Urgent help needed: Clowns swimming abnormaly

[Travis1]

Woke up this am and my clowns where swimming close to surface, like they where hungry. So fed them as I normally do. They did not eat. Half hour later, my 1 clown was dead. Checked levels and n02 normal, but nitrate sitting at 5 ppm. Corals are happy. Fish not looking good? Advice needed.

[Travis1]

And have just Dona a NSW water change on fri.

[459b]

How long have you had the clowns?

[Travis1]

I've had the clowns for about 3 months already. First time ever seen them swim like they did this am.

[Tobes]

Where did you collect water? Was it close to a drain or river mouth? If they were OK for 3 months and all of a sudden not eating and sick, then I suspect something in the water caused it. That is if nothing else changed in the tank like adding live stock, etc
Nitrate of 5 is fine, did you check the expiry date on your other test kits? Just incase

[Travis1]

NSW was collected from ushaka beach on fri, and water change done same day. Nothing else has been added at all to the tank in 2 months. Could only be the water quality then. you think it was caused from all the rains we have just had? And how come it's not affecting my corals? They still thriving.

[Tobes]

I really don't know, does the clowns have any marks/white layer/spots on them? Fin rot?

[Travis1]

No marks or anything on the clowns what so ever. Inspected the one that died and not a single visible thing wrong with him. One that still alive looks good, no spots etc. look healthy and always eating well accept from this am. And if it is water quality, then I have no idea y my corals are thriving then. Coz they should be the first to notice the effect. What else can this be? Really worrying factor.

[mandarinman]

Ammonia?

[Travis1]

Amonia is less than .25. I'd say about .1ppm

[Kharnyge]

found this link
Fish Diseases - Signs of Stress and Disease in Tropical Fish and Goldfish.
look at paragraph about gasping at the surface....dont know if its applicable

[Kharnyge]

Originally Posted by Kharnyge

found this link
Fish Diseases - Signs of Stress and Disease in Tropical Fish and Goldfish.
look at paragraph about gasping at the surface....dont know if its applicable

ag stupid....sorry its for goldfish

[belindamotion]

Originally Posted by Travis1

Woke up this am and my clowns where swimming close to surface, like they where hungry. So fed them as I normally do. They did not eat. Half hour later, my 1 clown was dead. Checked levels and n02 normal, but nitrate sitting at 5 ppm. Corals are happy. Fish not looking good? Advice needed.

We have had a few Fishes with these behaviours and honestly....the closest is Ammonia Poisoning...but 85% of the time, it's not a "new" Tank...

Symptoms:
The fish will hang at the surface, gasping for air. The skin may show some signs of damage at advanced stages, such as red streaking. It will become increasingly lethargic until it finally dies. Its gills may appear lilac in colour.

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_...POISONING.html

Here is also one...that I thought might have been something else...
Urgent help needed Clarkie dying - Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Think in the end it was Turberculosis...read thru as I think it started with the "grasping"...

Symptoms:
These may not be obvious, but if symptoms do occur they will include:

• Emaciation. That is sunken stomach and thin otherwise.
• Sometimes sores or ulcers will appear.
• Loss of appetite.
• Spinal curvature.
• Erratic Swimming.
• Some symptoms similar to Pop-Eye.
• Scale Loss
• Pale colouration

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_...ERCULOSIS.html

Hope it nothing this bad and that a few good water changes will sort this out...

[Travis1]

Originally Posted by belindamotion

We have had a few Fishes with these behaviours and honestly....the closest is Ammonia Poisoning...but 85% of the time, it's not a "new" Tank...

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_...POISONING.html

Here is also one...that I thought might have been something else...
Urgent help needed Clarkie dying - Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Think in the end it was Turberculosis...read thru as I think it started with the "grasping"...

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_...ERCULOSIS.html

Hope it nothing this bad and that a few good water changes will sort this out...

Thanks for the info Belinda. I think you hit the nail on the head. Doing a water change soon. Hopefully will come right. What would cause the ammonia spike though? All of a sudden too?

[belindamotion]

Originally Posted by Travis1

Thanks for the info Belinda. I think you hit the nail on the head. Doing a water change soon. Hopefully will come right. What would cause the ammonia spike though? All of a sudden too?

I have no idea what could cause it and whether, for that matter, Ammonia has anything to do with it...as I stated earlier

Originally Posted by belindamotion
We have had a few Fishes with these behaviours and honestly....the closest is Ammonia Poisoning...but 85% of the time, it's not a "new" Tank...

most of these Tank are not new...yet when searching for info regarding their behaviour...Ammonia is the closest to the symptoms displayed by the Fish...so IMHO I'll regard it as "Ammonia" and do water changes to dilute and remove whatever "toxic substance" is in the water presently...regardless of whether it's actually Ammonia or not...I have yet to see another discription of SW fish "gasping" for air, besides Ammonia...so that would lead me to believe that it somehow has to be Ammonia.....just keep an eye on you'r Fish as TB is the only other one I know of, that "starts" that way...if I'm not mistaken...I do stand corrected...

[Travis1]

thanks again Belinda. have done a 50l water change yest, will do another 1 today.

[mandarinman]

Glad you are proactive travis1

[rakabos]

When all else fails. Do a water change. Rule #1