fish tank saltwater clownfish?

Question

I was wondering about my clownfish, he seems to be acting different. He is swimming at the top of the tank and sometimes is completely long ways in the tank and looks as if he is gasping for air at the top of the tank. He doesn't seem to have anything wrong with him like color change or spots on him he just seems to be acting different and not as active as he usually is. Should I be concerned?

Answer 1

If you have a test kit, I'd suggest testing for ammonia ans nitrite, especially if this is a fairly new tank. If the levels are above 0.5, you may need to do a partial water change soon. The symptoms you're describing are similar to behavior of fish that are victims of ammonia or nitrite poisoning. This won't be as much of a problem after the tank is running a few months and bacteria to convert your fish's wastes to less toxic products become established. Until then, it's monitoring and water changes.

You might also want to check your water temperature - if you have a heater that's malfunctioning and the water is too warm, this reduces the ability of the water to hold dissolved oxygen.

I'm assuming you do have a filter so the problem shouldn't be a total lack of oxygen.

If none of these seem to be the cause, you might want to examine the gills of your fish to eliminate the possibility of parasites.

Answer 2

I would be concerned. Did you use tap water to fill the tank, and if so, did you treat it for Chlorine and Chloramine? Both of those chemicals, when present in your water, may also trigger the behavior you are observing. If you are using a glass canopy, make sure it does not completely seal the top of your tank either. This could also cut off the oxygen supply to your aquarium. As mentioned above, test your water for Ammonia and Nitrites as well.

Regards

Answer 3

maybe he lost his son and he is bummed out