clown

[cthegame]

Today I noticed the bigger of my two clown fish breathing fast and her mouth is open. There was also a stringy & sticky thing coming out of her. It doesn’t look like poop.

She is now always in her cave and occasionally comes out to observe and goes back. She also did not eat anything today (first day she didn’t eat). The other clown is mostly by her. The other clown seems perfectly fine and in fact has been a lot more active swimming around looking for food, etc.

I’m not sure whats wrong and what I should do. Her fins, body, etc, all look fine. No white spots or anything unusual. The only unusual factors I notice are 1. she didn’t eat today. 2. she is breathing fast with mouth open and 3. she is hiding in her cave.

Any ideas what the problem is and what I should do?

 

[Bifferwine]

She definitely sounds sick. A stringy thing could be some sort of parasite or fluke hanging off of her. If I were you, I would catch her and quarantine her and treat her with copper and hope for the best.

 

[hibye]

put in qt
temp80-81degrees farenhieght
salt 1.019
start mixing formula 1 marine pellet food with frozen food
treat with copper

 

[reeffreak]

I agree with Biff,its some kind of parasite.I would definitely put it QT and hope for the best.You don't want the parasite to move to another fish.Sorry but every time I seen this the fish didn't survive.A fluke/tape worm like parasite would be my guess.

 

[yote]

Biff and Reef are on the ball.
I agree with em.About all you can do is QT the fish and treat with copper.

 

[cthegame]

What medication can i use. Can you recommend a few brands to me i could go out and buy right now.

 

[reeffreak]

I can't help you much there.Biff and Yote suggested some kind of copper medications.Make absolutely sure you treat the clown in a QT tank and not the display...best of luck.

 

[yote]

Aquarium Fish Medication: SeaCure Copper Treatment

We use this at the LFS to treat for parasites.
It wouldnt hurt anything to treat your fish with amoxicillian(sp?)to.

As with anything related to saltwater,It may or may not work.But follow the directions to the T,and good luck.
Hope your clown survives.

 

[Bifferwine]

Any brand of copper medication will work. I don't think there's a difference between any of them.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would read the instructions on the medicine and make sure that it would work on an internat parasite and how to treat for one. It might suggest mixing in in the food. To get the meds right to where it is needed.

Brian

 

[cthegame]

I'm doing the copper treatment in the QT. Copper has been in the tank for just 1 day. How long do these kinds of treatments take? My biggest worry is that she is not eating at all and I dont want her to starve to death. I have tried feeding a variety of things but she just wont go for it. She has been without food for 3 days. Is there any way i can get her to eat? I’m watching over the QT all the time out of worry…I noticed today that I she had no string coming out of her. Before she had that all the time so I’m hoping that’s a good sign. But not eating is really worrying me.

Poor fishy.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I have heard that mixing some garlic in with the food can help fish who dont show intrest in the food begin to eat.


Brian

 

[Bifferwine]

Nothing much you can do about the eating, except like bjohanson said, garlic extract. They can be just fine for several days without food, so keep your hopes up.

 

[cthegame]

Here is an update on my sick clown.

She is still sick, still breathing hard and still not eating. But still alive. What a fighter. Its been well over a week and she has not eaten.

I have been on top of the QT every day monitoring everything but no luck. I dipped her in fresh water, tested the QT water on a daily basis, etc. but she is just waiting to go to fishy heaven i think.

Its even more painful to see a fish hold on to life for so long. I wish she would die already and be released from this agony.

I hate to see her suffer. Why wont she die?

 

[yote]

There comes a time when we have to consider putting an animal in our care down.Its just a fact of a life.But even I will admit its not easy when its something we have tryed to care for and protect(unless of course its food).
If you think that theres no way the fish will survive,then it may be more humane to go a head and do the deed.

 

[cthegame]

There comes a time when we have to consider putting an animal in our care down.Its just a fact of a life.But even I will admit its not easy when its something we have tryed to care for and protect(unless of course its food).
If you think that theres no way the fish will survive,then it may be more humane to go a head and do the deed.

I'm not an expert on clown fish but since she hasn’t eaten for well over a week and is not showing any signs of recovery, i'm 99% sure she is just suffering and will not make it. How do I pull a Dr. Kevorkian on my clown?

 

[yote]

Several ways,
Placing the fish in a cup of vodka.
Freezing the fish.
Plus theres a product called Euthanase.
I have no idea how well either works,as I have yet to cross the bridge.
Hate to hear your clowns not getting any better.

 

[reeffreak]

Sorry about what has happen.I tried several times in the past to save two perculas with similar illness but they never recovered.You just have to do what you think is best.

 

[Doc]

vodka is an easy method, but you ruin a perfectly good glass on it and around here, it ain't cheap. I am a civil man, but also respect their pain. I have had success with netting them, quickly placing them in an opaque plastic bag and bashing them several times with a hammer. It sounds a bit extreme and brutal, but it works - faster than vodka. I use a hammer for fish who are sick and slowly dying. I use the same bag trick but beat them into the cement for those fish who are naughty in my tank. Up to you.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[reeffreak]

vodka is an easy method, but you ruin a perfectly good glass on it and around here, it ain't cheap. I am a civil man, but also respect their pain. I have had success with netting them, quickly placing them in an opaque plastic bag and bashing them several times with a hammer. It sounds a bit extreme and brutal, but it works - faster than vodka. I use a hammer for fish who are sick and slowly dying. I use the same bag trick but beat them into the cement for those fish who are naughty in my tank. Up to you.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

So sick!
So demented!
I love it!