Why do my clownfish keep dying?

[glb]

I've kept clownfish in my 12g nano for years without a problem, and now I can't keep them alive. I've lost 3 in the past month (only 2 in the tank at a time) and now my last little guy is gasping at the bottom of the tank. Here's my numbers so far:

Temp: 77
SG: 1.023
pH: 7.7
Ammonia: 0ppm

I'll finish testing and post the rest. Other than a gha outbreak that I'm bringing under control with a phosban reactor, the tank in theory is fine. Any other reasons than water quality would be very helpful. I just don't know what to do. Other results to come....

 

[carl page]

U change anything...how u top off tank? Salt product...food..? Something/anything change?

 

[reid429]

Ph is low, gha = high nitrates. Need more tests done

 

[glb]

Last nitrates were 4ppm. Had a phosphate problem until I got gfo and last reading was 0ppm. Hold on for new reading.

 

[zwulfke]

any thing about the fish when they die. White spots, strings or do they just end up on the bottom

 

[glb]

Phosphates still read a 0.0ppm in the water. I know there's some because of the gha but it's down from .17ppm a few months ago. Gfo reactor is new but fish were dying before I got it. I mounted the lid of the tank above it so I'd have more room in the sump area. Temp is slightly down but I have a heater on the way. Alk is 177ppm.

 

[glb]

any thing about the fish when they die. White spots, strings or do they just end up on the bottom

No ich. When I find them dead there's nothing unusual, no discoloration. The one in my tank right now is still alive but at the bottom of tank, breathing quickly. Fins are not clamped. He's upright too.

 

[Humblefish]

Any dinos mixed in with the GHA? Dinos release toxins into the water which usually only kill snails, but in just a 12 gal could also affect fish.

Other possibility is disease. I'm assuming there was no visible evidence of any disease on any of the deceased? How fast do they die after adding them? Any other fish in this tank? Any evidence of a predator (ex. crab) killing them?

 

[zwulfke]

What about O2 levels do you have a skimmer on It ??? maybe try and add air If he Is breathing quickly he Is having an Issue with a toxin In the water or O2 level

 

[Humblefish]

The one in my tank right now is still alive but at the bottom of tank, breathing quickly. Fins are not clamped. He's upright too.

Take him out and perform a freshwater dip (see below). Look for evidence of gill flukes. Report back and tell me if he seems better after the dip.

Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes, Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.

How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.

Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.

For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.

Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.

 

[glb]

Other tank details. LED lights. Sponges and purigen in the sump. Tank 5+ years old. Crashed last year due to a temp spike and I lost all my corals. Had a bad gha/cyano outbreak after that. Cyano is gone and gha is going away. Temp is 1-2 degrees cooler without lid but fish were dying before that. Just checked food. Spectrum Thera A. It expired in 2013 but doesn't look degraded. Could that be it?

 

[glb]

NO3: 5ppm

 

[glb]

Ok just did the FW dip. He freaked out but is now back in the SW and swimming around like crazy. He's at the surface of the water and much more energetic.

 

[glb]

Take him out and perform a freshwater dip (see below). Look for evidence of gill flukes. Report back and tell me if he seems better after the dip.

Thank you. He seems much better at least for now.

 

[glb]

He's close to the bottom now but still very active.

 

[glb]

Mg: 1400ppm
Ca: 485ppm

 

[glb]

What about O2 levels do you have a skimmer on It ??? maybe try and add air If he Is breathing quickly he Is having an Issue with a toxin In the water or O2 level

No skimmer. Should I put an air stone in the water?

 

[glb]

No skimmer. Should I put an air stone in the water?

Ok went ahead and put an air stone in. Is there a way to measure O2?

 

[glb]

I know pH is low because of a co2 problem. It usually sits at 7.8 without a problem. But 7.7 is low, even for my tank.

 

[Humblefish]

Ok just did the FW dip. He freaked out but is now back in the SW and swimming around like crazy. He's at the surface of the water and much more energetic.

This suggests he has parasites inside his gills, and exposure to FW provided some temporary relief by clearing at least some of them out. Unfortunately, this is not a permanent fix. I would say you are dealing with one of two parasites: Velvet (Amyloodinium) or Brooklynella. Both of those usually have visible physical symptoms, but I have been noticing lately this is not always the case. Sometimes they just attack inside the gills.

Do you have a QT? You will also probably need access to a medication containing formalin and copper in the very near future.