False Perc. with accelerated breathing.

[itz frank]

Name says it all. We've had this clown for two weeks and this is the first I've seen this in him. Today he also stopped eating which is why I'm alarmed about it. I know I should quarantine and i plan on it. His fins are a little frayed so that leads me to believe something is picking on him and has stressed him out. He is also been swimming very low in the water column staying very low to the sand. The only thing that is picking on anything in my tank is ONE blue green chromis which has apparently lost his marbles. The only indicator I see is the accelerated breathing patterns and loss of appetite. Suggestions?

 

[lpsluver]

If you can move it to QT and look for signs of Ich or marine velvet (looks like ich only smaller and powder-like on the entire body). Be prepared to treat with a copper-based med if these are observed. Copper-Safe is not as harsh as Copper Sulfate if you need to do this. Only use this in the QT tank. It (copper) will seriously damage a reef tank.

Also could be Brooklynella, but this looks different on the body (mucus on the skin) and is treated differently (formalin).

All three of these seem to attack the gills first so be ready to treat if it anything other than bullying.

 

[itz frank]

Well the thing is that how would i know if it was just bullying? There doesn't appear to be any spots on the fish at all. Just the rapid breathing. Even still, if it is bullying, should I still remove the fish untill he eats again? I'd prefer to not awake in the morning to dead fish. I read in a book about fish disease that with velvet one the accelerated breathing occurs, there's no reversing it. I still see the chromis being aggressive. Perhaps he should go too. Please, a little more advise on the subject. My other clown is doing very well. This one just seems too tired to do anything.