Ulcer?      4/27/20 Good evening. <Hey Hector> I asked my friend about an ulcerative lesion on my clown’s jaw, and he told me to email you. Here it goes. Just noticed it today. It’s not eating because the mouth is constantly open. I plan on quarantining, but don’t know what meds I should try. <Mmm; unfortunately there is no treatment for such a situation (that I'm aware of); on the plus side, having seen and read re similar circumstances I don't consider that this condition is "catching"... that is, it won't spread to other livestock> Thank you for your time. Best regards, Hector <Were it my fish, I'd keep it as long as it doesn't seem to be suffering. Otherwise, please see Neale's piece here on euthanasia: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/euthanasia.htm Bob Fenner>

Re: Ulcer?      4/27/20 Thanks for your prompt response. Hector <Certainly welcome. BobF>

Ocellaris with black / dark patches    11/21/19 <Hi Eduardo, could you please crop, resize down your pix to just a few megs and resend them?... otherwise you will crash our server. Cheers. Wil.> Re: Ocellaris with black / dark patches    11/21/19 Hello Will, thanks for your response. <Most welcome> I'll answer your questions directly on the body of the email. Cheers. Ed. Well, I've been in the hobby for quite some time and even though I've seen a lot I came across something I'm uncertain about. <Let’s see> The male of ocellaris pair is showing some dark brown / black patches in the lower part of his body going from the middle back to its tail, and uncertain to what it is. <Do these patches appeared suddenly?> <<Yes they seem to have appeared suddenly>> <Ok> My pair have hosted some sort of olive/brown Palythoas for over 2 years. I've seen the female and male with stung marks before but they are always dark dots and not blotches. <Maybe it was stung by another coral> <<It could've been the new frog>> <Yes> I haven't checked my param.s, this week, but I keep them at ~400Ca, 1300+Mg, 7.7+Kh, will check my phosphates as I did have a power outage today that lasted 5hrs (kept an air pump running the whole time), Nitrates <10ppm. I will check them tomorrow again to see if anything is off, even with the power outage I doubt it as all the corals and inverts are doing fine. <How about the other readings...ammonia, nitrites, ph, specific gravity, temperature?> <<Haven't check ammonia, nitrite or ph for a while. SG is 1.025. I did have a power outage that lasted for 5 hrs and I placed an air pump through the whole time, temperature dropped to 24.6 but I keep it from 24.5 to 25.7 also used a Biodigest vial and stop ammo vial after the power outage>> <Mmm... am not a fan of additives, more of the idea of doing partial water changes to dilute accumulated wastes, after power outages.> I do keep softies like Zoas, Palys and mush, LPS Trumpets, Frog and hammers, and SPS a few Acros , Montis chalices and such. <These can irritate the clown’s skin specially in small / crowded quarters; what is the size of your system?> <<Is well over a 75g + 30 gal sump plus the frog is almost a foot to the left and half a foot to the top away from where they stay in their Palys (It does have 1 green Paly that recently got mixed with the olive ones)>> Aside from the ocellaris, I also have a Cleaner Wrasse and a Mandarin fish on that system, as well as a Cleaner shrimp, few hermits and snails. The mandarin, wrasse and cleaner shrimp were added a few months ago and they are all eating and acting normal. My last addition was a frog that i got from a friend yesterday, he's reef is over 6 years old with a pair of ocellaris that have almost 10 years (from a previous reef) and I only dipped it in Revive and Lugol. It's doing fine right now. All my fish seem to be acting normal, I did notice the wrasse a bit awkward, however eating regularly, but I will need to confirm it. The female is showing a some dark patches but much less than the male. <I suspect the recently added Euphyllia may have to do with this> <<Could be, but if it is far away should I worry about it going closer to the frog?>> <We can’t be 100% sure it will not.> I'm attaching a few pics of my ocellaris, I'd appreciate if you could share some info, or if you have come across something like this before. I will pull the ocellaris out the tank it gets worse, but right now I'm only observing as he is eating and swimming well, although he does seem to be swimming in the current and opening up his mouth widely from time to time, I know this symptoms resemble velvet, and I do have a Hospital Tank with copper for about a month (covered with plastic to prevent aerosol transmission) next to it and a QT tank on one side but I doubt it is velvet or it would have already taken on the fish very fast and the patches doesn't resemble velvet. One Idea that has come to my mind is predatory dinos after the power outage. Thanks before hand, any help will be appreciate it. <This appears to be "Hyper- Melanization" which is caused by stinging organisms like the ones you have, I’d see if the blotches disseminate to the rest of the clown’s body or if they fade away over the course of a few days, if not, you’ll need to remove the offending life form, this can be difficult to identify as it may be stinging the clownfish at night if/when the fish swims nearby and touches it... again, I suspect of the Frogspawn.> <<Very well, I'll keep an eye for any changes, the patches seemed to be not spreading so that is good, and the clownfish is acting normal. Thanks again for your help Will>> <Please keep us posted. Wil.>

Top Fin Damage       11/15/19 Hello, <Hey Nick> Here are a couple pictures of my Amphiprion Ocellaris Clown. Three weeks ago I noticed the top fin was looking white and he would rarely extend it. I've been monitoring it and it didn't look like it was getting any worse till yesterday. The white area looks like it's at the top of the body now. He lived in a 55 gal tank for 5 years, and earlier this year I moved everything into a 75 gal. The tank is stable. I haven't lost any fish in five years. I've introduced a few corals (dipped) and some snails over the last few months. Fish: 2 clowns, 1 Royal Gramma, 2 Blue Chromis which are smaller than the clowns. The Clowns sleep in a frogspawn. Sometimes the Royal Gramma will nip at the clowns, but not enough to even make them swim away. Two small hermit crabs. He acts healthy and normal, eats well. Does this look like physical damage that needs time to heal? Is it more likely a disease of some kind? What remedy should I employ? I appreciate your advice! <Does look like physical damage, this kind of wound is typically caused by a nipping tank mate, watch carefully to identify the bully and isolate it. This wound should heal in a few weeks.> Thanks, Nick <Welcome. Wil.>

Re: Top Fin Damage      11/23/19 Here is an updated picture of the top fin. It looks like even the top of the body is affected at this point. The whitish coloration lower on his body is a smear on the glass. The rest of the body looks fine, other than the top fin. Does this still appear to be physical damage and not some other ailment? I haven't found the culprit yet. <Does look like an open wound... If environmental conditions are not ideal, it will take longer to heal, I’d do small partial water changes (10 to 15%) two or three times a week, add vitamin supplements to the fish diet and start using activated carbon.> Should I remove the wounded fish, and place in a hospital tank till recovery? It seems that would be additional stress, but maybe worth it? <Worth trying, this way you’ll also know if another fish was nipping at it.> Much appreciate! <Cheers. Wil.>

Clownfish Hyperventilating     9/22/19
Good Morning, this morning I woke up to my clownfish on the bottom of the tank hyperventilating as soon as it saw me he tried swimming up. It’s been an hour and he is still fighting whatever it is off he maintains itself upright. I checked my perimeters <parameters likely> and they’re fine I’m lowering my salinity little by little I’m not sure it yesterday I saw stringy poop or not so I’m not sure if he’s sick with parasites or just sick. I have had the tank for 4 months and the clownfish for 3 months he was doing just fine until today. I need help please!
<When, where in doubt, water changes! I'd switch out a quarter or so of the tank water, via gravel vacuuming... Stat! Unless you have another established, suitable system to move the fish to. Bob Fenner>

Faded clownfish... beginner, chatting       6/29/19 Hi my name is Brian delp <Hi Bryan> I have a clownfish that I just purchased a week ago and yesterday his orange color has faded a lot and his he's swimming around real fast up by power head and then he will swim in between heater and the glass..he's been doing fine all this time and just like that total change his swimming is very erratic and it doesn't seem like he's eating but he was eating the day before he is being housed in a Nano 24 tank <At first glance, I would say, it is stressed by environmental conditions but, I need to know more about your tank; water parameters, filtration, tank mates, maintenance practices... Thanks Brian Delp < You´re welcome. Wil.>

Yeah; some consideration now.

Re: Faded clownfish       6/29/19 2 clowns total and 1 red star fish so far Ph is 8.2 ammonia 0 and salinity is 1.026 and the test after ammonia is 0 and the 4th test was in the middle < ?? > I'm not at home now my other clown is fine which is the smaller of the 2 they were both fine yesterday morning <How about nitrites and nitrates?...Wil.> Re: Faded clownfish       6/29/19 The test after ammonia test is 0 and test after that was in the middle for the master testing don't remember the 1 number <Brian, please send us more accurate information of your water parameters, nitrites, nitrates, water temperature, and if possible an image of your clown fish; it is hard to diagnose with just ammonia info. Cheers. Wil.> Re: Faded clownfish       6/29/19 Ammonia. 25, nitrite 1.0 and nitrate 20ppm, <Too high, toxic levels, only nitrates are in a safe range> Water temp 76 degrees just tested again to double check and I just did a 10% water change tank has only been running since may 7th it's a new tank <I can see in your pic that your clown fish is stressed, I would do more partial water changes, also your water surface looks stagnant, do you have enough water movement/ oxygenation? What is your biological filter composed of, only live rock, how many pounds? Do you run a protein skimmer? Your tank is relatively new and may not be completely established. Wil.>

Need help with sick Ocellaris clown      6/23/17 Hi there, <Bette> I am new to your site as an e-mail questioner. I have read and utilized much of your "on site" advice in the past. Unfortunately this time I can't seem to find answers to my specific situation. <Okay> I have a 70 gallon plus refuge and sump FOWLR system. I run a protein skimmer. It is 6 years old. Salinity 1.023 per refractometer, Temp kept at 79.3 - 79.5 F., pH - 8.0, Ammonia - 0ppm, Nitrite - 0ppm, Nitrate at or below 5.0PPM. Oxygen by Salifert test usually around 8 mg/L but is low today probably as a result of using PraziPro. At 5-6 mg/L. I have removed the cup from the skimmer and am letting it run to try to add oxygen. Tank community is 2 Chromis, 1 Damsel, 1 Dwarf Flame Angel, I wrasse, 1purple Firefish, 1 goby, a peppermint shrimp, two emerald crabs, several snails and a pair of black ocellaris clowns. No one is new and there is no bullying or territorialism going on. The female clown is large at 3 inches. My issue is with my female clown. I have had her for 5 years with no problems. Three days ago she started acting lethargic and stopped eating. I noticed both she and the dwarf angel had white stringy poo so I started a treatment of PraziPro thinking I may have gotten some kind of parasite in the tank. <A "worm" type... you thought/think> I find no other observable symptoms. She goes from hanging in her "tube" with her mate (see picture) to sitting in the bottom corner of the tank by her favorite fake anemone - sometimes she seems to be lying on her side up against the glass. When she does swim she is mostly vertical in the corner of the tank. These are not normal behaviors for her. She is still turning down all food - pellet, flake, frozen Mysis shrimp. 1. Am I right with thinking parasite? <Mmm; not necessarily, no> 2. Any other possibilities? <All sorts; from there being nothing going on here. Amphiprionines are termed "Clowns" for more than their garish appearances. Their natural behavior includes all you've listed here> 3. How long can she go without eating before it is a real problem? <A few weeks likely> 4. I have an isolation tank but hesitate to move her since it will cause added stress and I will have to also move her mate as he gets very stressed whenever she is away. <I wouldn't move this fish... would "punt", and do a bit of a major clean up here... vacuum the substrate, change about a quarter of the water; move the decor> 5. If it is a parasite and PraziPro is working - how long before I should see some kind of improvement? <Mmm; parasites includes a wide array of phyla; including "vermes" of many sorts, but also Protozoans, crustaceans, and more that PraziPro does not treat. IF you have a microscope, want to sample some of the feces, we could go over what, if anything may be found. Otherwise, for shotgun treatments, some institutions, individuals try the vermifuge with the anti-protozoal (and moderately antimicrobial) Metronidazole. T'were these fish mine, I'd try some other foods of high palatability (e.g. Spectrum or Hikari pelleted), frozen/defrosted... perhaps a liquid vitamin, HUFA prep. added to the food and water... and be patient> 6. What symptoms would indicate she is worse? <Increasing malaise, thinness> THANK YOU!!! <Welcome. Bob Fenner> Re: Need help with sick Ocellaris clown      6/23/17 Bob - <Ms. M> As you said this is usually "normal" behavior for clowns but in this situation since I have had her a number of years - she is not acting normally. I will however take your advice and try to be patient. <A virtue indeed.> So many times it is too late to really have any effect once I start seeing symptoms. I have already done a substrate vacuum and water change. I hesitate to move a lot of the décor as it would upset many of the other residents ��. Good idea on the different food - I will do that right away. I have never used Metronidazole. Are you suggesting using it with the PraziPro? <I would not continue to use either of these... more than a recommended regimen. Both are hard on fishes, the system. Better by far that they're administered via foods... Bob Fenner>

Re: Need help with sick Ocellaris clown     6/24/17 Good morning Bob, <Hey Bette> Just wanted to give you a follow-up. I'm betting there are quite a few times you give advice and never hear the outcome. I followed your advice to not give any further medication and just be PATIENT. This morning my clown is eating a bit and acting like herself - more clown-like. Looks like we weathered this bug- whatever it was. Thanks again Bette <Ahh, tres bien. Thank you for the follow-up. BobF>

What happened? Myst. Clown Loss     5/9/17
Hi WWM Crew,
<Eddie>
I told myself last time that I wasn’t going to email with any more questions for a while, but I truly am puzzled by what happened this weekend, so here I am again. It was time to add the first fish to my system. I set the system up at the end of February, and I put in the live rock the first week of March. Then Saturday I went and got my first fish—a clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). I also got a cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis). I brought them home and acclimated them as usual: I float the bags in the tank they are going into for 15 to 30 minutes, then I slowly add a little tank water to the bag, and pour out a little water from the bag into a bucket until the ph, temp, and Spg are the same, then I release the animal into the tank. This took a couple of hours. In this case I put the clown and the shrimp directly into the DT. I didn’t quarantine the clown because he was to be the first fish in the tank. I figured if he had a problem I could catch him for treatment. I didn’t expect to have problems because he was a tank bred clown, and I have kept them before without issue.
He seemed OK during the acclimation and when I first put him in the tank he swam behind some of the live rock where he remained for the rest of the evening. I had the light out, so I couldn’t see him well but he was swimming in the current back there—kind of swimming in place with that “waggle” that clownfish do. The next morning when I got up and checked on him, he was sitting in the sand upright, but not swimming. He had found a place against the glass where the current wasn’t as strong and was just sitting there. This concerned me, but not terribly because I thought he might have selected this spot to sleep in—I’ve had tank bred clowns before that have slept in weird places. I had one that would sleep at the surface of the tank, up in a corner, just floating there on his side—he did that for several years. But when I looked more closely at this fish I noticed that he was breathing really hard. I’ve never seen a fish pump his gills that fast. I couldn’t do anything with him at this point because I had to leave. When I got back several hours later he was dead. He died sometime between 13 and 16 hours after I put him in the tank.
<Mmm>
My first guess was that something was wrong with the water, but the shrimp was fine (and still as), as was everything else in the tank: two turbo snails, three blue leg hermit crabs, lots and lots of little snails and starfish from the live rock, and a Kenya tree coral that hitchhiked in on the liverock. All my water tests came up normal (see below). Do you have any ideas what could have killed this fish?
<Only guesses. Might well be this one fish had some sort of trauma, predisposing genetic issue...>
Is there a problem you can have with your water that would kill a fish that fast, but not inverts?
<There are several possibilities here; yes>
Could it have been “clownfish disease” with a tank raised clown?
<Doubtful... perhaps it ate an organism that didn't "agree with it". Happens>
Could it have been the acclimation?
<Did you measure ammonia in the shipping water? See WWM re Guerilla Acclimation (techniques); rarely issues w/ locally purchased, transported livestock though>
I live an hour and a half away from the LFS, so he was in the bag for three or four hours total counting travel time and acclimation. I put the bag in an insulated container for the trip home. This was never a problem before when I got fish for my old system several years ago. I thought of one other possibility. I had made a new Durso standpipe for the tank. The bulkhead is a slip bulkhead and the one I had kept slipping out every now and then due to the current from the circulation pumps. Anyway, I had made it with pvc cement the day before.
<Actually; there is no such thing as PVC "cement"; the process involves a solvent... Nothing left between the pipe, fittings... and a day is long enough to cure>
I gave it more than 32 hours to dry and rinsed it thoroughly with water. While the fish were acclimating, I installed it in the tank. Could there have been something left over from the PVC cement that harmed this fish? It would have to be something that didn’t harm the inverts.
<Agreed; and not this>
Anyway, while I am devastated to lose this fish, my biggest concern is for the next fish that I get. If this was just one of those anomaly loses that sometimes happens, that’s fine, but if it is something wrong with my water, I need to fix it.
<I would "chalk the loss up" to the former and try another specimen m'self>
Water test and tank information:
· 75 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump (90 to 95 gallons of water)
· 42 lb. live rock and 35 lb. of previously live rock
· Spg: between 1.024 and 1.025
· Ph: 8.1
· dH: 10
· Am: 0
· Nitrite: 0
· Nitrate: 0 (live rock is handling this thus far)
· Calcium: 400
· Temperature 78
Thanks for your patient help with me as I re-venture into this world again. I know I have bothered you all too often, but you have always patiently helped. Thank you.
Eddie
<Never a bother. Thank you for writing Eddie. Bob Fenner>
Re: What happened?     5/9/17
Hi Bob,
<Hey Eddie>
Thanks for the lightening fast reply. I did check the ammonia in the shipping bags, but I forgot at first. I had mixed in a little bit of system water before I thought to do that. It was fairly early on though. It came out zero.
<Ahh; well; worth asking... Might be that a sudden shift in pH led to too much stress through "ammonia burn">
I don't think this was it. It was only a couple of hours before I started mixing the water in. Also I requested a bigger bag with more water in it because I had so far to travel.
<Ah, good>
I always tried to do this when getting fish in the past. Anyway, I will try again in a few weeks.
<Is what I would do too>
I was curious. You said that there are several possibilities for what could kill a fish that fast but not inverts. I know disease might be one. What are the others?
<Nitrogenous issues, low dissolved oxygen; thermal shock... There are several more. Bob Fenner>
Re: What happened?   Myst. Clownfish loss       5/12/17
Hi Bob,
<Hey Eddie>
I’ve been thinking about your reply for a couple of days ago, especially the possibility of low dissolved oxygen.
<A very common issue with aquariums, particularly marine tropical>
I don’t think that is what killed this fish, because he was the only one in there, but I do have a lot of confusion about dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide and how it relates to ph and possibly temperature. I am concerned that I am not getting enough oxygen (or getting rid of enough carbon dioxide) to handle the eventual fish load that I will have in the tank—or I may just be confused.
<Can have too little O2 and/or too much CO2... the higher temp., less solubility and higher metabolism... In general, higher DO, higher pH, and the reverse for CO2, carbonic acid in solution>
Back in 2012, when I had my old tank, I had a very enlightening conversation with you about Ph that resulted in my reading all the Ph FAQs and learning a lot. In that tank I had high Nitrates (that I was blissful unaware of) holding the Ph down around 8.1. I came to understand that Ph is affected by the amount dKH, the amount of calcium and magnesium, the amount of nitrates, and also the amount of oxygen verses carbon dioxide. I know it’s way too simplistic, but how I kept it straight in my mind is that if you had dKH between 8 and 12, Calcium around 400 and magnesium in proportion, low Nitrates, and enough DO that your pH ought to come out around 8.3 or so. I realize, of course, that I may still be missing something.
<Mmm; you have a good grasp of the essential factors>
So now fast forward to my new tank. Ever since I set the tank up I’ve been trying to figure out why my PH stays around 8.0. Over the last 2 ½ months it has fluctuated from 7.9 to 8.1 (using two separate test kits—one brand new one). I have a dKH of 10 to 11 all the time. My Calcium has been at 400 or slightly higher. I don’t have any Nitrates yet (the live rock is taking care of them so far). The only thing in the tank during this time has been the live rock (and everything that came in with it), two snails and three blue leg hermit crabs that I put in the first week of April, and the cleaner shrimp that I put in with the fish on Saturday. So I concluded that I either wasn’t getting enough oxygen or getting rid of enough Carbon dioxide to get the Ph any higher. I proved this to myself the other night by taking a cup of tank water and aerating it for about 3 hours with a small air pump/stone. The PH was 8.2 or 3 when I was finished.
<Ahh!>
I was hoping to run my set up and some of the things I’ve tried by you to see if I am missing something. So here goes . . .
It is a 75 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump (90 to 95 gallons total) with a >1” sand bed 42lb of live rock and 35lb. of formerly live rock from the old tank. In the sump I have an Aqua C EV 180 skimmer running on a Mag 7. My return pump is a Mag 7. I have plumbed two pvc returns over the back—each with locline at the end. Initially I was getting around 325 to 335 total gph (after head loss). The loclines are positioned so that the return water breaks the surface some as it comes into the tank. In the tank I have twin circulation pumps run by a Wavemaker. The flow rate is adjustable from 175 to 2000 gph each. I have experimented with them several different ways. Right now I have them on opposite ends of the tank about four inches from the top set two notches below full blast with fairly short intervals. They are both pointed somewhat toward the surface and I have a fair amount of turbulence.
<Good>
Much more and I would be nervous about it sloshing out. In fact this is why I had to make the new standpipe. The turbulence kept shaking the old one loose. I had them on full blast for a while, but a little lower in the tank and not pointed upward (again because I didn’t want any water sloshing out).
I have two drains with Durso standpipes—an inch drain and a ¾ inch drain (converted return on the 75 AGA). Both drop straight into the sump. The 30 gallon sump has three main sections. The first holds the skimmer (on a stand), the skimmer pump, and the heater. This section has all kinds of surface agitation/bubbles between the two drains and the skimmer return. Then, after a set of baffles with a bubble trap is the refugium. I was originally going to have a DSB in here, but I got too nervous because the sump was a used tank and I didn’t want to push it. I have less than an inch of sand in it now and am going to add a little crushed coral and live rock rubble and some small pieces of live rock to raise pods. I’m also going to add some macro algae to it when I find a store that carries it. I have a LED 15w Lights of America grow light suspended over it. For the last week I have been doing a reverse daylight lighting program with it. The last section of the sump holds the return pump.
Here are some things I have tried . . . I played around with the circulation pumps, but it didn’t make much difference. Opening the skimmer drain all the way seemed to help a little (I got a lot more turbulence in that part of the sump), but it also slowed down the skimmer production some (not that I’m getting a lot with a new tank without any fish anyway). I added an airstone with an air pump to the sump. I’ve tried several air pumps actually, and have the most powerful one that I have on it now. It was originally rated for 60 gallons, but it is old and may not be getting quite that much. None of this seemed to help much. I began to wonder if the problem is not aeration, but the inability of the carbon dioxide to escape.
Since setting the tank up I had glass panels on the top of the DT in the front half.
<This I was going to mention>
The back was open. I removed these the other day, but it didn’t help much (I intend to probably leave these off and make some lids for the front and back out of fiberglass window screen with eggcrate frames). This did help a little bit with my heat problem. I had had a hard time with the tank getting up above 79 degrees in the afternoon (I had it set on 78). I was concerned about this with summer coming on. Taking this glass off has helped with that. I have been able gradually to bring the temp down to the 77 range. I know decreasing temperature helps with capacity to hold oxygen. Does that mean that lower temperature would increase PH?
<To some extent; yes>
I think though that if there is a problem with not enough Carbon Dioxide out-gassing it is because of my stand cabinet arrangement. The stand is homemade. It is a frame made out of 2x4’s and 2x6’s with 1/4” Oak panels on the sides and doors on the front. The back (against the wall) is open. There is about a 1 1/2” gap between the stand and the wall where air can enter the inside of the cabinet. This is because I used a 2x4 as a mounting board between the stand and wall to leave room for my over the back return plumbing. When the cabinet doors are closed, this is the only way air can get in and out.
<Can you cut out some part of the door panels and insert some screening?>
Of course, most of my best aeration devices (the skimmer and the air pump) are inside the cabinet. One other thing that I did is I put a sheet of glass (23” x 9.5”) along the back of the sump as a shield for splashing from the drains & skimmer return. It is resting on the back lip of the sump, vertical on the long side, leaning against the drain tubes. Point is it blocks a good bit of the ventilation area at the back of the cabinet, but certainly not all of it. I’ve tried leaving the cabinet doors open overnight, and it seems to help a little—but I can’t leave them open all the time due to the noise of the pumps.
<May be time to trade these in...>
So I’m wondering if maybe the inside of the stand does not have enough access to good oxygen to get it into the water. My next step is going to be to remove the glass panel, but what after that? Should I put the air pump outside the cabinet?
<Worth trying>
Should I run some vinyl tubing from the skimmer’s air intake that goes out the back of the cabinet to fresher air? Would that mess up the skimmer’s performance?
<Worth trying again, and no>
Should I try a powerhead in the sump with a venturi tube running outside the stand? Do I need more algae growth in the system?
<Or an RDP lighting arrangement...>
I plan to get a dissolved oxygen test at some point, before I get too many fish, just to set my mind at ease. But if it tells me what I expect, how can I improve this situation. I thought setting this up that having a big protein skimmer would handle getting plenty of oxygen in the tank. That’s why I’m confused. I know I’m missing something here, but what?
I apologize for the length of this email. I didn’t intend to write such a lengthy discourse, but I wanted to describe the set up and everything I’ve tried. Thank you for your patience and all your help. Mere words are not enough to express my gratitude to you. Oh, and I hope you are having a great dive trip. I can’t wait to see the pictures!
Eddie
<Am just out on the Big Island... in the water tomorrow. Cheers Eddie. BobF>

7 year old female clown holds mouth open and won't or can't eat.     5/1/17 I just noticed that the ridge on her back looks a little ragged compared to his. Here is another video and photo. <This fish's mouth appears damaged... either from trauma or genetics. Not much you can do other than be patient and hope. Bob Fenner> 7 year old female clown holds mouth open and won't or can't eat.     5/1/17 > Here is a video and photo : <Ditto>

Re: 7 year old female clown holds mouth open and won't or can't eat.      6/5/17 Hi Bob, <Hey Kell> Our female clown went 6 weeks without eating, was at a tilt, and stayed just above the sand. We finally had her euthanized yesterday. <Ahh> The male was not eating yesterday until I closed the lid of the tank. Then he ate some flake. Today we moved him to our larger tank, where he lived 18 months ago. He seemed fine but isn't eating today. Should we put him back in his original tank and feed again? Or is it likely that he's missing his partner of 6 years? <I would leave this fish in the larger tank> We don't know what would make him feel better either. We hate to get a young clown since this guy is 6+. We could get one though, I guess, but would it be likely to be a good thing? Or likely an unwelcome thing? <Worth trying... I would likely do so. MUCH more interesting as a pair> We've never had an anemone. Should we consider that for him? <Mmm; best to have you read (extensively) re... IF you go this route, DO look for/secure a cloned specimen (likely an Entacmaea quadricolor/Bubble Anemone... MUCH more hardy, useful)> He has no weird swollen mouth like she had. Thanks <Welcome. Bob Fenner> Mmm; yes... mouth, head (genetically?) deformed Re: 7 year old female clown holds mouth open and won't or can't eat.       6/7/17 Our surviving clownfish, the male, has been swimming around the large tank (75 gal) running into the walls and not eating. When I put him back in his smaller tank (29 gal) he continued the same behavior. Just a few days ago he could see well enough to see us look into the tank from above and he would come stick his head out at the top. Now he doesn't do that. <Mmm; such blindness... often related to nutritional issues (most celebratedly a dearth of Vitamin B... see here on WWM: the search tool (on every page) w/ the string "clownfish blindness" OR possibly in internal parasite... OR genetic predisposition.... These are my best "guesses"> It really does seem that he is blind, and I'm thinking that our female, that we had euthanized on Friday, could have injured her mouth by running into things and we didn't realize that it was happening. <Yes; but this fish's head, mouth are "warped" in any case... common with many captive produced Clowns> Tonight we looked up blind clown fish and found some descriptions matching the behavior of ours. In one post someone said it was caused by too much oxygen in the water but I don't know how much they really knew. <I greatly discount this possibility> One post I found had a reply from WetWebMedia that said possibly try a broad spectrum antibiotic and treat for parasites too. We tried Metronidazole on the female but it didn't clearly help her. If parasite treatment requires the fish to eat, we can't treat it. <I'd go the Vitamins, Iodide and HUFA (directly applied to water) route (marine fishes et al. directly uptake); am partial to SeaChem's lines here> Some posts mentioned a pop eye but we can't see his eyes very well. <I doubt this cause as well> Do you have any explanation or treatment for a blind clownfish? <As above> Should we isolate him? <I would not; the cause here is "not catching"> Please help. <Doing the best I can. Bob Fenner> Re: 7 year old female clown holds mouth open and won't or can't eat.       6/7/17 Thanks Bob, <Welcome Ms. Askins> I want to let you know some new information that may be more than coincidental. <Okay> We added a scarlet skunk shrimp to the 29 gal tank that the clowns lived in a few months ago and it was after that the female began to have her symptoms. Is it possible that the shrimp brought an infectious agent into that tank? <Mmm; not likely related> If so, it is now in our 75 gal tank and I want to know if an entire 75 gal tank can be treated, if ever needed, with antibiotics. <Not likely ever... MOST antimicrobial treatments are of dubious utility treating aquariums period... lack of sensitivity, a few are notable detriment to nitrifiers... Should only be used in bare treatment systems; or orally (via foods) or injection....> Regardless, I will get the vitamins. <A good idea. Bob Fenner>

Clownfish treatment and Quarantine      12/14/16
Hi there,
<Howdy>
I am going to be receiving 400 wild caught clownfish
<Mmm; can be real trouble... compared w/ cultured specimens wild ones are not hardy; often die in droves>
and would like to know how we should pretreat them.
<Pre?>
Should we just use Cupramine or use formalin as well and what is the appropriate procedure?
Thanks
<... depends on their condition (and size to extent); but best not to use either of these... too toxic; and if the fish are compromised/weak, will likely hasten their demise. How do you intend to acclimate these fish on arrival? We can start there.
Bob Fenner>

Popeye on clown        9/29/16 Good morning! My clown injured her eye as she and her mate were doing the bump and rub. <Good desc.> I read on your site about doing a water change(done) and adding Epsom salts and wanted to verify the dosage of 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. <Yes; about right and safe...> I have mushrooms and palm tree corals along with button polyps. <Should work out for these as well. I will make the obligatory cautionary statement here re allelopathy and the need for regular maintenance to avoid triggering a cascade event> The other fish are a yellow tang and 2 pajama cardinals. I will have to treat the whole tank (as trying to dislodge mama clown is like trying to reinvent the wheel) and wanted to make sure that the Epsom salts are safe for everyone. Thank you for your time, Kellie Kyser So Mote It Be <Indeed. Bob Fenner> Re: Popeye on clown        9/30/16 Mr. Fenner, thank you replying so quickly. In your honest opinion, should I just let her heal naturally. She shows no sign of any distress and her eye is clear. I have attached 2 photos. Truthfully, although I read about adding Epsom salts to the tank, I did not see any explanation as to why it would be beneficial other than speeding up the healing process. <Mmm; as with human use... MgSO4 is a "muscle relaxant" and vasodilator... my thinking (okay, guessing) is that it allows more blood flow... aiding repair in the highly vascularized areas esp., like fish eyes> I prefer not to use chemicals and in the 6 years of this tank running, have only used a chemical, PraziPro, once and that was due to what was thought to be a parasite but turned out to be a streamer of algae on tangs barb. I highly valve <and value I hope!> your opinion on this and only want to do the best for my tanks' inhabitants. <Mmm; seeing these pix; and if this fish, system were mine, I would hold off on actual treatment, salt use. As you've stated, with general good care, nutrition... this fish should heal of its own accord. BobF> Thank you again, Kellie Kyser So Mote It Be <Still moting?>

Re: Popeye on clown        9/30/16 Thank you sir and, as always, much appreciation for your knowledge and time. Have a wonderful day �� Kellie Kyser <And you Kel. B> So Mote It Be Re: Popeye on clown         10/7/16 Good morning! Good news! My female clowns' PopEye is completely gone. I wished to share with you the news of her recovery. Thank you for your insight on letting her heal naturally. Have a great day ? So Mote It Be <Thank you for this update Kel. Excelsior! Bob Fenner>

Ocellaris Clownfish - sick      9/13/16 Hi, I have an Ocellaris Clownfish that has stopped eating and swims at the top of the tank, (about floating) like he is dying but has been this way for weeks. He is not eating that I can see. His mouth is slightly open, gills moving more, and his rear fin is dissolving. No open wounds or anything else I can see. His tank mate is another Ocellaris. They were tank bred and I got them about 10 years ago. They've been very hardy. Same 30gal tank for that time. <Mmmm> No recent livestock additions. They are fed flake and I picked up some frozen brine shrimp to try to get him to eat but no luck. He seemed to get excited but didn't eat. They have eaten frozen before. I had a Six line Wrasse that died a couple of weeks back. This fish did have a slightly open mouth for a long time but still ate and acted normal. Not sure if there is a connection there. Could the Clownfish just be at end of lifespan or could it be infection? <Can't tell w/ the data, pix provided> I'm surprised it's still alive in its present state. It seems blind and unresponsive to hand movement up to the glass. Occasionally it had swam with its tank mate like it was getting better but less now...haven't seen that in days. Makes me wonder if a fish could have dementia and forget how to eat (based on its age). I'm attaching a couple of pics. Any idea what this could be? Thanks, Phil <Mmm; even w/ cropping and spiffing, can't make out much in your blurry pix. I'd try a few things here: Supplementing the water and foods w/ vitamins, HUFAs, Iodide (see SeaChem's line for all); placing a unit of Chemipure in the filter flow path... lowering the spg a few thousandths... Please do keep us informed as to progress. Bob Fenner>

Re: Ocellaris Clownfish - sick      9/13/16 Thanks for your help! <Certainly welcome. Bob Fenner>

help identify please. 15 megs         4/30/16
Your email has been deleted. Read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm
Help Identify please. Clownfish hlth. diag.         4/30/16
Hello,
<Howdy>
So I got a clown on March 2nd. Quarantined for 3 weeks.
<Any prophylactic dip/bath?>
Placed him in my DT that has 1 Duncan, 1 plate, 3 mushrooms, three polyp frags and Kenya tree. Other livestock is peppermint shrimp, red legged hermit, blue legged hermit, and neon blue goby. April 3rd color on most rear black line began to fade. Started developing a whitish color on one side. I was away so my wife went to LFS and described it. They said it was brook and told her he would die soon. I got home Monday and he died last night (April 27...almost 4 weeks). My understanding is brook would've killed him long ago.
<Yes; highly likely so>
So I'm hoping you could help with diagnosing it so I can Quarantine my goby and how long to leave the tank empty.
you'll see the "disease" or "parasite" or "infection" on his stripe...
Parameters
Nitrate <5ppm
Nitrite 0
Phosphate 0
<Cnidarians need some measurable. See WWM re>
Ammonia 0
Calcium 500
<Too high; see WWM re>
DKH 11
PH 8.1-8.2
Thanks in advanced
<Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clndisinfect.htm
Bob Fenner>

Help identifying disease     2/20/16 <Seven megs of junk pix... Why didn't our spam filter exclude this mail?> Hi crew. I got back from a trip yesterday to notice this parasite on the clownfish and some on certain areas of the Naso tang. <Trouble> My mom was taking care of the tank while I was gone. The only thing that I assume may be the culprit of the problem is the recent addition of a skunk cleaner shrimp a month ago. <Sans quarantine...> I am attaching a picture since I am not sure if it is ich or marine velvet. Thanks in advance for any help. Frank. <Or, or, or... Likely Protozoan... READ here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisart.htm and the linked files above: ASAPractical! I would be dropping your spg stat! In order to save your fishes... You'll need to move either them or the invert.s elsewhere. You need to READ, and then ACT, NOW. Bob Fenner>

Re: Help identifying disease       2/21/16 Thanks for the response. I apologize for the size of the picture. <Ah, welcome. BobF>

Platinum clownfish bruised      2/12/16 <Anas, why not crop your too-large images and just send pertinent data?> Dear crew members Just got my platinum clownfish pair tow weeks ago ,one of them developed 5 days ago a dark shade on one side of the body not red more like black violet ,a bloated belly for tow days without eating thought it's constipation, gone now but the shades still exist still not eating, all parameters are great except the nitrate a bit high, <? How high is high?> please check attached photo Need help, thanks in advance Best Regards Anas <Likely just stress, the NO3... Read on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisart.htm and the linked files above. Oh yeah! Bob Fenner>

Clown Fish; hlth.; env.        2/4/16 Hello, I’m wondering if you could help me? <Will do my best; as always> I’m new to this hobby. I have a newly cycled 65 gallon tank with live rock, one coral, some snales/hermit crabs and two new clown fish. Bought them a week and a half ago. My water tests are all good. PH 8.4, Ammonia 0, Nitrate and Nitrite are 0. <No accumulated Nitrate? Odd> I did have an issue with the gravity as I had a faulty hydrometer and had to lower it from 1.30 to 1.25. I noticed that my clown has been pooping a white stringy poop and recently I saw a white speck under his eye. He is swimming around and eating fine. Wondering if anyone can identify what it might be? I'm posting pics. <Can't tell from your images or writing what is going on here. Could well be that the too-high spg is all that is causing the marks here. I would do nothing other than read for now. See WWM re Clownfish diseases> Thanks!! Jay <Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Re: Clown Fish       2/4/16 Thank you, actually when i came home today the mark was almost gone. <Ah yes; good> Thanks for your help Jay <Welcome. BobF>

Disease Identification: Black Clownfish       1/26/16 Hello, I recently noticed one of my black Clownfish has what appears something developing on its face. I've included a photo. <Yikes...> It appears to be discolored and a portion of it is raised. I have a concern it is a fungus or a parasite. Are you able to discern what it is from the image? What would your recommend? <Mmm; well; this might be Uronema; other protozoan... or... I'd be sampling and looking under a microscope ahead of trying actual treatment/s. Bob Fenner> Thanks so much for your insight. Brent Wells

Sick GSM clown??     1/22/16 Hi, its been a long time since I've had to come here. Glad to see your <sic> all still around......So.... Tank, 90 gal, 20 gal sump. All water parameters are spot on, salinity at 1.023. Fish are 1 Picasso trigger, 1 Niger trigger, 1 porcupine puffer, 1 domino damsel, 1 GSM clown, 1 LT anemone, 1 coral banded shrimp and some turbo snails, all of them I have had for over a year except the GSM.... The 2 triggers and puffer are around 3in each the GSM is about 2.5in. I just got the GSM about 2 weeks ago not sure if its wild or tr. <The former... this fish was quarantined, treated ahead of placing?> Just yesterday I notice his fins all have some black markings on them that I don't really remember seeing before and I'm seeing a little bit of white one them in some minor spots (see pic). She seems just fine, eats and swims fine but I would hate to lose her and just wondering if you might know the problem. I've searched all over and can't find anything about black fins on GSM. Thanks... Oh also on a side note the GSM and the CBS almost seem like there trying to mate. The GSM will back up to the CBS and just kinda nussle back into the CBS and the shrimp just kinda puts its arms around it, last night I did see them in the same position only the CBS had a light hold on one of the GSM fins and was kinda slowly walking her back to his cave. It was very gentle and the GSM didn't seem to mind at all.... Ever heard of this activity before?!?... Thanks again. I posted a gif on imgur if you would like to see the weirdness between the two.. the black on the fins don't stand out much in the pics but you can see the white it is definitely noticeable irl.. http://i.imgur.com/HnqMmkw.gifv <I do see it, this. Might just be excessive mucus... but from? Getting to know the LTA? Harassment by? Perhaps Uronema; I'd be reading on WWM re the latter. Bob Fenner>

re: Sick GSM clown??     1/22/16 Thanks for your quick reply as always, I did quarantine the fish for about 8 days in a 30 gallon with the anemone. They were bought at the same time but were in different tanks, Iv never had a problem before from my lfs that's why the short quarantine and they were both doing great and looking great..... No one in the tanks messes with him at all (except the romance from CBS lol), actually the tank is very peaceful for an aggressive tank.... I have had a SW for over 18 years now and never even heard of Uronema and OMG I hope that's not it now that I've read a little and seen some pics.... I guess I should get them out now and back into the Qt. Thanks <Maybe all will resolve on its own. Elsewise, I'd give a good long time (a couple mo.s) before buying another Amphiprionine. BobF>

Mystery Lesion on clownfish      1/20/16 On Tue, Jan 19, 2016 at 4:23 PM, Robin T wrote: After reading the WetWebMedia site for several years, and today seeing your response to something similar on the side of a another clown, I thought you might be interested/have some insight on the lesion we are trying to resolve on my female clown . <Yes; please> In August I noticed a small red lump on her left "nostril". A flattened clear tissue soon developed on it but it all resolved within 2 weeks. 8 weeks ago the red lump reappeared in the exact same spot, followed by a clear bubble. She continued to eat and act normally but spawning behavior and egg laying ceased. I took pictures to my LFS and posted on 2 forums without results. 2 weeks ago the bubble grew large enough to alarm me. I moved her and her mate (since they have never been separated since they were purchased as juveniles in June 2012) into a 5 gallon hospital tank. After the move the bubble disappeared (ruptured in the move?) but the lump remained. I did a complete round of Maracyn 2, then ran poly-filter and changed 50% of the water, and a day later started Furan 2. The bubble began to reform and during the last 2 days of treatment she refused all food. I changed their water and reacclimated them to the biocube water, then moved them back. Within a hour or so she began eating voraciously again. The lump now appears more ragged with pale areas when zooming in on pics. <Ahh!> She and her mate are the only fish in in biocube 29, along with a few snails. He has never shown any symptoms. There are soft and LPS corals (mainly Euphyllia). Nitrates run around 25 due to heavy feeding of a sun coral, despite running a Tunze skimmer, media basket with carbon & Purigen, changing filter media daily and 20% water changes weekly. All other parameters are within normal ranges. Salinity 1.025. We feed mysis, Reef Frenzy and NLS pellets on a rotating basis, soaked in Selcon 2 to 3 times a week. The first pic is from 3 weeks ago before treatments, the second from today. Thank you in advance for any ideas or suggestions. Robin Tingley <Mmm; well; can't say where the initial "cause" lay here... perhaps a physical injury, maybe a bad-enough sting from the Euphyllia/s... and some sort of secondary infection (bacterial?) or a reaction event from w/in the fish itself. Your good care and poss. element/s of the treatment (the Furan is my guess) turned the balance to the host/fish. Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Help please. Perc hlth. in a new sys.      6/27/15
I bought a tank raised percula 4 days ago it will eat very little but does eat and has been breathing rapidly since acclimation. It is the only fish in a newly cycled 30 gal tank I have 5 Ceriths 4 mass and 5 hermits. The tank has been cycled for 2 weeks with a pH8.2 amm 0 nitrite 0 nitrate
<You should be registering accumulated Nitrate>
0 SG
<Mmm; no>
1.025 and temp 80
<Lower this to the mid 70's F>
I have 20 lbs of live rock and a refugium with Chaeto.
What could be causing the rapid breathing. I've also got a pH aimed at the surface for added surface irritation.
<Agitation... Likely there are some chemical issues; yes, even though this system is cycled... I would add some activated carbon of quality to your circulation, lower the temp. and naught else here. Bob Fenner>

Fish 911 please help.... no data,, or use of WWM        4/30/15 <Six megs of pix and no reading? SEE/READ on WWM re clownfish Trauma. Bob Fenner> I've had a clown fish for a day with a small abrasion that's turned into this in one day please respond to [email protected]

Strange Maroon Clownfish Death/Issues. Diag.; shooting in the dark        2/27/15 So long story short. I started my 90G tank in August of 2014, went through the normal cycle, added fishes, hooray for me I'm a hobbyist. Then a few months later, disease struck because of no QT, lost 3 fish and rehomed the other two to begin my fallow period. Started a cycled QT at the same time and after that cycled, proudly put in two maroon clownfish that I was able to bond and they spent a happy six weeks in QT (only med was PraziPro). On Saturday I started TTM with them (backwards yes, but I planned copper originally and changed my mind). Monday morning I notice a little white film on top of the small one's head and Tuesday morning he is dead. Monday night he looked fine so I thought. His breathing appeared a little rapid, but seemed normal like it had the last 6 weeks. Larger one was breathing a little slower but also what I had observed for 6 weeks. Carcass showed nothing else on the outside. No film, tears, cuts, abrasions, rot, no nothing except a dead fish. <... sampling, microscopic exam.? No> Transferred the living one to the new bucket today and now she won't eat. Breathing is appearing to be a bit quicker than last night. I'm using an airstone and pump rated for 10 gallon tanks and the water was made up over a week ago. Only thing added was ammo lock on day 2 and the next day they quit eating. No ammo lock was put in the second bucket. After a day in that bucket, I saw she was getting worse. I took her out and put in her my DT as a last ditch effort to save her. That was Tuesday night and now here on Thursday she's making progress and is eating again. Swimming better and breathing has slowed down but is fast. Here are some images and video. You can see some whitish stuff coming out of the gills. It has lessened but is still there today. http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w100/rf_fanat1c/FD47D7A7-8511-4901-95E3-47D1BA31172A.jpg <... poss. flukes; maybe just med. exposure.> Night put in DT right after coming out of bucket. http://youtu.be/H300kHZ1hvI 24 hours later http://youtu.be/xxW5Xv-QhJc <... the same, ditto...> Buckets were temp, ph and sg matched. 76,8.2,1.024. Both were fine and healthy until I started TTM. Qt did have a cloudiness to it the last week they were in there, suspected bacterial bloom from over feedings. Qt was 37G but they spent all their time in one corner but were healthy. They were also not wild caught, but captive bred. The larger one had been at the fish store for 6 months and the smaller one for a month. <Could've picked up something from other livestock there> People on the forums are stumped as well as am I. Thanks for any help you can provide. I enjoy your site. Jon <The 'scope... reading, perhaps an e-copy of Ed Noga... Bob Fenner>

My clown has a hole in it. So does this relating        2/10/15 Over the last couple of days i noticed that one of my clowns (mocha ocellaris) is less active and mostly sticks to the patch of hair algae that hi picked as a host. When i was feeding the fish today i noticed that he ate very little. So i started watching him closer. I noticed that his left side has a dip in it in the middle white stripe. The dip has some small holes in it. The same clown had a similar thing happen before but there was no problems with appetite or any change in behavior. And he healed completely without any interference on my part. This time I'm worried that he isn't eating and is not as active as normal. The previous time i did a large water change and that's it. But i just did a large water change about 3 weeks ago and all the parameters are still within norm. All the corals <What species here?> are blooming and there are no other sick animals in the tank. So the question is. What exactly is with my clown? <A guess from the scant info. provided: It's been, being stung by one of the "corals"; or possibly chewed by a Bristleworm, crustacean hitchhiker... > And what could possibly cause it if it isn't the water quality. And most importantly how do i cure him? <Let's have you read; here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/FishInd2.htm Scroll down to Clownfishes; Disease... need better, more data. Bob Fenner> Re: My clown has a hole in it.... Still not rdg., following directions Induced Cnid. Allelo. troubles       2/10/15 I got hammer head coral, zoos, mushrooms. <Any of these...> acropa, a green bubble tip anemone, <... not a good idea to mix... READ on WWM re Actinarian/BTA allelopathy> Galaxea, <... Oculinids... at the height of stinging-ness> Acan. And one with one more that i don't remember what it is but it has about a hundred tentacles that come out and they newer get more than about an inch long so not allot <...> of reach. I got a bunch of dwarf hermit crabs and a strawberry crab. <And these> Stow aways are unlikely. All the rock i got in the tank is the same that i had from the beginning. I do have bristle worms but i haven't seen any large enough to take out that large of a chunk. And why would something nip it in the same spot with several month in between? But just incase That's a picture of the one coral i don't remember the name of. <A Faviid of some sort> Any other information that would help? <READING... re the above... and where you were referred to prior. DON'T WRITE, READ. BobF>

Do you see what I see?