Clown fish breathing heavily. Flukes or something else?

[Richardb001]

Hello, my clowns have been breathing heavily for the past few weeks and I'm not sure what's causing it. Back story of the tank. I got the clowns for a local breeder (June 2024) and they were the original 2 fish. They have that rapid mouth movement you see in the video from the day that I got them, assumed at first it was stress but it never stoped. I then added my gobys that I did not qt and I believe that I introduced flukes at that time. At that time it was May I did 4 rounds of Ruby reef rally, i wasn't sure that the rally had worked so I did 2 rounds of prazi 8 days apart. After that all seemed well with no signs of flukes. After that treatment I noticed my male clowns gill seemed flared out, it's possible it was always like that and I only noticed at that time. The gill has remiaed flaied out and never sits flat like the other side I'm unsure if the is an issue or normal. I have since added 2 more fish form a vendor that QTs in copper and prazi. I have added coral and inverts that have not been through quarantine. About 4 weeks ago I noticed the clowns scratching a bit. The scratching increased and then I the male began yawning ( the male yawns in one of the videos taken today) , darting and head shaking. All of their other behaviour seems fine and they eat like normal. Also all of the other fish are behaving normally and don't have the same rapid breathing or any signs of illness. I have seen no physical signs of ich, velvet for brooklynella but I'm no expert and mabey I'm missing something. I did a fresh water dip on the male on Sunday but saw nothing come off. On Tuesday I decided to dose prazi pro assuming its gill flukes and plan to do the second does this coming Wensday. I added an airstone and have lots of surface agitation in both tanks. I'm not sure if flukes is what they have or if I have baught so other parasite into the tank. Or if the heavy breathing is still a result of flukes and the prazi. Any advice would be appreciated.







Parameters
Alk 8.7
Ph 8.2
Cal 430
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 12
Phos .16
Mag 1460

Set up

150 gallon total water volume. 75g and 30g displays and sump. Currently only the 30g has fish, coral and lights. The 75 has rock and sand but I'm filling the 30g before working on the 75.
Reef mat
Skimmer
25w UV
C02 scrubber
20g weekly water change

Live stock

2 clowns June 2024
Helfrinchi goby added May 2404
Watchman goby May 2024
Springeri Damsel July 2024
Royal gramma September 2024

 

[fishywishy]

It looks like flukes, in my opinion. It could also be ich or a water quality issue but the fact that they improved after adding praziquantel makes me think it’s probably flukes. Some types of flukes may require more than two weeks of praziquantel treatment to fully resolve, which seems consistent with what you’re experiencing.

I would say to add more praziquantel, but that might not be effective in the long run, as praziquantel can eventually be consumed by praziquantel-eating bacteria, rendering it ineffective by the 4th or 5th dose. Your best option may be to transfer the fish to another tank and try a hypo-salinity treatment, which should be manageable since you don’t have too many fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, my clowns have been breathing heavily for the past few weeks and I'm not sure what's causing it. Back story of the tank. I got the clowns for a local breeder (June 2024) and they were the original 2 fish. They have that rapid mouth movement you see in the video from the day that I got them, assumed at first it was stress but it never stoped. I then added my gobys that I did not qt and I believe that I introduced flukes at that time. At that time it was May I did 4 rounds of Ruby reef rally, i wasn't sure that the rally had worked so I did 2 rounds of prazi 8 days apart. After that all seemed well with no signs of flukes. After that treatment I noticed my male clowns gill seemed flared out, it's possible it was always like that and I only noticed at that time. The gill has remiaed flaied out and never sits flat like the other side I'm unsure if the is an issue or normal. I have since added 2 more fish form a vendor that QTs in copper and prazi. I have added coral and inverts that have not been through quarantine. About 4 weeks ago I noticed the clowns scratching a bit. The scratching increased and then I the male began yawning ( the male yawns in one of the videos taken today) , darting and head shaking. All of their other behaviour seems fine and they eat like normal. Also all of the other fish are behaving normally and don't have the same rapid breathing or any signs of illness. I have seen no physical signs of ich, velvet for brooklynella but I'm no expert and mabey I'm missing something. I did a fresh water dip on the male on Sunday but saw nothing come off. On Tuesday I decided to dose prazi pro assuming its gill flukes and plan to do the second does this coming Wensday. I added an airstone and have lots of surface agitation in both tanks. I'm not sure if flukes is what they have or if I have baught so other parasite into the tank. Or if the heavy breathing is still a result of flukes and the prazi. Any advice would be appreciated.







Parameters
Alk 8.7
Ph 8.2
Cal 430
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 12
Phos .16
Mag 1460

Set up

150 gallon total water volume. 75g and 30g displays and sump. Currently only the 30g has fish, coral and lights. The 75 has rock and sand but I'm filling the 30g before working on the 75.
Reef mat
Skimmer
25w UV
C02 scrubber
20g weekly water change

Live stock

2 clowns June 2024
Helfrinchi goby added May 2404
Watchman goby May 2024
Springeri Damsel July 2024
Royal gramma September 2024

I dont see sign of flukes not have you mentioned symptoms which would suggest flukes. You rarely if at all can see flukes, and to say I see flukes is bizarre. However, the swim pattern and the dust appearance in second video suggest early brooklynella. The most significant sign is mucus which generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus and weird swim behavior.
Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
Since a formalin solution is often not available for use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello, my clowns have been breathing heavily for the past few weeks and I'm not sure what's causing it. Back story of the tank. I got the clowns for a local breeder (June 2024) and they were the original 2 fish. They have that rapid mouth movement you see in the video from the day that I got them, assumed at first it was stress but it never stoped. I then added my gobys that I did not qt and I believe that I introduced flukes at that time. At that time it was May I did 4 rounds of Ruby reef rally, i wasn't sure that the rally had worked so I did 2 rounds of prazi 8 days apart. After that all seemed well with no signs of flukes. After that treatment I noticed my male clowns gill seemed flared out, it's possible it was always like that and I only noticed at that time. The gill has remiaed flaied out and never sits flat like the other side I'm unsure if the is an issue or normal. I have since added 2 more fish form a vendor that QTs in copper and prazi. I have added coral and inverts that have not been through quarantine. About 4 weeks ago I noticed the clowns scratching a bit. The scratching increased and then I the male began yawning ( the male yawns in one of the videos taken today) , darting and head shaking. All of their other behaviour seems fine and they eat like normal. Also all of the other fish are behaving normally and don't have the same rapid breathing or any signs of illness. I have seen no physical signs of ich, velvet for brooklynella but I'm no expert and mabey I'm missing something. I did a fresh water dip on the male on Sunday but saw nothing come off. On Tuesday I decided to dose prazi pro assuming its gill flukes and plan to do the second does this coming Wensday. I added an airstone and have lots of surface agitation in both tanks. I'm not sure if flukes is what they have or if I have baught so other parasite into the tank. Or if the heavy breathing is still a result of flukes and the prazi. Any advice would be appreciated.







Parameters
Alk 8.7
Ph 8.2
Cal 430
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 12
Phos .16
Mag 1460

Set up

150 gallon total water volume. 75g and 30g displays and sump. Currently only the 30g has fish, coral and lights. The 75 has rock and sand but I'm filling the 30g before working on the 75.
Reef mat
Skimmer
25w UV
C02 scrubber
20g weekly water change

Live stock

2 clowns June 2024
Helfrinchi goby added May 2404
Watchman goby May 2024
Springeri Damsel July 2024
Royal gramma September 2024

What is the water temperature?
Does the tank have good aeration (not just surface agitation)?

It could be chronic gill flukes. You won't see them in a FW dip (too small). They are also egg layers, so they are tough to control with just 2 prazi doses.

 

[Richardb001]

I dont see sign of flukes not have you mentioned symptoms which would suggest flukes. You rarely if at all can see flukes, and to say I see flukes is bizarre. However, the swim pattern and the dust appearance in second video suggest early brooklynella. The most significant sign is mucus which generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus and weird swim behavior.
Start with a prolonged 60 minute bath of ruby rally pro then at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the treatment, the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
Since a formalin solution is often not available for use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

Thank you for the help. I will bath in Ruby and continue treatment in QT. Would my best course of action be to remove all fish and go fallow for 76 days? And if all fish are removed do I bath all of them and also treat them in Ruby?

 

[Richardb001]

Thank you for the help. I will bath in Ruby and continue treatment in QT. Would my best course of action be to remove all fish and go fallow for 76 days? And if all fish are removed do I bath all of them and also treat them in Ruby?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for the help. I will bath in Ruby and continue treatment in QT. Would my best course of action be to remove all fish and go fallow for 76 days? And if all fish are removed do I bath all of them and also treat them in Ruby?

If they look fine, you can add ruby Rally pro safely to tank with coral and inverts
Also while one can go 76 days, an old rule. . . 60 days is now acceptable

 

[Richardb001]

What is the water temperature?
Does the tank have good aeration (not just surface agitation)?

It could be chronic gill flukes. You won't see them in a FW dip (too small). They are also egg layers, so they are tough to control with just 2 prazi doses.

My water temperature is at 78. For aeration I have a skimmer in my sump and power heads in my displays for surface agitation plus my return pump. When I used prazi I added an air stone to my DT. I just got my qt set up and my clowns are currently in an isolation box. I orderd rally pro and it will arrive shortly. My 4 other fish still all seem to be behainvg normally. What do you think my best course of action wouid be?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My water temperature is at 78. For aeration I have a skimmer in my sump and power heads in my displays for surface agitation plus my return pump. When I used prazi I added an air stone to my DT. I just got my qt set up and my clowns are currently in an isolation box. I orderd rally pro and it will arrive shortly. My 4 other fish still all seem to be behainvg normally. What do you think my best course of action wouid be?

Rally Pro is unlikely to help if it is flukes - the ingredients of that product are just not a suitable treatment for that. It doesn't sound like the issue is poor oxygen in the water though. Rally Pro might help if the issue is bacterial or protozoan. You can try that, and then, if no relief is seen, you may need to re-do the prazi treatment, but run three treatments (in order to kill off any new flukes arising from eggs, which prazi doesn't kill). The problem with prazi is that with each use, bacteria grows in the tank that breaks down the prazi. Each time you dose, more bacteria grows, eventually, the prazi becomes useless. In those cases, you would need to treat all of the fish with hyposalinity for 30 days (no invertebrates present though).

Jay

 

[Richardb001]

Rally Pro is unlikely to help if it is flukes - the ingredients of that product are just not a suitable treatment for that. It doesn't sound like the issue is poor oxygen in the water though. Rally Pro might help if the issue is bacterial or protozoan. You can try that, and then, if no relief is seen, you may need to re-do the prazi treatment, but run three treatments (in order to kill off any new flukes arising from eggs, which prazi doesn't kill). The problem with prazi is that with each use, bacteria grows in the tank that breaks down the prazi. Each time you dose, more bacteria grows, eventually, the prazi becomes useless. In those cases, you would need to treat all of the fish with hyposalinity for 30 days (no invertebrates present though).

Jay

Okay thank you very much. I picked up Ruby and prazi today and I am going to do a Ruby bath, and put the clowns in qt after. It was recommended to me at the store to use fritz paracleanse after the dip in QT. They said the metro would help if it's brooklynella and the prazi would help if it's flukes. Is the correct or should I stick with Ruby in QT after the dip? Then switch to prazi in qt if i don't see improvement from using Ruby? I also plan to do 2 more rounds of prazi in my DT where my 4 Other fish are for a total of 3 in case it is flukes.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Okay thank you very much. I picked up Ruby and prazi today and I am going to do a Ruby bath, and put the clowns in qt after. It was recommended to me at the store to use fritz paracleanse after the dip in QT. They said the metro would help if it's brooklynella and the prazi would help if it's flukes. Is the correct or should I stick with Ruby in QT after the dip? Then switch to prazi in qt if i don't see improvement from using Ruby? I also plan to do 2 more rounds of prazi in my DT where my 4 Other fish are for a total of 3 in case it is flukes.

I’ve not found metronidazole to work really well for brooklynella, but it may help, it won’t hurt.

Sorry, I can’t really advise you on this as it mixes up treatments, too many variables for me to follow clearly….

 

[Richardb001]

I’ve not found metronidazole to work really well for brooklynella, but it may help, it won’t hurt.

Sorry, I can’t really advise you on this as it mixes up treatments, too many variables for me to follow clearly….

That makes sence, i was panicking a bit. I did the rally bath and treating my tank with that first and if the symposium percist I will do 3 rounds of prazi for flukes. Thanks everyone for your help.