stressed fish

[ckwatson]

I have a clown that looks like it is gasping, None of my other fish seem to have a problem water test where good except ammonia which was just a little high. I did a small water change (will do a larger one tomorrow when i have more water) and dosed some prime. I am thinking it must be stress because all the other fish are fine. Can you use stresscoat in salt water like you do in fresh? And would it do any good?

 

[victor626nj]

didnt you just loose two clowns to brok i think correct me if im wrong

 

[ckwatson]

I did just loose two clowns but it was not brok, the LFS said they had a few more from that batch die also. I am about to leave for work but i will try to get a pic up tonight or tomorrow. I dont think this is brok, no white lines or slime and the LFS had them for a week before I got them. And i would think it would be both if it was brok

 

[saltwater junky]

even a little amonia is deadly, did you cycle your tank and how long?

 

[cameron]

Careful on this one... clowns can often look like they are about to kick the bucket and as it turns out that is just the behavoir. I have one clown that swims on its side at the surface at night and he has been doing that for a year now.

 

[ckwatson]

The tank has been up for about 3 months now, I think the ammonia is from a filter pad I had in the tank, it was pretty nasty I took it out so that is taken care up if it was the problem. I also just fed them and he did not come out of the cave to eat.

 

[ckwatson]

could it be a flow problem My flow is not very high the turn over in the tank is good but is a tall tank and i dont know how well i am getting water from the bottom to the top. I have been thinking of adding a power head or two

 

[victor626nj]

no corals require the flow as long as you have some flow they should be fine unless your ph is really low it could mean you have a oxygen exchange problem either way good luck

 

[ckwatson]

I just though some one had said that ammonia will set near the bottom and take longer to get out of the water and if the water is not coming up from the bottom it is not being cleaned is this not something i should worry about?

 

[ckwatson]

Well lost the clown yesterday. I guess I am just not meant to have a pair of clowns. The other is doing just fine eating well and swimming around a lot. I took some water to the LFS and had them test it. they had the same results I had every thing fine but a very small amount of ammonia. Talked to the guy at the LFS and he was saying it sounded like stress to him. My tank did not have that much flow in it and he was saying that with the clowns being used to alot of flow he may have just never adjusted to my tank. I added a power head that moves 400 gph and will add another maybe next week the tank looks a lot better the base of all the rock and sand look a lot cleaner and it kicked up a lot when I turned it on. I think all that junk on the bottom may be where my ammonia came from. Does any one think I am on the right track with the addition of the power head and where the ammonia came from or could it be something else killing my clown fish?

 

[cameron]

Keep up with frequent water changes until the ammonia reads zip. You could try adding in some cured live rock from a well established tank to kick the bacteria into high gear as well. If you have overflows and/or a sump, stuff them with some chaeto as well.

 

[cameron]

Oh and if after a water change your ammonia doesn't drop immediatly, test your made up water for ammonia. It is possible for it to be added in during a water change.