New Clowns Not Eating

[O-man21]

I ordered two clowns from blue zoo aquatics on monday, and they came tuesday. They seemed a little skinny, but tuesday night and twice yesterday they ate. However, today, they won't accept any food, not even cyclop-eeze.

They have also been breathing fast the whole time they've been in the tank. I have two other fish, a tailspot blenny, who is perfectly active, no heavy breathing and it eating great, and a yellow clown goby who is also fine. Water parameters are fine, the clowns are just not eating and breathing heavily.


What's wrong with them, and what can I do to fix it?

I'm currently treating my tank with prazipro as a precautionary measure, but is there anything else I can do? Don't really have access to a QT tank, they're in my display with the above fish and a few corals, pom pom crab, snails and shrimp.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

They're new, getting acclimated. It may take a while before they get comfortable enough to eat again. Watch them for any signs of distress or disease.

Jeff

 

[briankmarsh1980]

not a good sign IMO, heavy breathing (100 gill flaps or more) is bad if it's under that its ok. try getting some cloves of garlic chop it up real small take some tank water put it in a container with the garlic let soak for most of the day, strain out the garlic but keep the water and put your fish food in that and let it soak and try feeding the fish.

good luck

 

[Newreeflady]

I recently got a clown (been a week, shipped from DD, ORA clown) that I noticed yesterday and today appears to be breathing heavily. it is still swimming around as normal, and eating, but its gills are going a mile a minute, and it keeps its mouth opening and closing as though it is breathing. Is this possibly the same affliction? What is it? All other fish and coral appear fine, even my other clownfish. Another thing is that its gills appear frayed. I can't really see my other clown's gills because he's solid black, but I didn't imagine they should look like this... should they?

 

[BigRig450]

I ordered two clowns from blue zoo aquatics on monday, and they came tuesday. They seemed a little skinny, but tuesday night and twice yesterday they ate. However, today, they won't accept any food, not even cyclop-eeze.

They have also been breathing fast the whole time they've been in the tank. I have two other fish, a tailspot blenny, who is perfectly active, no heavy breathing and it eating great, and a yellow clown goby who is also fine. Water parameters are fine, the clowns are just not eating and breathing heavily.


What's wrong with them, and what can I do to fix it?

I'm currently treating my tank with prazipro as a precautionary measure, but is there anything else I can do? Don't really have access to a QT tank, they're in my display with the above fish and a few corals, pom pom crab, snails and shrimp.

I too recently ordered from blue zoo and my clowns were doin the same exact thing you are describing and they were dead with in 3 days.Out of four fish i ordered only one has survived(kole tang).that was the first time ordering from them and i must say the quality of the livestock was very poor and will not conduct any buisness with them in the future.

 

[houser]

same boat here

same boat here

FWIW consider formalin in an external something (tank, bucket, something)

I'm in same boat as you took delivery yesterday morning. HEAVY panting 2x/sec, slime. Aggressive formalin baths 3x already (20min,60min,50min) already + in-tank treatment. Running hypo too in case of something else I haven't noticed yet.

Thought the first to go (+6hrs) had cysts back lower half of body but turns out is was just some detritus embedded in the slime during the brief postmortem. 2nd to go (+20hrs) never had a chance and surprised it made it the extra 12hrs.

Looks confined to gills, sliming evident when fine bubbles from formalin bath airstone (wood) adhere to fish. Respiration rate dropped in half with treatment on 2 of them, but 2 more still elevated, but just not at maximum. I don't see any cysts anywhere.

Very sick fish. This one will be a tough save - I knew there would be risk. I have no idea what I'll find when I get home from work today??
HTH

 

[Newreeflady]

I am now in the same boat- as of yesterday this fish is not eating. This is not from Blue Zoo, though, but from Diver's Den. I wonder if there is some clownfish sickness out there right now. I'm going to order some Formalin. I separated this fish. I hope he didn't spread it to my main system (I'm such a jerk for not QTing! I felt exempt because DD quarantines, and these are tank-bred clowns... I am really kicking myself now!!!).

Please keep me posted guys. I will do the same. Mine has the heavy panting, he lies down on the mushrooms breathing rapidly, mouth opening and closing. Looks terrible!

Angela

 

[Newreeflady]

I too recently ordered from blue zoo and my clowns were doin the same exact thing you are describing and they were dead with in 3 days.Out of four fish i ordered only one has survived(kole tang).that was the first time ordering from them and i must say the quality of the livestock was very poor and will not conduct any buisness with them in the future.

I would say that this isn't "normal" for Bluezoo. I have had good success with them in the past, and so have others. My most beautiful fish (african flameback) I got from them like a year ago. I am thinking there is some horrible thing going around since we are all having this problem. And, my fish isn't even from Bluezoo. So sorry to hear about your fish. Hopefully they will credit you a shipping charge in addition to the losses given such a large monetary portion of your order died.

Best,
-A

 

[bogg]

wild caught fish right bummer

 

[\Clownfish/]

Did you order the tank bred ones? if not they will die in the tank
i know this cause my friend ordered this one ( DEAD ) which is wild caught http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productdetail.asp?cid=14&pid=731&did=1

instead of this one which is tank raised ( LIVES) http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productdetail.asp?cid=361&pid=732&did=1

 

[MarinaP]

brooklynella


http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/brooklynella.html

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/brookynella.html

 

[Newreeflady]

brooklynella


http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/brooklynella.html

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/brookynella.html

Only thing is I don't see white film. Maybe this fish is in the beginning stages. This is not a wild caught, but was an ORA pair. The female, which I sold, I am told is doing fine. It's just the male that is not doing well. How would the ORA fish have caught this?

This fish was in with my other clown (5 years established) for a few days. Is there any chance that my established clown has been able to avoid getting this, or am I about to see similar signs in him? I'm very nervous, I don't want to lose any fish, but especially not my 5 year old!

It appears that only stressed fish may be susceptible, but I wonder if the parasite is ubiquitous and just shows up when fish are stressed???

---
Prevention of brooklynellosis

Lom (1995) suggests that ciliated protozoan parasites, such as Brooklynella, only cause problems when the fish are stressed. Maintaining good water quality and low stress levels may be sufficient to prevent Brooklynella in aquaria. As the introduction of new fish is generally stressful to the fish, quarantining a fish for a number of weeks before it is moved to a display tank will allow both observation for signs of disease or parasites and enable the fish to regain any condition lost in the capture and transport process.
---

 

[MarinaP]

I agree that brook is brought on by stress. Shipping and especially low temperatures in transit seem to cause an outbreak.

Though brook is contagious, established clowns are less susceptible.

If your established pair skips meals/stops eating, start the treatment.

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

Newreeflady.....as of this morning, my lady is still doing fine and eating well. She seems to have taken to the juvenile/little male extreme misbar black clown I got for her too. I hope your two clowns are ok and have bonded. Keep me updated please!

 

[Newreeflady]

Newreeflady.....as of this morning, my lady is still doing fine and eating well. She seems to have taken to the juvenile/little male extreme misbar black clown I got for her too. I hope your two clowns are ok and have bonded. Keep me updated please!

Well, my male didn't seem to care for this fish one way or the other after the first day, but either way I removed the sick fish to QT so they won't have a chance to bond. If the sick fish lives, I will still leave it in QT now for at least a month before moving it back to the main system should I choose to.

I'm so glad the female is doing well. I don't know why this one wouldn't, and that one would. Weird. Still, keep an eye out for any symptoms.

Cheers!

 

[Newreeflady]

I agree that brook is brought on by stress. Shipping and especially low temperatures in transit seem to cause an outbreak.

Though brook is contagious, established clowns are less susceptible.

If your established pair skips meals/stops eating, start the treatment.

I did not test the temp in the bag this time, so don't know if they were at low T (doh!) I just acclimated them as normal (float then drip.)

My established still looks good. I'll keep an eye out. I'm going to order Formalin just in case I need it. DD told me not to treat their sick fish, and since I don't feel this fish will make it, I am going to follow their instructions as I'll probably be refunded. He is hiding right now, or dead. I will probably check later, but don't want to cause any undue stress. It was alive, but in very very bad shape this morning.

 

[houser]

Lost a few still have one left. Key sign for me was if their tail fins started clamping then they were gone. First 2 to go full clamp in bag. Next few developed clamping within 12hrs and also gone. I timed breathing at almost 3 breaths/sec at peak. Anyway lone survivor always maintained full tail fin spread, hit close to 3 breaths/sec but after 4th formalin dip in 48hrs (excessive but nothing to lose) respiration started to drop. Fish has been glued to side of tank for support entire time and just now after approximately 80 hrs just developed an appetite for loaded brine/mysis/garlic combo. Not out of woods but really only good news so far...