Both Clowns dieing!!!

[binaryterror]

Both of my new Clarkii's are dieing! Acually 1 already died. He had a big gash in the side of him, and he always hid. Now the other one (the larger one) always hides in his anemone, and also has a gash on his side just like his buddy clown!!! Whats going on!? Is it the place I bought the from (LFS)? Thanks

 

[MarinaP]

Who are the tankmates? Tangs? Large crabs? Larger clowns?

 

[Wolverine]

In addition to what Marina asked, tell us everything else you can about your system and the clowns.
How big is the tank?
Tankmates?
Parameters?
How long has it been set up?
How long did you have the fish?
How long were they in the store before you got them?
Did you quarantine them?
Did you get any pics of the gashes?

With gash in the side, tang is the first thing that comes to my mind also.

Dave

 

[binaryterror]

But it is in the same spot as the first clown. the other fish are a Kole Tang, and a Vlamingii Tang. I have had my tank for 5 months. I didnt QT them. And I cant get a pic, since he is always in his BTA. Is it a bacterial infection?

 

[Sk8r]

The first suspects are those two tangs. That spur at the base of the tail is a weapon, and the tangs will use it in a sideswiping motion that will produce a slash in pretty much the same spot. Right now the safest place for the clown may be in his anemone, and he may recover. I don't think it's illness: I think it's an injury, and you may have to make a hard choice between the tangs and the clowns. How large is the tank?

 

[stykthyn]

I 2nd the tangs. kole tangs are notoriously aggresive when they settle in. He gets my vote.

 

[Wolverine]

If the tank is small enough that you're getting these kinds of aggression problems already (I also think it's one of the tangs, obviously), then it's likely not big enough for a vlamingi, since they get around 2 feet long.

Dave