dead clown

[Rukawa]

Hi All,

Im new to the forum and i brought a oscular (however you spell it) clown fish 3 days ago. It looked healthy in the shop but i slowly noticed that later on after a day in my tank its tail started to disappear, like chunks of it getting bitten off. The clown died this morning and i guessed it was a bacterial disease?? does this seem right. The tanks only been running for about 4 weeks now...I have 3 green/blue chromis in there that seem very healthy and fine and the other clown i brought at the same time is eating fine kinda dark in color still but i suspect its just cause he's new to the tank. I've only got a small tank 75Litres, not sure what that is in galleons, my ammonia is 0,nitrite is 0-0.1 temp is 26degrees celcius, salinity is 1.02 (or so), ph 8.2 . I've got live rock, (snails,crabs and some cray fish, which lived in the rocks). Anyways basically if someone could tell me if it was bacterial disease?should i still get some medication for the tank (no other fish are showing signs of the problem) and if so what should i get??One other thing, how long should i wait till its ok to get corals and anomene?

This tank is my learning tank and will later become my QT. All my previous experience was with tropical fish so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Ruk

[steve1s]

I actually do not think it was a parasitic or baterial problem but rather aggression from the other fish or crustacean. A 20 gal tank is okay for four small fish as a rule but sometimes a new fish will just not "fit in". Has there been any signs of deterioration in the other fish?

Did the ocellaris show any problems other than the loss of the tail fin and was it wild caught or tank raised?

The "crayfish" you mention sounds odd. Are you sure they are not mantis or pistol shrimp?


http://members.shaw.ca/steve-s/welcome.gif To ReefLonge.com

Cheers
Steve

[Rukawa]

what do the mantis and pistol shrimp look like? the one i've seen hiding in my live rock is transparent with black strips on it and 2 crayfish type nippers instead of shrimp looking ones.

the other fish im sure weren't attacking it and they all seem quite fine.

[Telco Guy]

Here is one kind of Mantis Shrimp.
http://www.divegallery.com/Mantis_shrimp_3.jpg
If you find one of these be very carful. They can split your finger. :shock:

And pistol shrimps have one modified claw that makes a popping sound as seen in this Bullseye Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus soror).
http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/large/p_90069.jpg

[Rukawa]

i don't have the mantis shrimp, but it could be the other pistol shrimp only that its a different color and very very small and the claws look different (same size). What does that pistol shrimp do?

[Rukawa]

I just read one of the other postings and identified my dead clown did have fin rot bacteria...can anyone tell me if this will affect the rest of my tank?? should i get medication to apply to my tank?? also was the bacteria introduced into my tank by the clown as i didn't have problems with the chromis.

[Telco Guy]

To my knowledge most pistol shrimps are fairly harmless. They just make a snapping or popping sound. This is used to stun their prey which are usually small Copepods or other small creatures. It is also used as a deterrent to predators. Pistol shrimps come in many different variations. The one pictured above is offered for sale on www.liveaquaria.com.

If the claws are both the same size then yours is not a pistol shrimp. You should try to identify it since there are many that are not considered reef safe. If you can get a picture of it and post it someone might be able to identify it for you.

As for the clown, are you sure it was not due to harrassment from the other fish? I'm not really sure about what you will need to do with your tank, but don't use anything copper based. I'm sure that steve1s or someone else here can give you some ideas on how to handle this. One thing is that you should look in to getting a quarantine tank for your new fish so that you don't have this happen again.

[steve1s]

I was not meaning the the pistol was the cause of your clowns death, I was just trying toi find out what you meant by "crayfish". I definately agree with Telco guy though, whatever it is should be identified to ensure it is not a threat to other inhabitants.

As far as the fin rot though, I would suggest you do nothing if that was indeed what it was. These types of conditions do not require treatment and will clear up on their own. If anything, regular water changes and improved feedings with vitamin enriched foods is all that is needed.

In future I would recommend quarantining any new fish for 4 weeks before introducing to your tank. It allows a proper amount of time to pass where problems can manifest and be treated without further losses and most times will ensure the new fish has the best opportunity at a healthy start.

Cheers
Steve

[Rukawa]

Thanks for all the help guys :) As for quarantine tank this tank will eventually become that, im just waiting to move to my new house then i'll get a larger tank but i wanted to learn more about marine fish before i did that. As for identifying that crayfish thingy, i've only seen it like 3 times cuz it usually hides inside the live rock holes.

Could you guys also tell me how long should i wait till its safe to get an anomene? i know its after nitrite ends up at zero is this the same for nitrate?

Im also planning on getting a blue palette tang (i think thats the one), is this fish agressive towards other species of fish and tangs or only itself?

Thanks

[steve1s]

Anemones are best left to tanks that are quite mature and stable. If you consider one, the tank should be at least a year old and even then it's iffy. You may also have better luck if purchasing a tank raised clone but the 1+ year guideline should still be followed for improved success.

What kind of lighting do you have as corals and anemones require quite intense lighting?

The tang is definately a no-go. A 20 gal tank is basically asking for problems. If you are looking for additional fish to add, you should stick with fish that a quite small growing and have a max adult size of <3". Considerning the 3 chromis you already have, your space is at a premium and the next fish should be considered carefully....

Cheers
Steve

[Rukawa]

I don't know the wattage of the lamps but ones blue and the other white light. I've also been told you should only have 1 species of clown in your tank, is this correct?

[steve1s]

Yes, one species of clown is best especially in a smaller tank. IME, anything less than a 125 gal would be trouble over time.

You should be able to determine the lighting by looking at the bulbs. There should be a sticker or ink stamp on them indicating bulb type and wattage. You can also have a look >>here (http://hellolights.com/)<< and see if anything rings a bell... :P

Cheers
Steve