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Ocellaris clownfish acting strange


OrangeChicken__

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OrangeChicken__

Hello I’m new to this forum and to the hobby I started my tank about 4 months ago and I added 2 ocellaris clownfish 1 favia coral 1 hammer coral 1 dendro fathead coral and 1 mushroom coral I also have 2 pieces of live rock my tank is a fluval evo 5 gallon so my clownfish have always been happy and healthy always do weekly water checks and water changes my heater has always been on 78-79 degrees this morning I woke up to feed my fish and noticed 1 of my clownfish was acting strange just at the bottom of the corner of the tank and looked like he was gasping for air I figured he needed some oxygen I always wanted to get a wavemaker but LFS told me my tanks too small and they told me my fish needed oxygen and the only thing I can do is add a air stone so I did my fish kinda started to act a little better but won’t eat usually he always gets crazy to eat what can be wrong my salinity was Very low about 2 weeks ago since then I been bringing it up day by day today I checked and it’s at 32ppm my light is a kessil a160w highest intensity is 40% light schedule is 12:30-9:20 I forgot to also mention my other clownfish is doing fine and eating normal like always I got some other issues as well my hammer coral seems like it’s dying but right now I want to figure out what’s best that I can do for my fish I will post pictures tommorow as my light is off for today and can’t really see much 

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Not a single mark of punctuation... Impressive. 

 

Sorry about your fish but there's to many variables and sounds like too much going on to give you any advice. 

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Your lfs is full of shit. Sorry.

 

We hear crap advice being given all the time by  lfs- there are good stores but most are there to sell not teach.

 

You go to Home Depot to buy plumbing supplies not to get a plumbers license. Same thing with pets and pet stores.

Buy supplies at the lfs and learn from books and online resources.

 

 

I have a 5.5g with an upgraded pump to add more flow so I could avoid having a powerhead in the tank.

 

There are small fountain pumps that can be added for additional flow in tank or theres the hydor pico powerhead.

 

2 clowns in a 5g is a high bioload as they are messy fish.

 

The fish could be I'll, gasping can be many things, usually surface gasping is a sign of oxygen loss.

 

There are a lot of things that can cause issues and far more detail regarding the tank is required.

 

There is no easy answer

 

Is there good water movement at the surface?

 

filtration media being used and the maintenance of it

 

What you feed and how often

 

Water source: tap, ro, rodi, distilled

 

Anything being dosed

 

Do you do any testing of any parameters?

 

 

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OrangeChicken__

Yes I know I decided to make a profile so I can get more educational answers and advice to help me out to make it in the hobby. I test my parameters every week, my ph was low brought it up to 8.0 with seachem buffer but it’s been only going to 8.0, my ammonia levels always at 0ppm Nitrates 0ppm Nitrite 0ppm. I use the API saltwater master test kit, my water source is RODI. My pump is the original one it came with doesn’t seem very strong my tanks about 4-5 months old

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27 minutes ago, OrangeChicken__ said:

Yes I know I decided to make a profile so I can get more educational answers and advice to help me out to make it in the hobby. I test my parameters every week, my ph was low brought it up to 8.0 with seachem buffer but it’s been only going to 8.0, my ammonia levels always at 0ppm Nitrates 0ppm Nitrite 0ppm. I use the API saltwater master test kit, my water source is RODI. My pump is the original one it came with doesn’t seem very strong my tanks about 4-5 months old

Stop chasing ph. Besides opening a window, ensuring good surface water movement and proper alkalinity levels- don't attempt to alter it 

 

Ph changes throughout the day and when you try to alter it with buffers, you alter many other parameters like alk.

It's a dangerous game playing with ph 

 

Do you test alkalinity or calcium because those are very important to corals, especially alk.

 

 

What is your filter media and its maintenance as well as your waterchange methods?

 

 

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OrangeChicken__

I have not tested alkalinity or calcium I will start right away on that, as far as my filtration it is a foam filtration system with carbon and biomax My carbon gets replaced every 3-4 weeks and my biomax every month my water changes are 10-15% every end of the week. I feed my clowns every other day and i change it up I feed them mysis shrimp, new life spectrum pellets, and ocean nutrition prime reef flakes, as for my ph I will stop chasing those numbers I get it to stay at 8.0 but before it was at 7.5-7.8 area 

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Hi OrangeChicken

 

You need to reset wherever you're getting advice.  Products like Seachem Buffer to raise PH will kill corals and might be the issue with the fish as well.  About the only thing you need to do is slowly correct salinity IF you are accurately measuring it (calibrated refractometer).  Don't put anything else in the water except fish food for now.

 

For testing, KH and Calcium are the two critical elements.  When you added the buffer to adjust PH you most likely spiked KH super high which killed the hammer and harmed the other corals.  Never ever do PH adjustments, and frankly just stop testing, it's not important.  Toss the PH kit!

 

As far as bioload, the main issue is you might not have enough biofilter in the rocks to handle the ammonia.  You are going to have to do regular water changes to keep the water in good condition.  Even if you have an effective biofilter your nitrates (the end product of converting ammonia to something safe) is going to rise quickly.  

 

Good luck!  Remember to concentrate on just water quality now doing water changes with the correct salinity fresh saltwater. 

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1 hour ago, OrangeChicken__ said:

I have not tested alkalinity or calcium I will start right away on that, as far as my filtration it is a foam filtration system with carbon and biomax My carbon gets replaced every 3-4 weeks and my biomax every month my water changes are 10-15% every end of the week. I feed my clowns every other day and i change it up I feed them mysis shrimp, new life spectrum pellets, and ocean nutrition prime reef flakes, as for my ph I will stop chasing those numbers I get it to stay at 8.0 but before it was at 7.5-7.8 area 

Ph changes all day long so when you tested it, it may have been low. Its highest after lights have been on for hours, evening time.

 

If your alk is low, it's a good chance ph won't be in the right area. 

But I wouldn't attempt changing ph with products at all.

 

The filter media isn't optimal. Sponges aren't the best, they become an issue. Most use media baskets with filter floss that's replaced 2 times a week, bag their own carbon which is replaced every 2-3 weeks or use chemipure.

 

Biomax isn't to be changed monthly or completely.

It's to be rinsed in tank water(your removed waterchange water), every mnth, partially replaced every 6mnths 

 

It's a biological media, washing it in tap or fresh water will kill the bacteria on it and replacing it all at once is counter productive to why ppl use this type of media.

 

Do you vacuum your sand bed? 

 

How much rock do you have in the tank?

How is the clown doing and any other issues besides gasping?

 

Have you tested ammonia to see if there was a spike of any kind?

 

 

Right now I'd slowly increase salinity to 1.025(using a refractometer is far better than hydrometers which are unreliable)

 

Do your weekly waterchanges(hopefully you vacuum sand and Turkey baste rocks)

 

Test alk and ca

 

Stop testing ph alk together

 

Get some flow in the tank. There is the hydor pico evo mag which is small and adjustable flow.

You can get a fountain pump on amazon for flow too, not as directional but it helps.

 

Or upgrade stock pump to a stronger one and get the hydor rotator for the return nozzle for random flow.

 

 

How much rock is in the tank? Pounds wise.

 

Or post a pic so we can see.

 

 

We then can work on getting your filtration method better slowly.

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OrangeChicken__

I have about two pounds of rock in it and I also have a hermit crab that I forgot to mention, and yes I vacuum my sand when I do my water changes.

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OrangeChicken__

ok thank you for the advice I will stop about the ph and check my alk and ca. I will concentrate on water quality and as far as that hydor pico I will look into it right now 

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2 hours ago, OrangeChicken__ said:

ok thank you for the advice I will stop about the ph and check my alk and ca. I will concentrate on water quality and as far as that hydor pico I will look into it right now 

It looks like your return nozzle is pointed down. When it's on does it break the surface of the water because if not that causes gas exchange issues: ph and oxygen issues.

 

That's a fluval spec. Did you fill the hole that's on the bottom part of the black wall? If not it won't surface skim properly.

Do you notice an oily film on the surface of your water? You will see it looking up towards the water not looking down.

 

I have a spec. I upgraded the return pump. A aqueon 600 will fit with really easy modifications. That will provide plenty of flow and you can then add a hydor rotator to the nozzle and it will give you random flow.

 

That prevents you needing a powerhead in the tank.

 

You may not have enough rockwork for 2 clowns in a 5.5g. About 2 lbs is very low because it may be less than 2 lbs and ideally for that bioload I'd do 4lbs.

 

If you choose to add rock, the safest is caribsea life rock. Its dry rock injected with bacteria. I usually rinse it, then soak it for a week in sw and test for ammonia. If no ammonia is present, I add it to my tank.

 

I have yet to see it cause a spike in the water I soak it in but I always err on the side of caution

 

Some changes need to be made.

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Hi Orange Chicken,

 

You have gotten great advice on this thread, almost nothing to add. Only that I also had that issue with my clowns, i had one of my clowns only in one corner of my tank and looking like he was suffocating. This is what I would do, give it time. The clowns have to acclimate to their new home. I think you should retest your ammonia because the gasping for air is a sign of ammonia traces in your water.

 

Take a look at your clown, does it look like it has a dark circle around his gills or top of his head? if so, that's probably a sign of low oxygen. Just like humans...

 

In addition, I would maybe turn off your lights for a couple of days and get rid of some algae. Your sand and glass seem to be housing a lot of it. Also, I would add more rock like suggested above but very carefully as this can cause a huge spike in Ammonia.

 

Good Luck, feel free to reach out if you don't find a solution. I am sure we will find it somewhere. Here in Miami, we are lucky enough to have a local couple that breeds clowns. This couple is a world of knowledge. Maybe we can reach out to them if you don't find the answers we are looking for..

 

Sandy

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OrangeChicken__

so I did some changes to my tank I stopped worrying about my ph, I stopped adding buffer and got my salinity to go up 1 more ppm. I also moved my return nozzle to point straight witch made my water on top to have some more movement and break the surface. I first did the mistake by pointing it down trying to give the water some flow but now it’s pointing straight. I also checked my water parameters and everything was ok. I came home from work today my fish was feeling way better and was crazy to eat he’s food and now he’s moving around everywhere in the tank. Thank you guys for the knowledge and advice  👌👍                                                                           

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On 8/28/2018 at 10:04 PM, OrangeChicken__ said:

so I did some changes to my tank I stopped worrying about my ph, I stopped adding buffer and got my salinity to go up 1 more ppm. I also moved my return nozzle to point straight witch made my water on top to have some more movement and break the surface. I first did the mistake by pointing it down trying to give the water some flow but now it’s pointing straight. I also checked my water parameters and everything was ok. I came home from work today my fish was feeling way better and was crazy to eat he’s food and now he’s moving around everywhere in the tank. Thank you guys for the knowledge and advice  👌👍                                                                           

I highly recommend adding another pump or powerhead. The stock pump is very low, too low for corals.

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