clown not clowning around

D

dixonstanley50

Reefing newb
after 6 days the smaller of our 2 perculas is still swimming on an upward 45 degree angle on the bottom and breathing rapidly, were wondering if it may be velvet or ich the dominate clown looks great and happy except maybe turning a little darker on his shoulders. The small one also quit eating yesterday but his buddy still has a good apatite could this just be stress or signs of a disease? see attached video link for behavior.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=htt...h?v=QLekljKlLtk&h=dd2d1lu957OpbNnHIPHlo6nnddA
 
Ya, he looks pretty stressed out. But i cant tell you if its because the two of your clowns have been fighting it out over who is going to be dominate or its some other disease. I would try and entice him to eat with garlic on his food. And maybe turn the lights off on the tank so the other fish will leave him alone.
 
they're definitely not fighting it out for dominance would a disease like velvet give symptoms like that? and is the fact that the big one is turning blackish a clue also?
 
Its hard to tell because many disease strike the gills and you see the rapid, heavy breathing.

But if you are still seriously concerned about him i would remove all your fish and treat with copper. DO NOT DO THIS WILLY NILLY!!!!! Read up on it make sure you understand it 100%!!!!
Here is a good place to learn how to do this:https://www.livingreefs.com/copper-101-a-t29680.html

Also, understand that you are going to need to leave your DT fishless for several weeks so that all the lifecycles of the parasite have a chance to die off.

Also, sometimes the stress of doing the copper treatment and moving the fish can be enough to push them over the edge. It can be a hard choice trying to figure out to treat or not.

Good luck!
 
thanks little fish! I guess im not 100% sure about the power struggle, but they hang out side by side most of the time and the only sign of aggression is the odd little bump. What do you think about medications without copper? such as cureall?
 
Ive never heard of those other medications working, or working very well. Especially if they are labeled reef safe.

But how is he doing this morning?
 
still the same swimming on a 45 degree upward angle an inch off the bottom and still rapid breathing. the only other thing i can see if you look really close the white stripe around his face has some tiny black specs on it(the stripe is not mint condish)
 
i dont see nothing on him but there really something wrong with him and there nothing wrong with the other clownfish so i dont think it a spreadable disease did you check the para. of your tank?
 
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