Maroon clown lays on sand

[twenty12]

Another post of a similar thread. Clown fish laying on sand what’s the cause/problem. 

 

My bio cube 29 tank is about 12 years old and current pair of maroon clowns about 10 years in tank.  Recently the female clown has started laying on the sand. When I walk into room starts to swim. If I feed is actively eating. Breathing..honestly not sure what heavy is but seems about normal. 

 

Other than some corals added not much else has changed. Recently the clown did have some off color but that disappeared. 

 

The main changes I have is lighting around Jan 1 from Xmas gift. More intense. And I started doses of seachum 1&2 to raise calcium as mine had dropped with hard corals in tank with new lights. 

 

I do water changes weekly and params I test weekly as well.  And all looks good but last test showed salinity a little lower than normal. 1.23/4 vs the normal 1.25 I keep it at. 

 

I also added about 1/2 cup of sand back in that I had acquired from water changes and cleaning etc. so was dry/dead sand. Possible cause of minor ammonia? But api and Red Sea tests still show zero.  

 

Wondering if if I should change anything, add air stone, stop dosing, etc. looking for people’s ideas other than like in most posts...fish dies.  Been about 3-4 days like this not sure during day activity as at work. But seems no worse since I noticed it. 

[Keeper of my nieces Ocean]

Bump so you know someone cares. Unfortunately i have no advise on the matter. 

[Thrassian Atoll]

What’s the life spans of Clown fish?  12 year old setup?  That’s impressive.

[twenty12]

I wondered life span but sounds like 20+ Is possible. I’m happy I got 10 so far but would love to get 10 more. Still alive but still laying down.  Pics of active/laying. 

[twenty12]

Seems like laying on the sand even more often. Also seems to now be both clown fish. 2weeks now since noticed behavior. Not sure what to think about it. Sick and dying. Odd behavior. 

 

Video of behavior

[Humblefish]

I've had some older clownfish (10+ years) develop swim bladder problems. They still eat fine, but otherwise just lay around all day. Eventually all they can do is swim with their nose pointed upwards. I recommend getting them an anemone to lay in (more comfortable).

[NuisanceAlgaeCultivator]

Hope it all works out, 10 years is impressive.

[twenty12]

So the fish are still laying around. But getting worse. I’m going to pull and try and treat with antibiotics. Anyone have suggestions for treatment?

[Humblefish]

2 hours ago, twenty12 said:

So the fish are still laying around. But getting worse. I’m going to pull and try and treat with antibiotics. Anyone have suggestions for treatment?

Dose Metronidazole in conjunction with Neomycin. (You can food soak this combination as well.)

 

Seachem Metroplex + Seachem Neoplex are aquarium meds which contain the above active ingredients.

[mcarroll]

Without so much as a likely target for the antibiotics, it seems like extra stress on you and the fish for a very small (random) chance of something good happening.  (Don't get your hopes up too high over this.)

 

Old age is the best guess at the cause and there's no cure for that.

 

IMO avoid the toxic route (meds) if you have no cause to go there. 

 

Instead, if he's still eating, give him the best food upgrade you are able to. 

 

If you can switch him to 100% live food for at least a few weeks, that would be ideal.

 

If he's not eating, then again meds are unlikely to fix what's wrong IMO.

 

(If you do meds and he's still eating after treatment, I'd still recommend the food upgrade.)