Clownfish Sick??

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boulderman1

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Aug 8, 2006
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my true percula clownfish has been acting very strange lately, when i wake up and turn the lights on, he's just laying at the bottom practically motionless, he's upright but that's about it, then after a few min. he gets up and starts to swim around a little bit, he doesn't show an physical signs of stress (i.e. sores, parasites, clamped fins etc.) but his gill movement has been rather rapid the last few days and i caught him at the surface today which prompted me to put an airstone in the tank just to be safe, please help ASAP, this is my first fish and i haven't even had it a week not to mention it was $40 since it is a TRUE percula params are:

0 ammonia
14 ppm nitrate
.2 ppm nitrite
300 ppm alk.
8.1 pH

thanks
 

boulderman1

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Fishieness

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sounds like he was just sleeping to me.... after the lights are on for a while he swims around fine?
 

boulderman1

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he kinda swims more but his gills still go really fast and i don't think he swims around the usual amount even when the lights are on
 

BadRoma1

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isn't this clown recovering after a parasite that made him sick? how is he eating? do you have a powerhead at the top so it would irritate the serface?
 

boulderman1

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there's a bubbler in the tank so the oxygen is definately sufficient, but he's still breathing very fast and won't eat, and now he stays at the bottom almost tipping over on his side all this time, what do i do, doen't anybody know what to do in this case???? time is running out!!!
 

Max

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Since this fish was affected by a parsitic infection it is most likely anemic. The only thing you can really do is try to get it to eat. Try frozen brine etc and keep a close eye on it. At this point there really isn't a lot you can do other than cross your fingers and try to get it to eat.
Keep us posted
Max
 

boulderman1

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ok max, that was actually helpful, i will try my best to get him to eat, any sugegstions on how to get a reluctant fish to eat or any other suggestions for my situation in general??

thanks a lot
 

Fishieness

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just offer them food as much as possible. try garlic also as a scent attraction. suposedly it helps, but i have never had a problem getting a fish to eat. if you want to add some amino acids such as selecon to the food thatll help once he starts eating, or even strait to the tank.
 

Sonicblast12

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boulderman1 said:
ok max, that was actually helpful, i will try my best to get him to eat, any sugegstions on how to get a reluctant fish to eat or any other suggestions for my situation in general??

thanks a lot
I don't normally suggest overfeeding, but it might help a reluctant fish start. If you have plenty of flow, you can create a "food storm", where different sizes and types of food are blowing all over the tank like a snowstorm. It might be more likely to feed if it has a lot of options on size, color, etc. Also, it wouldn't have to compete with others. As was suggested, garlic helps.

You have a cleanup crew, so you shouldn't see any adverse effects, just don't make a habit out of it.

Hate to say it, but he probably won't recover.
 
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