I am new to having a reef aquarium and just introduced 2 clowns to my 20 gallon tank 5 days ago. Both fish were happy and healthy until this morning one of them wouldn't eat. Now it is breathing rapidly (100 gill movements a minute) still wont eat and is just hovering around and laying on my live rock. The fish were purchased as a pair and have been getting along fine no bullying or any kind. I also just did a water change. What could be wrong with it? What should I do?
Is my clownfish going to be ok?
- Thread starter AStreur
- Start date
How long has this tank been setup? Is it fully cycled? First thing I would do is test for ammonia.
I went to my lfs and purchased the 2 clowns and asked the owner if he could hold them for the 2-3 weeks that I had left for the tank to finish cycling. Being the newbie that I am I believed him when he said that if I used some of the RO water from the tank that the fish were in that I would be ok to take them that day. I went in yesterday and had the water tested and the ammonia was .5 ppm and nitrate and nitrite were 0. The PH was 8.3. I did a 25% water change yesterday to stall the creeping ammonia. Would that be the problem or could there be something else wrong? I don't want the fish to suffer because I don't know any better.
Clowns are tough, but the .5 ppm ammonia is what's most likely causing the problem. Basically, your tank hasn't finished cycling. The water from an established tank won't help speed up a cycle and a LFS owner should know this. I wouldn't do business with him again. Only thing you can do now is do WCs to keep the ammonia down or return the fish to the LFS.
You might need to do 25% PER DAY. Whatever it takes to keep the ammonia at 0. Can you just return the pair to the LFS until your tank cycles?
MrTuskfish
Team RC
As long as there is no copper in the tank, you can use an ammonia-neutralizer. Prime, Amquel, etc.This stuff will render ammonia harmless almost instantly and really can't be overdosed. Continue the heavy WCs though. What's up with the clown now? Still heavy breathing, lethargic, etc? Any peeling or sloughing skin? Scratching on rocks? If the 2nd clown isn't bothered by whatever's going on, I think it may be something else, but the high ammonia isn't helping.
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