what is wrong with my saddleback?

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 11:52 AM

it is lithargic and bumps into stuff. It looks like her eyes are swollen. she wont eat. is there anything i can do to help her? she was at the LFS for a couple of weeks and was eating mysids there. ill try to get a picture but shes in a bad spot for the camera right now.

leebca · 01/19/2006, 04:10 PM

Some fish don't take well to a new home. That's the breaks. But more than likely, there is something about its new home it doesn't find good:
Water quality.
How does your water chemistries compare to the the LFS water?
Is you water quality tops?
How old is your tank? i.e., has it become properly seasoned? (Butterflyfishes should not be put into aquariums, IMHO until the aquarium has been up and running at least 6 months after the nitrites and ammonia levels have all gone to "0").
What are your nitrates? Butterflyfishes can go off their feed from major shifts in nitrates, in my experience.
Does your LFS put copper or other medications in their water?

Tank mates.
Being bothered by something in the tank.

Acclimation.
Bad acclimation experience or acclimation not done properly.

Stress.
Almost any source in addition to the above. Stress does not have to be your doing, but could have occurred days or weeks earlier. Some stress can be the size of the tank. Is your tank large enough? What size is the fish?

Disease.
The fact the LFS had it for a couple of weeks doesn't mean it was free of disease or a condition. That is why many LFSs put medication in their tanks --- keep the fish alive just long enough to sell the fish.

QT
Was the fish properly quarantined before it was put into the display?

As you can see from the above 'tip of the iceberg,' the possibilities are numerous.

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 04:19 PM

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 04:19 PM

these are the 2 best out of dozens, thanks for any help.

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 04:21 PM

its a saddleback clownfish, i wouldnt ever dream of getting a butterfly fish with my trackrecord, lol

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 05:17 PM

here are my params:

nitrite: undectable
nitrate: 1ppm
phosphate: .5 ppm
ammonia: 0
Kh: 8.6
Alk: 3.09

leebca · 01/19/2006, 05:32 PM

Almost everything I wrote goes for your clownfish, too. Not as sensitive to shifts in water quality, but still, they have had issues with Brooklynella disease. Unless it was tank bred, I would also then have added that when you got it, it should be treated for Brooklynella as a preventative measure.

You might want to see this article which includes mention of treating anenomefishes for Brooklynella:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-1...ture/index.htm

padixon2 · 01/19/2006, 06:04 PM

i read the article, ty. Valuable lesson learned there. Lucky for me, someone in my club is letting me borrow a little tank to help this clownfish, provided she lives through the night, fingers crossed!

Puffer Queen · 01/20/2006, 06:12 AM

Padixon2,

If you don't currently quarantine all new marine life, please consider it.

Here is an excellent article by Steve Pro: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Best of luck with your clown.

Kelly

Rondelet · 01/20/2006, 01:14 PM

Pictures aren't great. I wouldn't treat for Brooklynella (or any other disease) unless I was fairly confident that's what the problem was. Do you see any white spots or patches? Doesn't seem evident in the pictures. Looks (pop-eye) and sounds (not eating, listlessness) like a bacterial infection. If so, treat the fish with an antibiotic when you get it into your Q tank. Note that such treatments are not always efficacious - so you may loose this fish.

01/19/2006, 11:52 AM	#1
padixon2 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tinker AFB, OK Posts: 1,067	what is wrong with my saddleback? it is lithargic and bumps into stuff. It looks like her eyes are swollen. she wont eat. is there anything i can do to help her? she was at the LFS for a couple of weeks and was eating mysids there. ill try to get a picture but shes in a bad spot for the camera right now.

01/19/2006, 04:10 PM	#2
leebca Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: So. CA Posts: 2,903	Some fish don't take well to a new home. That's the breaks. But more than likely, there is something about its new home it doesn't find good: Water quality. How does your water chemistries compare to the the LFS water? Is you water quality tops? How old is your tank? i.e., has it become properly seasoned? (Butterflyfishes should not be put into aquariums, IMHO until the aquarium has been up and running at least 6 months after the nitrites and ammonia levels have all gone to "0"). What are your nitrates? Butterflyfishes can go off their feed from major shifts in nitrates, in my experience. Does your LFS put copper or other medications in their water? Tank mates. Being bothered by something in the tank. Acclimation. Bad acclimation experience or acclimation not done properly. Stress. Almost any source in addition to the above. Stress does not have to be your doing, but could have occurred days or weeks earlier. Some stress can be the size of the tank. Is your tank large enough? What size is the fish? Disease. The fact the LFS had it for a couple of weeks doesn't mean it was free of disease or a condition. That is why many LFSs put medication in their tanks --- keep the fish alive just long enough to sell the fish. QT Was the fish properly quarantined before it was put into the display? As you can see from the above 'tip of the iceberg,' the possibilities are numerous.

01/19/2006, 04:19 PM	#3
padixon2 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tinker AFB, OK Posts: 1,067

01/19/2006, 04:21 PM	#5
padixon2 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tinker AFB, OK Posts: 1,067	its a saddleback clownfish, i wouldnt ever dream of getting a butterfly fish with my trackrecord, lol

01/19/2006, 05:17 PM	#6
padixon2 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tinker AFB, OK Posts: 1,067	here are my params: nitrite: undectable nitrate: 1ppm phosphate: .5 ppm ammonia: 0 Kh: 8.6 Alk: 3.09

01/19/2006, 05:32 PM	#7
leebca Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: So. CA Posts: 2,903	Almost everything I wrote goes for your clownfish, too. Not as sensitive to shifts in water quality, but still, they have had issues with Brooklynella disease. Unless it was tank bred, I would also then have added that when you got it, it should be treated for Brooklynella as a preventative measure. You might want to see this article which includes mention of treating anenomefishes for Brooklynella: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-1...ture/index.htm

01/19/2006, 06:04 PM	#8
padixon2 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tinker AFB, OK Posts: 1,067	i read the article, ty. Valuable lesson learned there. Lucky for me, someone in my club is letting me borrow a little tank to help this clownfish, provided she lives through the night, fingers crossed!

01/20/2006, 06:12 AM	#9
Puffer Queen Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,041	Padixon2, If you don't currently quarantine all new marine life, please consider it. Here is an excellent article by Steve Pro: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php Best of luck with your clown. Kelly

01/20/2006, 01:14 PM	#10
Rondelet Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 295	Pictures aren't great. I wouldn't treat for Brooklynella (or any other disease) unless I was fairly confident that's what the problem was. Do you see any white spots or patches? Doesn't seem evident in the pictures. Looks (pop-eye) and sounds (not eating, listlessness) like a bacterial infection. If so, treat the fish with an antibiotic when you get it into your Q tank. Note that such treatments are not always efficacious - so you may loose this fish.