Clown not looking to great

[Luckynewreef]

I bought a pair of clowns for my new tank after it cycled. One was bigger then the other, lfs told me this would make a good pair because of the size difference the big one would become the female. Anyways they were doing pretty well for the first week eating these micro pellets, then may have over feed them micro shrimp and a day after that the little one has just been acting weird not much movement, looking like is gasping,gills look to flare out more and not even eating the food anymore. I added some garlicfood enhancer to it and still nothing. He's been like this for a few days now. Any ideas? Could it be a transition between sexs? 

[SaltyBuddha]

It would not be a transition between sexes. Might be something wrong with the water. What are your tank parameters?

 

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, SG, Temperature to start 

[Luckynewreef]

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate maybe 5 ppm, pH 8.1 temp 77-78. Brought water sample to lfs also and they said all my parameters are good. 

I also added inverts and a protein skimmer about a day or two before started noticing him at weird. The bigger one is acting great same as day one. I thought the little one was pale all of a sudden on Sunday so I did a water change, and added some prime as a suggestion from the lfs if they weren't picking up something small from the water sample. Helped out the little one a little bit but just not much movement or appetite change from him. 

[mndfreeze]

Not to derail the thread but when you say you added some prime, what exactly is that?

Also another small water change wouldn't hurt anything (assuming your doing it correctly and all that)

 

[A Little Blue]

5 minutes ago, mndfreeze said:

Not to derail the thread but when you say you added some prime, what exactly is that?

Also another small water change wouldn't hurt anything (assuming your doing it correctly and all that)

 

I think he meant this Seachem Prime

[Luckynewreef]

Yes sorry Seachem Prime.

And what would one being doing wrong in a water change? Not matching water temp or something? 

[mndfreeze]

Just making sure you're not swining your salinity because you mixed wrong or let your tank drift without topping off, and temperature if you are changing enough water to matter.   In my 24G aquapod my temp can drop a degree even just doing a small amount of water, like 2 gallons.    Since I don't keep a heater in my LFS purchased water jugs, I just drain what I need to drain then slowly add it in and take short breaks so everything can circulate and the temp can stabilize. 

 

[Luckynewreef]

No none of the above, also buy LFS water heated to same tank. 

 

Also I have seen that long white poop is possibly bad? Which is what he has. 

[JBM]

i think you've done to much to fast. 

 

You added a pair of clowns.  Waited a week, added a clean up crew and a skimmer? And have done water changes. 

 

Slow down. Stop feeding everyday. Every other day is more than enough. Stay away from the chemicals. You think your being proactive, but in reality your stressing your clown out

[SaltyBuddha]

Long white poop can mean some sort of parasite. I've never had to deal with them so hopefully someone else chimes in. Pictures would always help too. 

[A Little Blue]

Hopefully this helps: 

[Luckynewreef]

5 hours ago, JBM said:

i think you've done to much to fast. 

 

You added a pair of clowns.  Waited a week, added a clean up crew and a skimmer? And have done water changes. 

 

Slow down. Stop feeding everyday. Every other day is more than enough. Stay away from the chemicals. You think your being proactive, but in reality your stressing your clown out

Should I take either the protein skimmer or clean up crew out? I have read that long stringing white poop could be from stress does the gasping and gill flairs mean stress too? 

[JBM]

No, stop messing with the tank.  Keep your hands out of the tank, stop messing with things. Let everything mellow. If you feel like you want to be proactive. Try seachem metroplex

 

Fyi API GC is NOT REEF SAFE

 

and paracide D & X are ridiculously expensive. 

[mndfreeze]

Definitely stop adding in more variables unless you are SURE of something.  If this is just stress you will just be making things worse.  Keep your eyes on your water chemistry but don't add things to it.  If you really think the fish is sick with a disease/parasite and need to treat you probably need to setup some sort of QT so as not to kill/affect your main tank.Definitely stop adding in more variables unless you are SURE of something.  If this is just stress you will just be making things worse.