Are my Clowns Sick?

[AT_Hiker]

My first 2 fish have been in quarantine for about 3 weeks. I prophylactically treated them with a 1 hour Paraguard batch when they first arrived, and they just completed 2 weeks of treatment with Cupramine. Yesterday I did a 20% water change and noticed they were acting strange afterwards. They were staying near the bottom of the tank, wouldn't eat, and seemed to be breathing hard. I thought maybe I threw the PH out of whack by doing such a large water change, but this morning I think I see a couple of white dots on their backs. (See picture: it was taken with a cellphone, so sorry for the poor quality). They still won't eat this morning. Is this brooklynella? Should I give them another Paraguard bath?

Other parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite 0.001 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm
PH ~7.8

 

[wnppmy]

Actually your trying to do things correctly.

How old is your tank, any info on its setup.

Clowns known to carry parasites etc reason quarantined suggested.

My procedures are abit different, I beef them up on frequent feedings, even questionable Garlic Flakes, hatched brine, frozen food, current favored frozen Jelly Fish Plankton.

But as yours aren't eating, check the stats, salinity, do the basic ammonia, nitrite, nitrate tests.

I do water changes smaller amounts weekly.

If you do too much just stresses things, check things out.

Last I don't trust arm reading salinity hydrometer as mine waaaay off. Invest in a more precision Refractometer, my best investment todate.

 

[AT_Hiker]

The QT is about around 1 1/2 months old. I cycled the tank before I added the fish.

The only thing that seems off to me is that my PH normally runs around 8.2, and after the water change it was around 7.8. (Unfortunately I didn't measure it before the water change)

All other parameters are good:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite 0.001 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm
PH ~7.8
Specific Gravity: 1.023 (measured with a refractometer)

 

[wnppmy]

You may simply have purchased a bad specimen. Be sure yor tank has fully cycled, I have simply ghost fed mine few times a week before introducing live. Takes a long time to fully establish things, patience.

Hope he pulls thru.

Ok again your doing things AOK, my feeling you may simply have a poor specimen.

Some of my purchases wait to see how they behave at the local pet store.

You can leave things fish less for awhile as parasites need a host, could experiment with shrimp, etc meanwhile, know its a pain, you'll get there.

Sure more will chime in to help identify your issue.

 

[keithhays]

Cupramine has to be kept at the right dosage (.5ppm) for the whole 14 days. If you are sure that you did this, then likely something got contaminated and you will have to treat again. If it doesn't work the second time, being sure nothing is able to contaminate the tank after treatment, then you are likely going to have to try Quinine Sulfate because, if it is cryptocaryon, it is copper resistant.

 

[wnppmy]

I don't like to use meds, again stress.

I've had my share of Ich battles, all pulled thru with proper feedings. Even point my finger at myself not necessarily correct, just worked for me.

Wish only the best.

Above is the correct info, listen to him.

 

[AT_Hiker]

anyone else?

 

[keithhays]

Only that it isn't brooklynella. First they would be dead by now and it also doesn't present like brooklynella.

 

[hillscp]

If they were doing well before the water change then maybe something with the water? Is this a new batch of salt? Did you check the SG?

Hmmm

 

[whodeydan76]

+1 on it not being brooklynella. That Sh%$ is terrible and really deadly really fast. It kinda looks like ich or possibly just some kind of a parasite. I would dose supramene again and see where you are... I bet you are super glad you did the quarantine arent you?

 

[AT_Hiker]

I bet you are super glad you did the quarantine arent you?

YES! I don't care what anyone says. I will never put an unquarantined fish in my DT.

Since the problem started as soon as I did a water change I'm thinking the water could be the problem. I went to my LFS and picked up enough water to do a 30% water change. I can already see that the fish are breathing easier. Hopefully they'll start eating again soon.

 

[keithhays]

YES! I don't care what anyone says. I will never put an unquarantined fish in my DT.

Since the problem started as soon as I did a water change I'm thinking the water could be the problem. I went to my LFS and picked up enough water to do a 30% water change. I can already see that the fish are breathing easier. Hopefully they'll start eating again soon.

What about the little white spots though?

 

[AT_Hiker]

The owner of the LFS told me fish will sometimes develop white spots when stressed, which could happen is something was wrong with the water. So I'm going to try this water change, and if I notice more spots I'll start treating with Cupramine again.

 

[keithhays]

The owner of the LFS told me fish will sometimes develop white spots when stressed, which could happen is something was wrong with the water. So I'm going to try this water change, and if I notice more spots I'll start treating with Cupramine again.

That's good about the cupramine that is....not so good that the LFS thinks stress when he sees white spots on the fish.

 

[AT_Hiker]

An update on my clowns:

After completing a 30% water change I could see right away that the fish were breathing easier. I waited until morning to feed them, and they were eagerly taking the food. And today I can no longer see the white spots. Maybe the guy at the LFS was correct afterall.

 

[bshow24]

Great news that the fish were breathing better and eating. Be careful with the white spots though. That sounds a lot like ich (when stressed it shows but when not, you cannot see it). I would also be worried that the LFS said that white spots show up when stressed.

If I were you, I would treat them for ich, however you want to do that. Because if you put them in, even when they are not showing signs, it could infect your entire tank and be very hard to get rid of.

 

[keithhays]

Great news that the fish were breathing better and eating. Be careful with the white spots though. That sounds a lot like ich (when stressed it shows but when not, you cannot see it). I would also be worried that the LFS said that white spots show up when stressed.

If I were you, I would treat them for ich, however you want to do that. Because if you put them in, even when they are not showing signs, it could infect your entire tank and be very hard to get rid of.

+1 Better to be safe than sorry. It is almost a text book example. Btw, do you always buy your water from the LFS?

 

[Cymonous]

What do you have for water movement? Do you also use a pump with air stone? What temp do you keep the tank at?

 

[AT_Hiker]

What do you have for water movement? Do you also use a pump with air stone? What temp do you keep the tank at?

In my QT I'm running a bio-wheel and a air pump with stones at each end of the tank. I'm following the QT guidelines suggested by Mark Callahan (AKA: Mr Saltwater Tank), and keep my tank at 80 degrees to encourage an outbreak in the QT if it's going to happen at all.

Since I had finished my Cupramine treatment I also added a cheapo protein skimmer.

 

[AT_Hiker]

+1 Better to be safe than sorry. It is almost a text book example. Btw, do you always buy your water from the LFS?

Yes, I always buy my water from a highly regarded LFS in my area.