a clown that...scoots.

[Ron Popeil]

i was in a store the other day and noticed a chrysopterus clown that didnt swim like it should. it instead swam only with its pectoral fins, and almost "scooted" across the bottom of the tank, unable to to the typical clownfish bob. breathing was fine. appearance was normal. just its inability to swim properly. is this fish doomed?

what does this mean? what is it a sign of? are there treatments for it?

 

[stykthyn]

could just be acting weird or it could have swim bladder complications. clowns with a missing/malfunctioning swimbladder will swim and hop much like a hawkfish. sure doom in the wild, but in the home aquarium if it could get enough food it should be ok. I would definitely watch it for a while(2 weeks) at the store before I even considered buying it.

 

[Ron Popeil]

are swim bladder conditions permanent? or treatable?

 

[stykthyn]

not to my knowledge, but I could be wrong.
post this in the fish disease forum and see what comes up

 

[traveller7]

Merely an observation of one pair I picked up about two years back; one of them scooted then and is still scooting now. It appears to be by choice since it eats in a normal fashion.

 

[Ron Popeil]

thanks scott, i wouldnt say its necessarily by choice, but i would agree that it shouldnt hinder the overall health of the fish since by all other observations it appears healthy. but i am disappointed that it appears to be permanent.....

 

[frydaddy]

I had a Tricinctus that did that. He was fine for a few weeks and ate normal, but after about a month or so he died. Bacterial infections can cause the bladder deflate also.

 

[Ron Popeil]

excellent, good to know. ill see if i can find a bacterial infection medication that may help.

 

[JHardman]

I have a A. percula female that had horible internal parasites and it caused swim bladder problems. She never scooted after she recovered, but did thru treatment.

She is not normal in swim motion, but is a fully functional female. I have caught her swimming upside down more than once. Doesn't seem to bother her at all, she eats fine and spawns normally.

 

[Ron Popeil]

thanks john.

i think ill start with internal parasites, as i think that would more likely be the reason for the symptoms. then, if that doesnt work, try a bacterial treatment.

 

[Ron Popeil]

success! treated with some piperazine treated mysis shrimp, and added it to the QT water every other day and within a week of treatment, the fish now swims normally. a very dramatic difference.

thanks for the help and suggestions!