Lost a clown fish. Advice.

[Dine]

This morning I lost 1 of 2 clowns. I believe it was Ich although the speed in which she went down makes me wonder. Clowns have been on the tank for a month. Currently the only fish. Couple zoa frags, hermits, and trochus snails. Both clown have been eating since day one.

A couple weeks ago I spotted what I thought might be Ich on them both although the female was very covered. Thought it might have been sand as my power head had kicked some up while I was playing with the flow. No one was acting weird and they continued to eat. 48hr later nothing on them. Then 2 days ago same thing, figured it was in fact Ich. Last night female was swimming fine but was hanging closer to the bottom than usual. Breathing looked normal. She did not eat. Male was acting fine and eating. Decided it was time to QT (as I should have done to start). She was dead by morning. Male still acting and eating fine.

my question is does this sound like Ich? Seems like a really fast decline. Is this typical? My plan is to Run the tank fallow. QT the male (and add another female at the same time?) and go through the proper steps as outlined in the updated QT guidelines. All future fish will go through the same….idk about coral.

no detectable ammonia
30 nitrate (today was WC day)
.07 phosphate

 

[Dom]

This morning I lost 1 of 2 clowns. I believe it was Ich although the speed in which she went down makes me wonder. Clowns have been on the tank for a month. Currently the only fish. Couple zoa frags, hermits, and trochus snails. Both clown have been eating since day one.

A couple weeks ago I spotted what I thought might be Ich on them both although the female was very covered. Thought it might have been sand as my power head had kicked some up while I was playing with the flow. No one was acting weird and they continued to eat. 48hr later nothing on them. Then 2 days ago same thing, figured it was in fact Ich. Last night female was swimming fine but was hanging closer to the bottom than usual. Breathing looked normal. She did not eat. Male was acting fine and eating. Decided it was time to QT (as I should have done to start). She was dead by morning. Male still acting and eating fine.

my question is does this sound like Ich? Seems like a really fast decline. Is this typical? My plan is to Run the tank fallow. QT the male (and add another female at the same time?) and go through the proper steps as outlined in the updated QT guidelines. All future fish will go through the same….idk about coral.

no detectable ammonia
30 nitrate (today was WC day)
.07 phosphate

I have to agree. The rapid decline leaves me thinking Marine Velvet.

 

[Dine]

I have to agree. The rapid decline leaves me thinking Marine Velvet.

But would that take one fish out and leave the other fine-ish. I’ve never dealt with velvet. The male has spots on him, more spots than I would think is typical for Ich but he’s eating and active. I’ll have the QT setup tomorrow either way.

 

[Crabby48]

But would that take one fish out and leave the other fine-ish. I’ve never dealt with velvet. The male has spots on him, more spots than I would think is typical for Ich but he’s eating and active. I’ll have the QT setup tomorrow either way.

I’m going to say without pics hard to tell. Fish can still eat good and ich can hit quick. Just may not have seen it. All rules can be broken and to know a microscope with scraping and fill clippings is best to Id. Sooner you treat clown the better. You might want to treat with metro also

 

[Dom]

But would that take one fish out and leave the other fine-ish. I’ve never dealt with velvet. The male has spots on him, more spots than I would think is typical for Ich but he’s eating and active. I’ll have the QT setup tomorrow either way.

No it wouldn't. Usually, it would effect more than one fish, which for me is why you case is so puzzling. How is the other fish doing today?

 

[Dine]

No it wouldn't. Usually, it would effect more than one fish, which for me is why you case is so puzzling. How is the other fish doing today?

Swimming around normally begging for food.

 

[Dom]

Swimming around normally begging for food.

Wow... sorry; I'm out of ideas. It just may be a case of a terminally ill fish.

 

[Dine]

I think it has to be a parasite of some sort. The white spots being my biggest clue. Either way the qt tank is warming up and I’ll start with copper then move onto prazipro. Tanks going to run fallow and I’ll go from There. I’ve always been lazy about the first fish’s QT and this time I think it caught up with me. Sucks. It was a really pretty clown

 

[Dine]

So here’s my next question. Given the amount of time I’m about to QT the male should i go ahead an add another female with him during the qt or should I wait for him to go through this solo, add him back to the fallow tank then start a female through the same process

 

[Dom]

So here’s my next question. Given the amount of time I’m about to QT the male should i go ahead an add another female with him during the qt or should I wait for him to go through this solo, add him back to the fallow tank then start a female through the same process

No. I recommend getting everything squared away. You are QTing a fish we must assume is sick. Adding a new fish will only make it sick too.

As I understand, there are no such thing as male and female clownfish. At first they are all "neutral". When you place a young pair together, there will be combative behavior until it is determined who the dominant is. I believe it is the dominant that becomes female.

 

[Dine]

No. I recommend getting everything squared away. You are QTing a fish we must assume is sick. Adding a new fish will only make it sick too.

As I understand, there are no such thing as male and female clownfish. At first they are all "neutral". When you place a young pair together, there will be combative behavior until it is determined who the dominant is. I believe it is the dominant that becomes female.

I was aware the male could change but I didn’t know they were “neutral”. I based the distinction based on size, the female being much larger but the same age

 

[Dom]

I think it has to be a parasite of some sort. The white spots being my biggest clue. Either way the qt tank is warming up and I’ll start with copper then move onto prazipro. Tanks going to run fallow and I’ll go from There. I’ve always been lazy about the first fish’s QT and this time I think it caught up with me. Sucks. It was a really pretty clown

I was aware the male could change but I didn’t know they were “neutral”. I based the distinction based on size, the female being much larger but the same age

Again, I relayed to you as I understand it.

But now that you say it, it does sound more like what I read.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This morning I lost 1 of 2 clowns. I believe it was Ich although the speed in which she went down makes me wonder. Clowns have been on the tank for a month. Currently the only fish. Couple zoa frags, hermits, and trochus snails. Both clown have been eating since day one.

A couple weeks ago I spotted what I thought might be Ich on them both although the female was very covered. Thought it might have been sand as my power head had kicked some up while I was playing with the flow. No one was acting weird and they continued to eat. 48hr later nothing on them. Then 2 days ago same thing, figured it was in fact Ich. Last night female was swimming fine but was hanging closer to the bottom than usual. Breathing looked normal. She did not eat. Male was acting fine and eating. Decided it was time to QT (as I should have done to start). She was dead by morning. Male still acting and eating fine.

my question is does this sound like Ich? Seems like a really fast decline. Is this typical? My plan is to Run the tank fallow. QT the male (and add another female at the same time?) and go through the proper steps as outlined in the updated QT guidelines. All future fish will go through the same….idk about coral.

no detectable ammonia
30 nitrate (today was WC day)
.07 phosphate

How are you testing water?
Also, without pics, hard to determine cause. The dots you mention may also be secondary lesions from Brooklynella or could ich. With no pics or further info on symptoms, it may be to your advantage to remove fish and leave fishless for 4-6 weeks to allow the parasites or brook to exist without a host fish and die off.

 

[ARGYGANG]

But would that take one fish out and leave the other fine-ish. I’ve never dealt with velvet. The male has spots on him, more spots than I would think is typical for Ich but he’s eating and active. I’ll have the QT setup tomorrow either way.

“More spots than I would think typical for ich” you have described velvet behavior pretty spot on ime, I lost my cinnamon pair to velvet in august of 22 and they were covered but would hang out near the bottom of the tank near the power head like you have also described

 

[ARGYGANG]

So here’s my next question. Given the amount of time I’m about to QT the male should i go ahead an add another female with him during the qt or should I wait for him to go through this solo, add him back to the fallow tank then start a female through the same process

the only way I would do this would be if you had two different qt setups, other than that you just risk raising the chances of your original clown dying by stressing it with a new clown, who it will bicker with.

 

[Dine]

That is the plan

 

[Dine]

You’re right. I was thinking since I’m testing anyway… but that’s not the right thing to do

 

[Dine]

Im not sure why quotes are not working. Im
Testing phos and nitrates with Hanna, ammonia with Red Sea, salinity with Milwaukee, and temp with Neptune probe

 

[ARGYGANG]

Im not sure why quotes are not working. Im
Testing phos and nitrates with Hanna, ammonia with Red Sea, salinity with Milwaukee, and temp with Neptune probe

seems fine, if your water quality is fine then it kind of seals the deal with it being a disease. let me ask you this, when you look at the fish would you say it had to many white dots to count? were they on just the body or also the fins and eyes? were they similar sized or were some much smaller/larger than others? since you said the spots appeared and then went away for two days then returned a few days ago and lost a clown how long would you say that the clownfish survived with visible infection ( i lost my cinnamons to velvet when i first got into the hobby and they took around 5 days to pass away i was new so couldnt identify velvet at the time) so far the only thing you have said to us that leads away from velvet is that its breathing was fine, which is hard to tell on some clownfish ime especially if they are small. either way to save your other clownfish coppersafe/copper power at 2-2.5 ppm for 14 days and then into another sterile qt reusing none of the prior equipment OR 30 days then do a massive water change, leave display tank fishless for 6 weeks inverts are fine to stay in the tank during this time. use the fallow period to do some of the annoying things so you have a tank free of all disease, go buy more coral dip them then let them fallow the unwelcomed plagues away while your tank does the same, add the rest of your cuc you want, set up a chaeto reactor etc. please dont take offense if this seems like knowledge you already know i have not had the pleasure of speaking with you yet here so i am unsure of how new you are to the hobby. ( the last bit just makes life easier when i fallowed my tank i went and spent $500 on corals and a chaeto reactor and let them fallow out as the tank did saving me from the need for a qt just for corals)

 

[Spare time]

seems fine, if your water quality is fine then it kind of seals the deal with it being a disease. let me ask you this, when you look at the fish would you say it had to many white dots to count? were they on just the body or also the fins and eyes? were they similar sized or were some much smaller/larger than others? since you said the spots appeared and then went away for two days then returned a few days ago and lost a clown how long would you say that the clownfish survived with visible infection ( i lost my cinnamons to velvet when i first got into the hobby and they took around 5 days to pass away i was new so couldnt identify velvet at the time) so far the only thing you have said to us that leads away from velvet is that its breathing was fine, which is hard to tell on some clownfish ime especially if they are small. either way to save your other clownfish coppersafe/copper power at 2-2.5 ppm for 14 days and then into another sterile qt reusing none of the prior equipment OR 30 days then do a massive water change, leave display tank fishless for 6 weeks inverts are fine to stay in the tank during this time. use the fallow period to do some of the annoying things so you have a tank free of all disease, go buy more coral dip them then let them fallow the unwelcomed plagues away while your tank does the same, add the rest of your cuc you want, set up a chaeto reactor etc. please dont take offense if this seems like knowledge you already know i have not had the pleasure of speaking with you yet here so i am unsure of how new you are to the hobby.

14 days is not long enough in copper