Clownfish not eating

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Hi guys,

Something seems wrong with my Percula clownfish, can you help provide some directions or ID what could be wrong?

He is paired with a more dominant Designer White Wyoming Clownfish and there are 5 BTA anemones in the tank for them to host. He has been in the tank since 2 months ago. Other fish in tank are tangs, swallowtail angel, fairy wrasse - all reef safe.

Percula is a Juvenile. And they did pair up ok, and were sleeping together in the BTA, white clownfish that was in the tank already does chase sometimes but no nipping.

I've observed strange behaviour on him since 4 days ago.

Observations:
I've noticed recently the Percula has not been eating, and has been hosting a different isolated corners during the day.

Also strange darker horizontal marking on one side only near the back towards tail fins which wasn't there when he was acquired.

I'm worried he might have internal parasites or something else.

I might have saw some white stringy poop from him.

Feeding:
I've tried different foods, small pellets, frozen copepods, mysis and krill with garlic and selcon. Also tried target feed him while distracting other fish (to avoid competition).

He just does not care about it and just goes away from the food.

I do have a quarantine tank available and the following Medications:
Levamisole, Praziquantel, Metroplex (Metronidazole), copper.


Below are a few macro shots if it helps to ID anything wrong with him:

Edit: Forgot to mention tank parameters, it's a 180 gallon mixed reef that's been setup for approx 2-3 years Nitrates around 50ppm, ALK around 10-11 range, temperature 26.5 Celsius.

All other fish and inverts are doing fine.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi guys,

Something seems wrong with my Percula clownfish, can you help provide some directions or ID what could be wrong?

He is paired with a more dominant Designer White Wyoming Clownfish and there are 5 BTA anemones in the tank for them to host. He has been in the tank since 2 months ago. Other fish in tank are tangs, swallowtail angel, fairy wrasse - all reef safe.

Percula is a Juvenile. And they did pair up ok, and were sleeping together in the BTA, white clownfish that was in the tank already does chase sometimes but no nipping.

I've observed strange behaviour on him since 4 days ago.

Observations:
I've noticed recently the Percula has not been eating, and has been hosting a different isolated corners during the day.

Also strange darker horizontal marking on one side only near the back towards tail fins which wasn't there when he was acquired.

I'm worried he might have internal parasites or something else.

I might have saw some white stringy poop from him.

Feeding:
I've tried different foods, small pellets, frozen copepods, mysis and krill with garlic and selcon. Also tried target feed him while distracting other fish (to avoid competition).

He just does not care about it and just goes away from the food.

I do have a quarantine tank available and the following Medications:
Levamisole, Praziquantel, Metroplex (Metronidazole), copper.


Below are a few macro shots if it helps to ID anything wrong with him:

Edit: Forgot to mention tank parameters, it's a 180 gallon mixed reef that's been setup for approx 2-3 years Nitrates around 50ppm, ALK around 10-11 range, temperature 26.5 Celsius.

All other fish and inverts are doing fine.

I can't tell, is this a wild caught clownfish?
If you could post a video, that might help.

Just as it stands now, I would say the issue is possibly internal protozoans, so treating the fish in the hospital tank with metroplex would be an option.

I can't tell what that spot is on the tail .....

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys,

Something seems wrong with my Percula clownfish, can you help provide some directions or ID what could be wrong?

He is paired with a more dominant Designer White Wyoming Clownfish and there are 5 BTA anemones in the tank for them to host. He has been in the tank since 2 months ago. Other fish in tank are tangs, swallowtail angel, fairy wrasse - all reef safe.

Percula is a Juvenile. And they did pair up ok, and were sleeping together in the BTA, white clownfish that was in the tank already does chase sometimes but no nipping.

I've observed strange behaviour on him since 4 days ago.

Observations:
I've noticed recently the Percula has not been eating, and has been hosting a different isolated corners during the day.

Also strange darker horizontal marking on one side only near the back towards tail fins which wasn't there when he was acquired.

I'm worried he might have internal parasites or something else.

I might have saw some white stringy poop from him.

Feeding:
I've tried different foods, small pellets, frozen copepods, mysis and krill with garlic and selcon. Also tried target feed him while distracting other fish (to avoid competition).

He just does not care about it and just goes away from the food.

I do have a quarantine tank available and the following Medications:
Levamisole, Praziquantel, Metroplex (Metronidazole), copper.


Below are a few macro shots if it helps to ID anything wrong with him:

Edit: Forgot to mention tank parameters, it's a 180 gallon mixed reef that's been setup for approx 2-3 years Nitrates around 50ppm, ALK around 10-11 range, temperature 26.5 Celsius.

All other fish and inverts are doing fine.

Caudal fins look raggy and its back looks bumpy-slimy.
Is fish breathing normal or heavy?
Is fish eating or loss of appetite?
Can you provide a video under white lighting of ay least 20 seconds?

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Hi Jay and Vette, thanks for the reply...

It's been a busy week at work and man it's tough to manage the tank while work is busy as well.

I put the fish on a separate acclimation box within the same tank for now to give him a bit more peace and get better footage.

See below for video:

See below for photos:

Caudal fins look raggy and its back looks bumpy-slimy.
Is fish breathing normal or heavy?
Is fish eating or loss of appetite?
Can you provide a video under white lighting of ay least 20 seconds?

The fish is not eating and that's what triggered my concern. He's breathing fast and I suppose his condition might have deteriorated.

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Also I just noticed, my Metroplex expired may last year. I suppose I would need to buy a new one? How stable is the medication after expiration date?

Additional video attached to show more footage and heavy breathing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also I just noticed, my Metroplex expired may last year. I suppose I would need to buy a new one? How stable is the medication after expiration date?

Additional video attached to show more footage and heavy breathing.

Skip the metroplex. Its not what you need and must be applied Precisely at .5gm weight which is a very tiny amount and makes the food taste bitter. Use Ruby rally pro or General cure

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Skip the metroplex. Its not what you need and must be applied Precisely at .5gm weight which is a very tiny amount and makes the food taste bitter. Use Ruby rally pro or General cure

Unfortunately here in Australia those medication brands are not easily accessible.
I don't know why but Australia sucks in this aspect.

But I've read that the General Cure ingredients are Metronidazole and Praziquantel, wouldn't it be the same if I dose the two separately ?

Also the .5gm per weight would be dose for medicated feeding I suppose? He's not eating so I might need to do a bath before?

I could get API General Cure through Amazon but comes from overseas, by then the poor fella will be in fish heaven.

Honestly my hopes are not high, but I will try to do the best I can to treat the fish.


Thanks.

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

I can't tell, is this a wild caught clownfish?
If you could post a video, that might help.

Just as it stands now, I would say the issue is possibly internal protozoans, so treating the fish in the hospital tank with metroplex would be an option.

I can't tell what that spot is on the tail .....

Jay

Forgot to mention, it's captive bred.
Both my clowns are captive bred.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Unfortunately here in Australia those medication brands are not easily accessible.
I don't know why but Australia sucks in this aspect.

But I've read that the General Cure ingredients are Metronidazole and Praziquantel, wouldn't it be the same if I dose the two separately ?

Also the .5gm per weight would be dose for medicated feeding I suppose? He's not eating so I might need to do a bath before?

I could get API General Cure through Amazon but comes from overseas, by then the poor fella will be in fish heaven.

Honestly my hopes are not high, but I will try to do the best I can to treat the fish.


Thanks.

Ahhh Australia. For Australia, you can use:
Aquasonic Formalin
OR
Go to Desertcart australia where you can get ruby Rally there