Snowflake clown not eating, breathing heavily.

[alvintran]

My snowflake clown (female) started not eating, and breathing heavily yesterday afternoon, and into today. I've tried feeding it pellets, flakes, soaked in garlic, but she won't even touch it. I usually feed her frozen mysis shrimp, but I ran out and haven't gotten a chance to buy a new pack, so that might be what's causing her not eating, but I thought anything that's soaked in garlic is appetizing to any fish. (All other fish are acting normally, including the other clown)
Also, she is breathing heavily, with her mouth, so that makes me even more worried. I've attached a video of her below, so please watch and let me know what you think.
Here are some info:
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• * Ammonia Level(Tank) 0
• * Nitrite Level(Tank) 0
• * Nitrate level(Tank) 0
• * Salinity (Tank) 1.021Other Required Info:
• * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API drops
• * Water temperature? 80F
• * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 29 Gallon, 4 months
• * How often do you change the water and how much? biweekly, 5 gallon

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• * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? 4 days ago, 5 gallons
• * How many fish in the tank and their size?2 clownfish, 1 YWG, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 bicolor blenny
• * What do you feed your fish and how often? usually frozen, Formula One Marine Pellet and Seaweed Extreme since 2-3 days ago
• * Any new fish added to the tank? A clownfish, the YWG, Pistol, and Bicolor Blenny
• * Any medications added to the tank? No
• * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. None
• * Any unusual findings on the fish? No
• * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Hovering in the low flow area yesterday, but came out to the high flow area today, heavy breathing, not eating, not really swimming around a lot.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ed2a6gpY1g
Here's the video. Please excuse the dirty glass, the shaking, and the camera not able to focus right on the fish.

 

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

Is your salinity always that low?

 

[alvintran]

Is your salinity always that low?

When I do a water change, I also make the water 1.024, so I have no idea how it got down to 1.021. I was kind of shocked. So should I raise the salinity up slowly? If so, how can I do it safely?

 

[Tahoe61]

Your salinity if fine for the fish, corals would probably like the value a little higher. Personally I would let evaporation do the work and not raise the SG at this time. Fish handle going down in SG well, going up is another story and needs to be done slowly.

You're right she does seem to be breathing heavily. I suspect Cryptocaryon irritans (marine ich) or Brookynella. Did you add all 3 fish at the same time? Is the new clown the one that is sick?

You can try adding supplemental oxygen to the tank. Other than that you have to decide how aggressively you want to treat.

If you want to treat the entire tank? All the fish? Start a QT tank?

If the fish was still eating I would feel better about it.

Nice detailed post and video, thank you that helps very much.

 

[oceancube]

Where did you purchase your clownfish from?

 

[jdl513]

Is the clown in question the one you recently added or the other one?

Have you ever seen it eat anything other than mysis?
Just wondering if nothing more than being stubborn and the rapid breathing is nothing more than being annoyed there is a new clown in her tank.

If the rapid breathing continues I would try to move her to a hyposalinity QT to treat.

 

[alvintran]

Your salinity if fine for the fish, corals would probably like the value a little higher. Personally I would let evaporation do the work and not raise the SG at this time. Fish handle going down in SG well, going up is another story and needs to be done slowly.

You're right she does seem to be breathing heavily. I suspect Cryptocaryon irritans (marine ich) or Brookynella. Did you add all 3 fish at the same time?Yes I did. Is the new clown the one that is sick? No, the sick clown is the resident clown before the 3 were added.

You can try adding supplemental oxygen to the tank. I have a protein skimmer that oxygenates the water, and also water surface agitation too. Other than that you have to decide how aggressively you want to treat.

If you want to treat the entire tank? All the fish? Start a QT tank?

If the fish was still eating I would feel better about it.

Nice detailed post and video, thank you that helps very much.

Thank you

 

[alvintran]

Where did you purchase your clownfish from?

The sick one was purchase from a LFS and was from Sustainable Aquatics. The 3 new ones were bought from a different LFS.

Is the clown in question the one you recently added or the other one?

Have you ever seen it eat anything other than mysis? I don't think so, although I did try to feed pellets the first day I had her, and she did not eat maybe because she was new to the tank.
Just wondering if nothing more than being stubborn and the rapid breathing is nothing more than being annoyed there is a new clown in her tank.

If the rapid breathing continues I would try to move her to a hyposalinity QT to treat.

I'm setting up a quarantine tank right now, I'll see what I'll treat then.

 

[dendroman]

You might try treating it with pirazipro

 

[alvintran]

The fish is in QT now, but I haven't added any medication yet. Still breathing heavily and not eating. Any suggestions what it might be and how to treat it?

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