Picasso Onyx Pair

[Bones18]

Hey guys,

If you have not already seen the pictures of this pair, check them out below. I have had them for almost a week and think I have a problem. Both of the clowns seem to be gasping with rapid gill movement. So going through the list of possiblities its either
A) Water quality
or
B) Gill Parasite
a possible C) would be brooklynella, however I have run into this in the past and there is no sign that this is the case.

My water is currently at:
pH 7.9
sg 1.026
temp 79@night 81-82when light is on. 150Watt k2 viper
dKH 12

I refuse to lose these fish, help me calm them down with your ideas. They are with 3 chromis damsels and thats it for fish.

Thanks,
Bones

 

[Tat2demon]

The first thing that comes to my mind is your PH. 7.9 itself is low but remember PH drops when the lights go out. You may be hitting very low PH levels at night.

Also, do you have enough water movement/surface aggitation to keep your oxygen levels high enough?

 

[stykthyn]

are they WC? did you quarantine? this is a great cause for concern. how are they eating?
If things do not improve in the next day or two, I would remove to a QT tank and treat with Maracyn 2

 

[Bones18]

They are WC and were in QT for a month before I picked them up. Also they love to eat and I treat the food with garlic, flake, mysis.

 

[Bones18]

I also have had a airstone that runs the length of the tank which is on constantly

 

[janderson8]

Where did you get them from?

 

[Bones18]

A contact in California which is very reputable, it was not from a mailorder facility

 

[CeeGee]

My pH runs lower than that and my fairy wrasses are fine. Much more difficult fish than clowns.

Did you quarantine these fish?
Are the fish wild caught or tank raised?

I would suspect a parasite if tank raised and be on the lookout for brook if wild caught.

 

[stykthyn]

I recently lost a fish to brook after he was in QT for a month. he was doing great so I moved him to his new home and BAM!!! down with the funk again. sadly he didnt pull through it the second time. RIP little buddy ::sniff sniff::

 

[ReeferMO85]

My pH is never that low, and I know that clowns are hardier fish but why risk it? Raise the pH.

 

[Jovreefer]

Most likley brook. I've seen them come down with it several weeks after they are imported. I always dip even healthy WC clowns in formalin 3 to get rid of any possible dormant brook when I get them in.

Is that a large rock face in the background ?

 

[traveller7]

I would suspect parasites, but would not eliminate amyloo given the timeframes described. Both are nasty, but the treatments are quite different.

What is the update today?

 

[smp]

Those things are wild caught?!!!

 

[EMBRYOGUY]

i concur w/ jovreefer.

 

[ricordiaking]

Go ahead and remove the fish from the tank and put them back in QT, try the CopperSafe and Maracyn combination for a month and you'll get great results.

 

[dantodd]

Please do try Adrian's and Scott's suggestions first. I would also suggest picking up some Formalin (in case it's brook) while you're at the LFS. If they don't respond to the coppersafe and maracyn think about treating for brook. I wouldn't treat them for brook unless they don't respond to less severe treatments!

Keep an eye out for any of the other symptoms of brook, you can search here for more info. I think that Scott also has a good link to a page with brook info but I don't have it handy. Brooklynella (brook) is life threatening and once it can kill very quickly.

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7780540#post7780540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
I think that Scott also has a good link to a page with brook info but I don't have it handy.

This is the one ;>)

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/fishdiseases.html

 

[Bones18]

Just an update and a posting of todays pictures. I went the the formalin 3 bath as recomended by you guys and a few other sources. They were in the bath for 40 minutes and I watched them the entire time to makesure that I took them out when I noticed stress signs.
Now back in the aquarium the seem to be a little better however still continuing with their rapid breathing and gill flaring. I made around a 25% water change over the past few days and my plan is to continue on this route slowly untill 100% of the water is new.
How often would you recommend baths in Formalin? I read every other day untill signs are no longer present. Also after the formalin bath should I fresh water dip them for a few minutes??

Thanks ,
B

 

[Bones18]

 

[Jovreefer]

When you do the formalin make sure you put an air stone in the bath with them, formalin strips the water of O2.

Good to know they are still kickin! get those guys better! they are quite a find.

I usually do a fresh water dip after wards, of just 1 min, just to rinse any remaining formalin off of them.

On an already sick and stressed fish I'm not sure I would do every other day though, to much stress for them can make them worse.
I'd get others oppinions on that one though.