Loopy Clownfish Just Died

[CW]

So as you've probably gathered from the title one of my clownfish has just died. The oddity is how he declined, and the reason I post this is to see if anyone else has experienced this and knows the exact reason why...

I am particularly upset because he displayed all the traits of the real Nemo, after a few weeks in the tank he jumped over into the filter area at the back. I could not find him for about a month and had given up all hope but found it odd that he had ompletely disappeared. Eventually discoved him when cleaning all the media and put him back in the main tank. After a weeks or so he had jumped over again,a nd eventually I had to adapt the tank to stop him continually jumping into the filter area.

Anyway, a few days ago he stopped eating at all and later began to gulp more and more. Then he started to swim oddly, quite regularly sideways and having mini fits. Eventually he would swim completely upside down but relatively happily. Unfortunaltely I was there at the end, he was swimming near the surface the right way up, then slowly turned upside down and sank to the bottom.

I have tried to find out why, and the nearest desease I can find is clownfish desease but he had no white spots or slime anywhere...

Any Ideas?

 

[drnsee]

Hmmm, these fish do have weird swimming habits, but sounds like his swim bladder was affected perhaps. The gasping indicates some sort of stress... What's the volume of this system? Other clown doing OK I assume? I had to block the back chambers to my tank as well because my pearly jaw seemed to like the rubble in chamber 2.

 

[rosie297]

Both my clown fish disappeared, but after reading your article I had a look and found them in the filter area. Can I ask if you or anyone else can tell me how to get them out. I did a water change, pouring water directly into the back - didn't work. I put flake food on it, thought they might come up to eat and I could get them out - that's not worked either. HELP!! :roll:

 

[drnsee]

Both my clown fish disappeared, but after reading your article I had a look and found them in the filter area. Can I ask if you or anyone else can tell me how to get them out. I did a water change, pouring water directly into the back - didn't work. I put flake food on it, thought they might come up to eat and I could get them out - that's not worked either. HELP!! :roll:

Hmm, if you darken the room and shine a light towards the surface, they might get curious and go to it. A trick when trying to get them near anemones... Have a small net ready!

 

[rosie297]

ok. Ta. I'll try that.

 

[TimSchmidt]

I agree the upside down swimming sounds like a swim bladder issue. Gasping is something fish do for a variety of reasons. I don't know exactly what happened but disease is definitely involved somewhere.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[rosie297]

Thanks drnsee, followed your advice and got 1 back into the tank. I can't see the other one, but hope to find it when I do a water change tomorrow.

 

[drnsee]

Thanks drnsee, followed your advice and got 1 back into the tank. I can't see the other one, but hope to find it when I do a water change tomorrow.

Aww, I hope you get the other one! Good luck!

:bash1:

 

[crabby Mike]

I noticed you said one of your Clown Fish...as I take it you have or had more than one...was the fish that died smaller than your other clowns and did you add it after the others?? If so the other clown or clowns might of ran it out so to speak as well as hurt its fins or even caused the swim bladder problem as Clown fish are very protective of their area....when adding another clown fish always remove them all first and change your rocks if you can to put them all at a fresh start. Also remember they will fight to see who becomes the male of the tank... Hope this helps...

 

[CW]

I noticed you said one of your Clown Fish...as I take it you have or had more than one...was the fish that died smaller than your other clowns and did you add it after the others?? If so the other clown or clowns might of ran it out so to speak as well as hurt its fins or even caused the swim bladder problem as Clown fish are very protective of their area....when adding another clown fish always remove them all first and change your rocks if you can to put them all at a fresh start. Also remember they will fight to see who becomes the male of the tank... Hope this helps...

Started with two and ended up with three as when he initially went missing got another one quick so my little girl did not get upset.

They did challenge for dominance after we found the one in the filter but it was this original one that seemed to be the odd one out. He did not sem to have damaged fins etc and they were all friends when this happened. No doubt some stress was caused a month earlier though

 

[CW]

Both my clown fish disappeared, but after reading your article I had a look and found them in the filter area. Can I ask if you or anyone else can tell me how to get them out. I did a water change, pouring water directly into the back - didn't work. I put flake food on it, thought they might come up to eat and I could get them out - that's not worked either. HELP!! :roll:

Got mine out by persiverance. first time took the media out and fidhed him out, second time tempted him out with some brine shrimp. Have to keep iy in the place you want him to swim to though. Also got a drinking straw and disturbed the bottom so he would swim upward.