP to reduce the stress. They didn't have any Percula so I got an Ocellaris instead. It was very slightly bigger than my Percula and unfortunately was being aggressive towards it. I was considering taking it back since they didn't get on, but the fish store suggested that I give it a couple of days.
I tried to feed the new fish a few hours after being placed in its new home and it ate fine. But to my surprise it also had the same white faeces problem. After just one day it stopped eating and spent much of its time in the top corner of the tank - just staring at the corner motionless. I put in some more anti-fluke medicine. Conversely, the Percula was doing fine. It had a a huge appetite. It would try to eat that moved like bubbles. It would still get bullied by the newcomer occasionally, but it would generally just ignore it or snap back. I was not that concerned though because they would also swim happily together as though they were best friends.
A few days later the Percula's appetite was showing signs of dwindling. I wasn't worried - I had quite possibly been over feeding him anyway. But I did noticed that the ammonia levels were beginning to rise (0.04ppm) so I did 50% water change. However, things very quickly got worse. The Percula stopped eating too. It went from its normally happy self (coming to the edge of the tank to stare at me) to swimming in the same spot continuously for hours next to the filter system. Both fish were also gasping. After the water change though the quality seemed good so I couldn't see what the problem was. I had added a couple of small marine plants a day earlier so I removed them just in case this was somehow the problem. The Occelaris was also showing a new symptom of hiding at the bottom of the tank.
It has now been 5 days since it last ate. The Percula is sill spending all of its time just swimming in the same spot near the surface. I should be clear that it is not gasping AT the surface (which is what its late friends did before it passed). This is where I am now and very worried about them. I have given another dose of any-fluke because I don't know what else to do.
I will give the current tank parameters since people usually ask for them:
Size: 64L
Temp: 26C (79F)
SG: 1.024
Ammonia: 0.03ppm
NO3: 60ppm
NO2: 2ppm
PH: 8.0
Also I am using unfiltered (but treated) tap water.
Thank you for taking time to read this and I hope someone can help. Here is a picture of them from a couple of days ago before they got worse:
TLDR:
Symptoms: Not eating, white stringy faeces, swimming in same spot near surface, hiding by the tank bed.
