What caused my clownfish to die?

[NickNiz]

I wasn't home last night since I'm watching my parents dogs, but I got a text from a roommate saying that the smaller of the two clowns was pale and stuck to the pump... I had him remove the clown. I'm wondering what could have caused this to happen? There were not any signs of ich/brook/velvet, or any infections whatsoever.

Water parameters are (from what I'm able to test):
Nitrate: ~15
Phosphate: 0.04
Calc: 480
Alk: 8.7
Salinity: 1.028

Salinity has been high since I removed the hood on my nano cube (in favor of an AI fixture), so I've been topping off with distilled water but the salinity hasn't gone down much. Could it have been stress from this?

There was also no fighting between clowns... The larger wouldn't let the smaller one in the anemone, but that's it. No fin nipping or signs of damage to either. Could have this just been a freak accident with a power head? I don't want anything happening to my other clown...

 

[Katrina71]

Sorry about your little guy

 

[4FordFamily]

I wasn't home last night since I'm watching my parents dogs, but I got a text from a roommate saying that the smaller of the two clowns was pale and stuck to the pump... I had him remove the clown. I'm wondering what could have caused this to happen? There were not any signs of ich/brook/velvet, or any infections whatsoever.

Water parameters are (from what I'm able to test):
Nitrate: ~15
Phosphate: 0.04
Calc: 480
Alk: 8.7
Salinity: 1.028

Salinity has been high since I removed the hood on my nano cube (in favor of an AI fixture), so I've been topping off with distilled water but the salinity hasn't gone down much. Could it have been stress from this?

There was also no fighting between clowns... The larger wouldn't let the smaller one in the anemone, but that's it. No fin nipping or signs of damage to either. Could have this just been a freak accident with a power head? I don't want anything happening to my other clown...

What I don't see is nitrite and ammonia levels -- how long has the tank been set up?

Unless your pump is very very powerful it's rare for a healthy fish to get stuck. Typically the fish had an ailment or was ill in some way.

Unless your salinity increased abruptly shortly before you attempted to reduce it, it's unlikely to be the cause of the fish's demise -- although I'm sure it wasn't particularly helpful.

Sorry for your loss!

 

[NickNiz]

@4FordFamily
The tank has been running in my posession for about 9 months. I received it from someone who had been running it for 6 months...

The pump is a Koralia Nano 240 which is why I thought it was unlikely as well... I don't have ammonia/Nitrite test kits unfortunately, as I figure it gets sorted out with 1.5 gallon water changes 2x per week (for a 12 gal)... I just decided to invest in the main ones so far, with the exception of Mg.

 

[4FordFamily]

Perhaps the clown had internal parasites robbing him of nutrients and making it less apt to eat.

Did you ever see white, stringy poop?

 

[NickNiz]

The poop was green/brown but was somewhat stringy. Maybe in 0.5-1cm segments.

 

[Fishfinder]

Was he eating normally? I'm a little confused about the salinity issue, are you saying that the salinity went up because of evaporation? Because topping off should return it to its normal level.

 

[NickNiz]

Before I started topping off, I did a SW water change a few days after getting the light. So I replenished the already higher salinity with fresh 1.026 saltwater... I think that caused the increase. I've never really had to top off this much before because of the light hood. I've been adding some distilled water when refilling the tank after water changes, but it still hasn't gone down much... I've seen it hovering between 1.027 and 1.028 after topping off. Once I get it to 1.026 it might be time to consider an ATO...

As for feeding, he ate quite a bit of mysis and reef roids up until Friday, when I was at the house last.

 

[4FordFamily]

To be sure -- you aren't refilling evaporation water with saltwater, correct?

Salt doesn't evaporate so when you top off your water level you should always add fresh RO or it will increase the salinity.

 

[Fishfinder]

Yes, what he said

 

[NickNiz]

I did the first time after getting the light. After that I've been topping off with distilled freshwater, and during water changes I use about 80% saltwater and 20% freshwater to refill.

 

[saratj1]

When you get a chance do a 10% to 15% water change with no salt. that should get you back right.
what do you mean you use 80% salt water and 20% fresh water for a water change? You need to check the salinity of your tank and your fresh mixed salt water when you do the water change. For example you drain 10 gal dirty water from your tank you check salinity of the tank water its 1.028 a little high, so when you go to replenish the 10 gal of salt water you took out I would mix the new water lower like 1.018ish and that should bring the salinity down gently.
I would also look into getting a refractometer other methods can be innaccurate. And I doubt this issue messed your clown up though, they can tolerate a pretty good swing in salinity especially over time.

 

[thaitopher]

That 1.028 salinity definitely could be the cause. Should have never let it linger at that level. Should have sent it down to at least 1.025 within two days of discovering it.

 

[NickNiz]

When I prepare 5 gallons of saltwater, I prepare 4 using coral pro salt and then pour a gallon of distilled on top of that. I've been using this type of water over 2 weeks, checking after every WC hoping to bring salinity down without shocking anything.

 

[Dom]

I wasn't home last night since I'm watching my parents dogs, but I got a text from a roommate saying that the smaller of the two clowns was pale and stuck to the pump... I had him remove the clown. I'm wondering what could have caused this to happen? There were not any signs of ich/brook/velvet, or any infections whatsoever.

Water parameters are (from what I'm able to test):
Nitrate: ~15
Phosphate: 0.04
Calc: 480
Alk: 8.7
Salinity: 1.028

Salinity has been high since I removed the hood on my nano cube (in favor of an AI fixture), so I've been topping off with distilled water but the salinity hasn't gone down much. Could it have been stress from this?

There was also no fighting between clowns... The larger wouldn't let the smaller one in the anemone, but that's it. No fin nipping or signs of damage to either. Could have this just been a freak accident with a power head? I don't want anything happening to my other clown...

What kind of clown? Generally speaking, clowns are very hearty and not likely to meet their demise from less than favorable water quality. It may have had something medical going on.

 

[Fishfinder]

since you have a 12gal tank the best way to do it is to get a 5 gal bucket. mark a line near the top. Fill it with that much water every time. Get a big measuring cup. Figure out how many cups of salt gets you to 35ppt. Use that many cups every single time, with same exact amount of water. You will never have a problem. Then just top off evaporation with RODI

 

[saratj1]

When I prepare 5 gallons of saltwater, I prepare 4 using coral pro salt and then pour a gallon of distilled on top of that. I've been using this type of water over 2 weeks, checking after every WC hoping to bring salinity down without shocking anything.

what salinity do you mix the 4 gallons to? and how do you measure salinity?

 

[NickNiz]

What kind of clown? Generally speaking, clowns are very hearty and not likely to meet their demise from less than favorable water quality. It may have had something medical going on.

It was a false Perc clown I believe...

what salinity do you mix the 4 gallons to? and how do you measure salinity?

The 4 gallons is mixed to 1.026... I use 680g of RSCP per 5 gallons as a key. As for testing, I have a hydrometer but also have my LFS test whenever I visit with their refractometer. Very similar results so far.

 

[saratj1]

ive never measured by weight, but hydrometer with regular comparison with a refractometer is good enough. Somethings up though if that salinity isnt coming down afterwards though.
But a sudden increase from 1.026 to 1.028 isnt going to send that clown to fish heaven though bit can certainly stress a fish and add to another issue

 

[NickNiz]

Yeah... I'm thinking if it was an issue with a water parameter, I will just do a 3-4 gal water change. If it's an infection though, I'm not sure what to do. I've only got the 12 gallon and no QT at all. The other clown looks perfectly fine though.