Sick Clown

[ReefCarl]

Temp: 77.5
Salinity 1.023
Ph 8.24
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
75g, sump, skimmer, fuge,
Tank mates include 2 tangs, 1 female clown, 3 pajama fish, hermits, and smails

Just added 1 yellow damsel to control flat worms, yellow ployps, and hammer coral.

I have a clown that has taken a turn for the worse. He's tank-bred and has been happy and healthy for nearly 5 months. Earlier this week, I noticed he was not eating as much, and not staying with the female. Yesterday, he was sitting on the mushrooms and breathing heavily. By last evening, he was swimming on his side/nose on the bottom of the tank.

This morning, his fins have lost some color and he remains on his side, "swimming" with his body barely off the ground, in the corner of the tank.

His eyes do look "buggy" and his abdomen swollen, although it is difficult to tell if that is because he has lost weight from not eating recently.

I do not see any white spots on him nor have I seen any aggression towards him, even in his weakened state.

Any ideas? I'd hate to lose this guy!

 

[joshlegs]

your tag says experience = 5 days. surely you didnt put that many fish to start out in a new tank all at once right?

EDIT: nvm. your post clearly says ~ 5 months.

 

[Kelz88]

Just wondering when did you add the damsel? And if it was very recently did you add the bag water to your tank?

 

[ReefCarl]

Thanks for the responses;
I have been with the hobby for just over six months now. When I signed up for this account, I was very very very new. I have added the current residents very slowly over five months.

The damsel was added two days ago, while the clown was not eating, but still looked fine and was swimming normally (although it had separated itself from the female and was not as active as normal). I did not add the water from the damsel.

As a side note, it looks like all other fish are happy and healthy. No abnormal habits, eating well, etc...

 

[poksal]

So you have a large and a small clown fish? and this is the smaller one?

 

[ReefCarl]

The smaller one was the sick one. He did not make it.

I now have a single clown. I've read a lot about them needing to be in pairs. Can my single clown survive?

 

[wontonflip]

It could possibly have been stressed out with the new damsel. But the bug eyes and swollen tummy might be something else. It could also be that it was too stressed to fight off something that the other fish are fighting off on their own, if that makes any sense. If everyone else is eating and active, honestly, there's not much you can do. If they are sick with something, they can fight it off on their own. I hope that damsel doesn't bully everyone. They've been known to take on fish larger than itself, just FYI. Keep an eye on him.

 

[poksal]

My single larger clown was fine from late Aug until late Nov before I got her a little mate.. and I think she would of been fine for a long time. But I don't know that much about it.

... but I have four damsels and they don't bother either clown.. and the little guy was added after they were. .. coarse the big clown takes up for him.

 

[Bifferwine]

They will be fine by themselves.

 

[2XAl]

the damsels in my tank added after my clowns get beat up by them all the time. I fear for one damsel that it's on its way out. I am looking for a QT tank now...

 

[dannyboy]

every damsel I've had or seen turned out to be a pain in the ass, at 1 point was gonna try to shoot 1 w/ a bb gun in the tank! they can be mean, seen them kill mates much larger then them, problem fish imo.

 

[ReefCarl]

This damsel is the last added, so he/she gets bullied about by all of the tank mates. The female clown is the hardest on the damsel. The others mostly leave the damsel alone, but the clown still chases at times.