Not good.....

[Porkfat]

Today I did my usual water change, maybe a little more then I usualy do ~50% instead of my usual 25-30%. Fish (false perc) looked happy and I fed him just before the water change, he was a little slugish but I figured he was just having bad day. Checked params, ph a little low 7.8 but everything else same as always. I don't dose anything. Tank is ~10g

I walk in this afternoon and hes not mov'n about like he usualy does just sitting on the bottom breathing hard... I don't want him to die, but I don't know what to do. No spots or blemishes, he's a little more transparent then usual. He's the only fish in the tank, theres a sea cucumber and a wana urchin all looking normal.

Any suggestions anyone? I have a low ppm ~10 setup and been going for a few days now, think that might help? I didn't move him because I don't want to stress him more then he already is. I have a copper treatment that I could use but again I don't want to use it unless it's going to help.

Pork

 

[steve-s]

Copper is not something to use unless you have to. With the cuke and urchin, you would need a QT anyway.

A little background on how long you've had the tank, how it's set up and how long you've had the clown would help. Also how you prepare your new SW? New SW should be well aged/aerated with a powerhead and heated to the same as the main tank before use, especially with large water changes and small tanks. Do you test the chemistry of the new SW before use? If so, please post those numbers as well as the main tanks.

As for the pH, 7.8 short term is not a huge issue. If tested early in the AM it is also fairly common. If you experienced this after the water change (rapid drop) or it is a cronic issue, the pH can be what's causing the problem. Is the fish surface gulping or gilling faster than normal?

Any sign of bloating, whitish slime or anything other than the color loss? What do you normally feed the fish?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Porkfat]

Had the tank for about a year maybe a little bit more, had the clown for about a month 3-4 weeks. I do about a water change a week. Today I mixed a 5 gallon bucket to 35 ppm (refrac reading) RO water, fed the fish soem frozen brine. Left it sitting while I ate breakfast ~30 mins walked back to the tank drained about 1/2 the tank into the sink and replaced it with the bucket, same as I've done many many times before. I measure pH temp and ppm. Temp ~80, pH you know and ppm/salinity I check daily (35). Don't know if this matters but this is my first store bought fish, I usualy catch and release my fish/inverts from around my area turning over about once a month. I always aclimate and dip in RO before I add to my little tank. Other then the frozen brine I have nori that I attach to a rock (for the urchin and the cucumber).

 

[clayswim]

You mixed the saltwater for 30 minutes prior to adding to the tank? If so, that isn't near long enough. It should be mixed for at least 12-24 hours before adding into the tank. This ensures that the minerals and additives are dissolved properly and that the CO2 has been scrubbed out of the RO water. Freshly mixed saltwater can be rather caustic.

Hope everything turns out okay,
Clayton

 

[Porkfat]

Oh...... 12-24 hrs hmm? wish I knew that 10 hrs ago, I think my clown is in an irreversible spiral now, he was twitching (not on the bottom at least) and I felt very, Very bad...

Now on I'll mix the water the night before.