Clownfish Keep Dying…please HELP!!

[corylyn77]

I am a new hobbyist. On our third set of Clownfish. Usually they last 1.5-2 months. Other fish in tank healthy through all of this!
Yesterday my male clown died. Found him in the tank. Female was fine through the night and into this morning; ALL OF THE SUDDEN we looked over and she was gasping for air! Upside down on the bottom of the tank. I scooped her up and moved her to the refugium. She is breathing better now. And is swimming upright again. She does have a few brown spots on one fin, but it looks like a pigment change, not ich. I just don't understand what could be going on in the tank???? But she's ok down below.
Parameters today:
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Salinity .025
Temp 76
Ammonia 0
ph 7.8 (tested this early and then again just now"¦.up slightly now between 7.8-8)
Water Change two weeks ago.

 

[Silvergryphon]

Just a few questions to help establish what we're looking at here.
How big is the tank?
Are you quarantining your fish?
How are you acclimating your fish when you put them in the display?
What other fish do you have in the tank?
Were they all bought from the same store?

 

[corylyn77]

Clownfish Keep Dying"¦please HELP!!

77 Gallon tank
Yes, quarantined and acclimated"¦.and I am anal about acclimating.
Other Fish: One Tang, One Coral Beauty Angel, Two Damsels, One File Fish and One Scooter Dragonet
No"¦.the clowns came from a different guy in CA"¦.ordered them online. But the last two sets of Clowns I purchased in town. Same thing happened. This set is not only mature but bonded. They were really connected.
Here is what I am now thinking. Please tell me if you think I am crazy.
So the clowns have all quickly adapted to their environment including hosting in the rose-tipped anemone.
We also have Zoa's near the anemone.
When the male clown passed yesterday, I tore the tank upside down to find him. In the process I disturbed the rocks with the Zoas. Is it possible that they released toxins and that it what she was struggling earlier today?
I still have her in the refugium and she is doing well. actually fed her tonight and she ate a little bit.
I am so so sad!

 

[Silvergryphon]

Hmmm.. I doubt it was the zoas. Do you dip (Safety stop / copper / Formalin) before quarantine?
Any signs of aggression from the 2 damsels?
Can anyone else weigh in on the possibility of Brooklynella or Black Ich?

Brown spots on the fins could be black ich, but if you have a tang in there one would think it would be the first to show symptoms.

 

[corylyn77]

Well, she is still alive this morning and seems fine.
No, I did not dip. Seriously, when I scooped her up and put her below, I was doing it only so that I could find her after she died. I wasn't holding out any hope at that moment. Do you think I should dip her before reintroducing her to the main tank? The Tang has no brown spots.
It definitely looked like she had been paralyzed. She couldn't breathe, upside down, and the other fish and crabs were already poking her to see what was up. That's what lead me to some sort of Toxin exposure conclusion.
The brown spots on the one fin do not look any worse today. And the male that died had none.
Interesting that you should mention the Damsels because I suspected them the last time this happened with my clowns. This pair were much larger than the damsels and haven't seemed to be bothering them. I don't care much for the Damsels honestly, if I could catch them they would be gone. Are they known for being aggressive?

 

[Silvergryphon]

Could be some night time aggression, but it is hard to say. It sounds like you have a clownfish specific problem, but I wouldn't know what that could be.