Clowns tail disapearing?

Mr Sh0tgun

Mr Sh0tgun

New member
Ok, I added two clowns to my tank a week ago. For the first days they acted a little weird, but acted fine for the next few. When I bought the fish, they looked normal to me. But on the second day I noticed that one fish's tail looked like it had been nipped at and was missing around 10-15%. I didn't get too worried, thinking I had missed it when I bought it. The clowns acted fine, no sign of agression between them, eating well, etc. Well a few nights ago, I thought for sure I was gonna lose the short-tailed clown. He was swimming on his side, thrashing while he was swimming, breathing VERY heavy. He even got stuck to my surface skimmer, and couldn't move before I found him and peeled him off. I tried my best to save him, everytime he'd look really bad I'd make him move, but I decided I was probably beating a dead horse, so I said I'd let him be, and see if he makes it through the night. Well, he did. But now he stays in one place in the rock work, and I can't tell if he's eating. His tail has also gotten noticably smallert. You might think the other fish is nipping at him, but it isn't. There are no other fish in the tank, only assorted snails and hermits. His tail is probably 40-50% gone. The other fish is well, and eats like a pig. What do you guys think is causing this? I have a 24g Aquapod, with 22 lbs of LR, temperature varies between 78-80.
My parameters:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates around 20ppm (I'm assuming from the cycle caused when I added the fish)
 
I wold look to the other clownfish or possiblt an agressive crab (sally lightfoot). Possibly a bacterial inection of sorts. If you could post a picture that would be real helpful.
Rob
 
Yes, it is possible I have a hitch hiker. The tank is 5 weeks old, and the LR was ordered from liveaquaria. So there are probably many things I have not seen yet. As for aggression from the other fish, I really don't think it's him. I've watched them very closely, for long periods of time, and I've seen nothing. Ever since the near death of the sick( is what i'll call him) clown, the healthy one hasn't really gone near him. I'm not roling out the option the clown is being aggressive, I just don't think that's the problem. I also just added my clean up crew yesterday, so I don't think it's a crab(at least one I bought). I'll try to get a pic, but where he's hiding is hard to see. The clowns are very small, only 1 1/4" I'd guess.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8041838#post8041838 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Minh Nguyen
I think he is sick with fin rots. I would isolate it and treat with antibiotic.
Click to expand...
I know this makes me look stupid, but, how do you go about doing that?
 
Put him into a treatment tank(small bare tank about 10 g or so with airpump and heater) and add antibiotic into the water. Follow ammonia level and change water as needed. You can get antibiotic at LFS.
 
Here's a pic of the little guy. I looked at pictures of when I bought him, and he had a full tail. This is what it looks like now. He's lost alot of color, but I did see him eat a little today.
129118F1.jpg
 
Yes. You need to treat him!! It seems over welming when first starting out. but you NEED to do this

Start a Quarentine. (best would be a ten gallon tank)
I bought a whole setup (lighting filter etc) for 30.00 im pretty sure.

Fill it with water from your reef. (ouch only 12 gallons) ok.. fill it with half the water from your tank, and half new salt water (and refill your exsisting tank with new salt water)

Make sure the temp, & salinity match your reef
DO NOT put ANYTHING in the QT except maybe a lil pvc pipes so it can hide and feel safe
NO sand NO live rock. No inverts etc.

Acclimate your fish to the quarentine tank. (if you were using all water from your main tank there wouldent be a need.. but you cant go and drain the hole reef i guess)

While you buy the tank, get Maracyn2. This will treat a plethra of problems. and is alot easier to give than most antibiotics.
Make sure you get the saltwater kind. even most petsmarts carry it.

You'll need to DOUBLE the dose. if you do get the 10 gallon.. that'll mean 2 tablets the first day, 1 tablet a day for the rest of treatment.

It'll turn your water pee yellow. this is ok. its supposed to.

It treats bacterial disease, and fin rot, and some more too. It'll also make it hungry if it isent eatting (theres a stimulant in there)

Maracyn 2 saved my fishes life. it started as bacterial, led to fin rot, swelling, not eatting, heavy breathing. the works. Within 2 days I knew shed make it.

Your going to have additional problems since theres biological filters in your QT (no live rock and no sponges)

1. IF you have a sponge in a hang on back or somthing in your reef tank, take it out and replace it with a new one. Use the old one in the hang on back in your qt. If you do this it'll help battle ammonia and nitrates.

2. if you have no old sponge in your reef... Your going to need to do a partial water change EVERY day. Right before you add a new tablet, change at least a gallon of water out.
Take the water from your REEF tank to replace it.

I also recommend picking up a seachem ammonia alert badge. Its sticks in your tank and will tell you if your ammonia is riseing. (water changes to lower it)

Ill be gone for the weekend, but ill be here tomorrow. PM me if you need any help. It'll be alright.

and think of it as an investment, and QT ALL your fish before you put them in the reef :)
 
Thanks for your help. I have a 12 and and 24 and they're in the 24. I didn't QT them, because they're the only fish that will live in the tank. I don't know when I'll be able to get a QT set up because I'm kinda short on cash right now. So, that's never good. Is fin rot contageous? Is my other clown in danger? I'm rather new to SW and I thank you for all your help.

Edit: I have an old 6g Eclipse tank tank that I used to use for FW. Could that work for QT? It has lights, and pad filter. It has a small crack in the bottom, but only leaks about 1/4" a day. That's all I have for now.
 
Last edited:
what do you have in your 12 gallon? would it be possible to move everything over to the 24 and use it?

since your not treating with copper or anything i dont see why it would hurt as long as you clean it REALLY well after treatment.

can you afford the cheapy 5 gallon petsmart acrylic ones? i saw them on sale for like 12 bucks awhile ago.. nicalodean i think lol

Im not sure if its contagious but if the other one is showing ANY signs of not acting normal id qt that one too....

You gotta do somthing... pack a lunch for awhile?
I know its hard, and its overwelming at first. but you can have these fish YEARS with a lil tlc
do any of the other fins show damage? mine looked like it had holes eaten right through the middle of the fins...
 
The 12 has 15 lbs of LR, a watchman goby, a coral banded shrimp, and worse of all a 5" DSB. So, I don't think that's an option. What's wrong with using the 6g? I know I need to do something. I'm working on it. Hopefully he doesn't get worse before I can get him treated.
 
yep fins grow back :)

a 6 gallon would work. just make tab measurments kinda hard.

Sorry dident see u had a 6 gal :)
 
Ok, I will set it up and begin treatment tomorrow. How long do treatments normally last? Thanks again for all your help!
 
Hey your ohio too. sweet :)

Yeah! since its just 6 gallons take all 6 gallons from your main and you can add the fish right away. But make SURE to maintain the same temp! hard iin a 6 maybe (?)

Does your 6 have a hang on back? can you use a sponge from another tank? it helps alot reducees the number of water changes by alot (still do maybe 2 a week if you will have bio filter.. amonnia builds up fast with no biologicals and can kill a fish)

You'll hafta read the box to see how long. Im PRETTY sure its 2 weeks.

And Im not sure how to tell you to dose the tabs. Its 1 tab a day for ten gallons (double dose!!)

you could dissolve the pill in 10 ounces of water then add 6 ounces to the tank maybe... or a real persise scale...
water idea sounds easiest im thinking.

heres my fish at worst. the fin rot started after she got sick. its just starting in that pic. even her cheeks swelled up! shes extreamly healthy girl now, that was 6 months ago. :)

DSCF0884.jpg


Oh.. if you dont have clean pvc laying around, you could get a tiny clay flowerpot and use that to put in the tank. I have a small plastic cave in mine like this. (thats my tang with ick... qt is a good thing! lol)
DSCF1343.jpg
 
Her fins don't look too bad, glad she healthy now. My clowns tail is almost gone :( . The tank is an Eclipse. It has a built-in filter, with filter pad and bio-wheel, so that should help with parameters. I'm not sure yet what I'm gonna do about temperature. My lfs sells all heaters for around $30, so I'm not gonna pick one of those up. I keep the 24 at 78 degrees, but when it was cycling it stayed around 75-76 degrees without a heater, do you think I could get by with no heater in the QT tank?
 
i do not think its fin rot. the other fins appar clear.

i agree with others, that something took a bit out of it.

too many people over medicate fish without knowing what it is. more often the clownfish dies. if you treat and do not know EXACTLY what your treating it for. it will die.

as long as it s eating your ok. i would isolate it just in case something in your system is attacking it.

i also do not think the fin will grow back normally. its too deep. fins will grow back only if the cut reaches a certain point.
 
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