Clown fish swimming vertically?

[pzlicious]

Is this normal? My female clown swims vertically in current. Breathing is noticeably heavier than the male. She yawns alot. Also, the clear part on her fines is worn away. Should I qt her and the guy? If so how long? Thanks

[snorvich]

How long in your tank? How old is the tank? What other inhabitants? The information provided is not adequate to really help.

[pzlicious]

The clowns have been in the tank for 3 months, with a white face tang, 3 chromis, scooter bleny, a six line wrasse, and cleaner wrasse

[Virtuoso]

What about your water parameters?

[ivans75]

Not normal, it's gonna die. Happened to me. Quarantine the fish immediately I think.

[Virtuoso]

Originally Posted by ivans75

Not normal, it's gonna die. Happened to me. Quarantine the fish immediately I think.

I am not nearly as experienced as snorvich (never even been in this situation myself) and he didn't jump to conclusions, so I'd hate to, but I do not think you should quarantine if the water parameters are good and the tank is getting enough oxygen. It could be disease but after 3 months in the same tank I would think both clowns would have it. The stress from moving it to quarantine could push it over the edge.

[carpenterman23]

Im with Virtuoso. Check your water parameters, maybe do a small water change and see what happens.

[Lynnmw1208]

both my clowns swim vertically at night in one of the corners of my tank as they haven't hosted anything yet. during the day the clowns are swimming everywhere. what time of the day is your clown doing this and is it all the time?

[blue736]

+1, my clowns swim similar at night. though I am sure the female or male aren't breathing that heavily.


/blue736

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by ivans75

Not normal, it's gonna die. Happened to me. Quarantine the fish immediately I think.

Care to provide us the details that led you to that conclusion?

[Chris27]

It wouldn't hurt to provide us with details about your feeding habits and your clown's environment, ie...anemone, host coral, breeding behavior given you have a pair, etc...

[pzlicious]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all of the feed back. Ok did a 20% water change yesterday. I have been doing them weekly. I have the coralife RO filter. Yesterday pH was 7.8/8.0(tought to tell), Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, and Nitrates were at 20 ppt. That is why I did the water change. I have a refractometer and keep the salt at 1.020. I have been feeding them 2x a day. The white cheek tang eats about 4 square inches of algae a day, poops, then eats it again! The 2 clowns, 3 chromis, six line wrasse, cleaner wrasse, coral beauty, and scooter blenny get new life spectrum pellets for lunch and 3 ml of mysis soaked in vitamins and garlic for dinner. Every couple of days I will swith the pellets with a cube of mussels or prime reef. I know it sounds like alot, but they usually eat all of this food but they usually eat all of this with in 5 minutes. As for sleeping...the have made a 7" crater in the sand where they literally sleep, almost looking like they are dead. So they lie down at night. Only the girl swims vertically. When I walk over to the tank she rights herself and swims over. Also notice that the clear part on her side fins was worn away down to the black. Not sure why. Thanks again.

[TellyFish]

My clownfish swim vertical all the time, especially when up again the corner of the tank or when hosting. If your clown is able to right herself when she wants to, then she may be fine.

Hard to say without observing the fish.

[snorvich]

The six line wrasse may be harassing them. Watch the interaction and report back. Vertical swimming can be a reaction to harassment. What does the body surface look like? Also, don't just jump to conclusions. I would prefer to see SG higher about 1.025/26

[pzlicious]

I will watch. I am new, but thought higher was better for corals only? Not being rude, but why?

[Saadatski]

My clowns are not paired yet cause they are young. they swim like crazy in the morning all over the place. at night, they go to the corner of the tank togethr and swim.

i say dont worry baout it, no point of putting them in QT and giving them unnessary stress.

[ivans75]

Originally Posted by Chris27

Care to provide us the details that led you to that conclusion?

Ok, bought 2 clown fish on the first day I got my tank cycled (3 weeks 28 days), had aclimated them with drips for 40 min the first day they looked happy, 2nd day one of them stayed on the bottom and the other one swam vertically. 3rd day in the morning i found out they were gone.

I don't know what caused the death, my water parameter was 0 on amonia and nitrite but 40 ppm nitrate. (I know 40 ppm nitrate wont kill clown fish in 3 days)

To think they were sick from the LFS is not right too cause I saw them swimming healthy in LFS tank. Thought there's something in my tank but I doubt it too as I bought other fish after and they were healthy accept 2 days ago I noticed white spots on my blue tang.

I don't believe the white spots or marine ich that my tank is suffering was there in the tank before I added the fish, and I doubt marine ich can kill clown fish in 3 days.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by pzlicious

I will watch. I am new, but thought higher was better for corals only? Not being rude, but why?

Very simply it is better for the fish. Try to keep your water as close to natural salt water (NSW) as possible. NSW is 1.0264

[windyridge]

I have a maroon clown that never had it's body pointing in the direction it is going, it's body is always at or around a 45 degree angle swimming forward. It's about 6 months old and as healthy as an ox. I have two juvenile percs in quarantine due to ich. One almost died but came back swimming with it's body pointed up. The next day it was horizontal again and has been fine and ich free in hypo, 1.009, for a few weeks now.

[InsaneClownFish]

Very simply it is better for the fish. Try to keep your water as close to natural salt water (NSW) as possible. NSW is 1.0264

^^^ This. What you are seeing is most likely an effect on the fish's respiratory system due to a salinity shift from the tank water in the LFS to your system. Also, I think I missed how large your tank is and the TWV?

Keep in mind that your SG might get knocked out of whack a touch, especially in a smaller system, during water changes and auto top off issues. Even a touch of salt residue in your top off water(I've done this from grabbing RO/DI Water directly from my large Brute I use for mixing up change water that had no salt added) can throw off your SG slightly. The point is if you are running at 1.020, then dips may bring you even lower- not a good idea.

[snorvich]

Excellent advice above /\ /\ /\

[pzlicious]

Thank you everyone! I have not seen anyone going after the clowns. The only larger fish is the tang, and he really doesn't mess with them. The 6 line is always on the prowl swimming through the rocks, and could care less. He only chases the cleaner wrasse when it is trying to pick off of the 6 line. I have been rising the salinity slowly, and am at 1.024 today. The clear part on her side fins is worn down to the black, with one notch taken out(may be a bight?). She eats like a pig and poop looks fine too. I will keep wathing her. Thanks again for all of your input.

[Crawdawg]

I have a little perc that "wheelies" while swimming into the current, but swims horizontally all other times. It seems the salinity and body damage should be addressed, but I think the orientation while swimming is normal. Not sure if it was stated whether the clown swims like that at all times.

[pzlicious]

thank you for all of the help. The female clown does not display this odd behavior any more. She is back to being a little piggy and pushing other fish out of the way for food.

[Angel*Fish]

Originally Posted by pzlicious

thank you for all of the help. The female clown does not display this odd behavior any more. She is back to being a little piggy and pushing other fish out of the way for food.

Could to hear. If I understand correctly what is going on with her tail, it should grow back. However if it's getting worse and not better, it needs attention.