Male clown not doing well!

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by Scubagator87, Jan 6, 2009.

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  1. Scubagator87

    Scubagator87 Skunk Shrimp

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    I had a few other threads about what i think is an ich situation. Both my clowns have it but the male seems to be the only one acting differently. The past two days he seemed to be ok, was swimming alright, no problem eating.

    Today he is struggling at the surface, is swimming vertical most of the time, gasping, and looks really emaciated (over night), The space under his eyes look sunken in and one of his tip fins looks like its half gone, not sure if this is consistent with a bite. It is not looking good, any advice would be appreciate:cry:

    Have been slowly raising the temp in the main tank (i think its around 79-80), also added an ari stone hoping this would help with breathing.
     
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  3. tigermike74

    tigermike74 Panda Puffer

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    Raising the temp of the tank will reduce the O2 in the tank. It's a catch 22 when using that method to fight ick. 2 things that lower O2 is higher temps and higher SG. The air stone will help if the bubbles coming out are small enough to be absorbed into the water, otherwise it will just break at the surface and create lots of salt creep.
     
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  4. Scubagator87

    Scubagator87 Skunk Shrimp

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    ok thanks for tips...this is def frustrating. I guess the most immediate thing is the breathing so i'll lower the temp a little bit (very gradually of course). Umm i think i have a better wood air stone that will probably be better. I'll put that one on
     
  5. Scubagator87

    Scubagator87 Skunk Shrimp

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    so i left for about ten minutes and he has completely disappeared!! I looked behind the tank (to look behind rock) in their den, all the corners. Hes not anywhere! I dont have a whole lot of live rock for him to hide in, let alone a whole lot of caves. Maybe he fell into the anemone??? :(
     
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  6. tigermike74

    tigermike74 Panda Puffer

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    Have you moved the rock to see if he may have gotten stuck under there? The last thing you want is for him to be in there if he has died. He will spoil the tank fast. With an anemone, it's not a good sign. A mated clown won't feed its mate to an anemone usually, but you never know. My maroon fed my injured damsel to its anemone once. Check the trunk of the anemone to see if it looks exceptionally full, or if you can see a dark spot in it. If it did eat it, it will expel it sometime within a day or so. I'm really sorry if that has happened, I know how that feels. :(
     
  7. Scubagator87

    Scubagator87 Skunk Shrimp

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    yea, well i thought maybe the anemone because they dont host it and he isn't immune to the sting, so i thought maybe he just kind of "fell" into it. This is such a bummer! He is my favorite. I'll try moving the rock later today, i have to go to class. Maybe the cleaner shrimp will help me find the body if he died. Not too much rock to move in the first place.

    I do really need to get him out, cause the few burrrowing snails, cleaner shrimp, and bristle worms i have didn't take care of the entire gramma while i was gone and i think thats why the clowns got sick. (he died while i was on winter break)