URGENT: Clown fish breathing rapidly.

[SaltyFlip]

1:32 I just got him and he's breathing rapidly in the middle of the tank and floating with the current, he was eating a little this afternoon. I did a 1 hour acclimation along with other critters, I just named him Tubsy. I'm gonna go check water params and maybe just do the water change after.

Tank had a sever hair algae bloom 3 months back and have been changing 3 out of the 12gallons every 3-4 days; algae are still here but last I check my params were good.

 

[Lenny718]

Whats the tank temp? Also post your parameters.

 

[masterswimmer]

I would not do a 25% water change right after adding a new fish that appears to be stressed.....unless there was something wrong with your parameters.

Russ

 

[SaltyFlip]

test kit is the master test kit
ph 8.0
ammonia/nitrite 0
temp 78
Sg range of 1.022 or 30ppt using hydrometer and refractometer

this guy's swimming vertical and upside down. Gnna try to do water change.

edit: stopped the water change per suggestion
edit 2: since I don't have a qt tank I took a plastic soup takeout container and punched holes so I can place him there. I'm afraid I might lose him between the rockwork and the algae and would just have a bigger problem on getting him. advisable?
edit 3: he's just laying down now but still breathing.dorsal fin is collapsed.

 

[masterswimmer]

How long did you observe this fish in the LFS tank before you had them bag him? Did he look normal in their tank? Were there a lot of clowns in their tank and they just scooped one out, or was it the one you were observing and hopefully looking normal?

 

[SaltyFlip]

I think I just saw him gulp is last breathe: Bob's alone yet again.
Tubsy died at 2:45. Thanks for the help Russ and Lenny.
I'll be doing a 3gallon water change first thing tomorrow or since I'm already awake; in a couple of minutes.

Lesson of the night: When doing water change, never be too lazy to wear gloves; my fingers are itchy/stingy from either the zoa, hammer, or something else.

btw did you guys know that Jackie Chan trains a fish? I wanted to start another thread but didn't know under which one to put it so I'll leave it here. Might be old but I just saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c2hrEiTi-E

 

[tentacles]

Sorry about your loss

Observing your desired fish at the LFS is a really good habit to get into. In my experience, freshly acclimated fish (I drip for about an hour,) will be a little stressed for a few hours. Usually by the next morning they're fine (you'd be stressed too if you went on a strange journey in a small bag!) If they're not, then I start to worry about params and disease. It also helps to go to a good LFS or vendor who has some sort of live guarantee (I highly recommend Dom from DOTR. He Qt's the fish, and I believe has a 14 day live guarantee, barring jumpers like blue spotted jawfish. All the fish I have ever gotten from him have been superbly healthy- they even survived a 90* heat spike!)


And as a side note, your hands could also be itchy/stingy from the salt (this always happens to me.) I've accidentally grabbed or brushed up against zoas un-gloved; I didn't die, BUT I did have a numbing/tingly sensation in my fingers (never itching or stinging though,) so you definitely want to snap a pair of gloves on before handling them. Then again I have extremely sensitive skin, and I know plenty of people who handle them with no problems, but better safe than sorry!

 

[SaltyFlip]

Thanks tentacles. Yea, I just slept the itchy/stinginess off; don't know what it's from but perhaps I could have what you have.