Possible sick clown?

[reefkeep3r]

Hello Everyone,

I have 2 ocellaris clown. 1 is male and 1 female. The tank is a 29g biocube that had a 4 month cycle. The fish have been in there for 2 months and CUC 3 weeks. The tank is reading 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 6 nitrates(steady), 0 phos, 8-8.1 ph, 1.025 salinity(steady with a cal. refract.) and temp of 82f steady. Nothing but RODI reading 0tds is used for SW or top off.

The fish went in a 10 week QT and was treated with 4 weeks Paraguard and 2 weeks Metronidazole, Focus, Garlic Guard and mysis shrimp mixture. Then 1 week observation before treatment and 1 week after treatment. In QT neither fish showed signs of any problems what so ever, both ate tons of food every feeding, no exterior signs or any internal signs of problems. After QT they moved to the main DT with parameters noted above. Everything was fine and the status quo continued. The last 3 days the female has been staying under a shelf a lot and hardly swimming around the tank, the last 2 days she hasn't taken any food and yesterday it seemed like she was breathing quicker then usual. She does come out for a little once the lights turn to lunar only then goes back after a few minutes. This morning there seemed to be a little poo hanging from her but it was hard to tell if it was white or stringy, it may just be me wanting it to be so I can figure out what is wrong.

The primary diet is frozen mysis with Rods original substituted every few days. Last night I tried the rods and again she wouldn't eat. Tonight I plan on soaking some mysis in Garlic Guard and see if that will get her to eat.

I have a QT up and running if you say I should move her, I wanted to keep the stress down so I planned on leaving her in DT. I have some food made up of Metronidazole/Focus and Garlic but if shes not eating it wont help. Also can I feed that in the DT.

I attached pics so you guys can see if I am missing something. The male is acting normal and eating normal.

 

[Deinonych]

It could be worms or similar internal parasite. If she has stringy poo, that's a good indicator. Prazipro would be the appropriate treatment if so.

 

[reefkeep3r]

I don't have ProziPro, I assume I should get some. All I have for internal control is Metronidazole and focus.

Should I remove he from the DT and but in QT/Hospital. Like I said I didn't want to move her to fast and add more stress. Should I treat Prozipro or Metronidazole in the DT and not move her.

 

[Deinonych]

You can use Prazipro in the DT; just turn off your skimmer and don't run carbon during treatment. I don't think you can use metronidazole in the DT.

 

[MrTuskfish]

You can use Prazipro in the DT; just turn off your skimmer and don't run carbon during treatment. I don't think you can use metronidazole in the DT.

I agree. PP is the only med I'd ever use in a DT and I think all fish should be wormed with PP as a matter of routine.

 

[reefkeep3r]

Thanks for the advice. Last night I went and got some pp and started the qt up.

She didn't eat for the 3 night. This morning it was more of the same. I planned on adding both fish to the qt tonight. When I got home she was swimming around a bit still breathing heavy. Still not normal but more active then this morning.

Should I still do the qt and pp treatment or leave them. I leave on my honeymoon end of next week and will be gone for 10days so I want to avoid problems for the tank sitter.

Thanks

 

[MrTuskfish]

Thanks for the advice. Last night I went and got some pp and started the qt up.

She didn't eat for the 3 night. This morning it was more of the same. I planned on adding both fish to the qt tonight. When I got home she was swimming around a bit still breathing heavy. Still not normal but more active then this morning.

Should I still do the qt and pp treatment or leave them. I leave on my honeymoon end of next week and will be gone for 10days so I want to avoid problems for the tank sitter.

Thanks

Where are your priorities? Cancel the honeymoon.

 

[HumbleFish]

Where are your priorities? Cancel the honeymoon.

:lmao:

 

[reefkeep3r]

:debi:

Last night I added both clown to the Qt and doesed Pp. The female still didn't eat for the 4 night. The strange thing is externaly she looks fine. Not getting skinny or anything. I have tried feeding mysis, rods, with and without garlic and marine s pellets.

 

[HumbleFish]

:debi:

Last night I added both clown to the Qt and doesed Pp. The female still didn't eat for the 4 night. The strange thing is externaly she looks fine. Not getting skinny or anything. I have tried feeding mysis, rods, with and without garlic and marine s pellets.

When a clown won't eat, that's a pretty bad sign. :sad2: They are usually pretty bulletproof.

To complete the PP treatment you will need to do a 25% WC in 5 days, and dose again. Wait 2-3 days after that, and they should be clear of flukes (if that's what this is). The problem is your DT might still be infested with flukes, and I believe the fallow period for that is 4 weeks.

 

[reefkeep3r]

I figured it was some kind of internal problem. Is there a way to know if its flukes or internal. Fresh water dip?

 

[HumbleFish]

I figured it was some kind of internal problem. Is there a way to know if its flukes or internal. Fresh water dip?

A 5 min f/w dip usually confirms flukes. You should see tiny white specks fall out of the fish and settle to the bottom. If not, it is likely you are dealing with another problem. Stringy white poop may also be a symptom of intestinal parasites, and for that you can treat with Metronidazole. API General Cure is a Prazi/Metro mixture.

 

[reefkeep3r]

wouldn't a FW dip cause a lot of extra stress on the fish. Or should I do it anyways to see

 

[HumbleFish]

wouldn't a FW dip cause a lot of extra stress on the fish. Or should I do it anyways to see

There's always a risk; but if you're careful to match temp/pH then IMO the stress is minimal. I recently did a 5 min f/w dip on a Moorish Idol. I think your clowns will be fine.

 

[reefkeep3r]

Seems like a plan then. How to you match temp. Fill a bag with water and let it sit in the tank for 15-20 min then pour into a container to do the dip. Check PH and add BS or vinager to match and then commence the dip right. Should I do both fish, both at same time.

 

[HumbleFish]

Seems like a plan then. How to you match temp. Fill a bag with water and let it sit in the tank for 15-20 min then pour into a container to do the dip. Check PH and add BS or vinager to match and then commence the dip right. Should I do both fish, both at same time.

You can temp match that way, or if you have a spare heater laying around use that. I like to use clear glass containers to f/w dip because it's easier to see any white specks on the bottom.

Use RODI, and aerate it heavily before use. About the pH... a little trick I learned from someone on here is to squirt a little tank water in the f/w dip container. That usually does the trick without having to add any BS.

I would dip them one at a time, starting with the one not eating. It that one has flukes, then by default they both need to be treated. If a lot of flukes come pouring out of the first one, then you may want to dip the other one just to provide some immediate relief. Both will still need to go thru 2 rounds of PP though.

Edit: I just remembered you said you've already begun PP treatment. So, it's possible these fish have flukes... but the f/w dip won't confirm that because you've already begun treatment. I don't know... you're sort of in a quandary here. I've never administered a f/w dip after beginning PP treatment, so I don't know if you'll still see flukes or not. Supposedly PP works almost instantly.

 

[Deinonych]

Edit: I just remembered you said you've already begun PP treatment. So, it's possible these fish have flukes... but the f/w dip won't confirm that because you've already begun treatment. I don't know... you're sort of in a quandary here. I've never administered a f/w dip after beginning PP treatment, so I don't know if you'll still see flukes or not. Supposedly PP works almost instantly.

I'm by no means an expert on disease treatment, but I have observed flukes dropping off with Prazi treatment. My filamented flasher wrasse (in QT) had 5-6 flukes near his dorsal fin and I watched them disappear one by one after administering Prazi. I even saw him knock one off by glancing off one of the PVC pieces...grossed my wife out.

 

[reefkeep3r]

I started the PP treatment last night at 9pm. I didn't see anything dropping off or sitting on the bottom of the tank. The tank is a 10G tank with a 400GPH filter so it could have been sucked in the filter. Again I have never seen the fish flashing, shacking or anything else that would show external problem. The only problems I can see now are breathing faster then normal and not eating. That being said should I still do the FW dip or leave them with the PP treatment

 

[Deinonych]

If it were me, I would just continue the PP treatment. I'm not confident enough in my own abilities to do a FW dip - you may be more comfortable doing it though.

One other thing I might throw out there - the fish could be constipated. My female clown had the same symptoms a few months ago (breathing rapidly & not eating). After 4 days, she passed a shrimp carapace that must have been too big for her gut. Took half a day to pass, but once it was out she immediately started eating again and acting normal. Obviously, there's no way to confirm this is in fact the case with your clown, but it's something to consider.

Hope you get things sorted out.

 

[HumbleFish]

If it were me, I would just continue the PP treatment.

+1 It's now been almost 24 hours since you started PP, so just stay the course. PP has mild appetite suppression side effects, so that may be contributing to the clown not eating.