# Unexplained Clownfish Deaths...



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

For the past 2 years, I've kept 2 ocellaris clownfishes and one azure damselfish. About a month ago, the smaller of the clownfish pair suddenly vanished. No body was found. I thought that it might have jumped out for some reason and landed behind the tank, where I can't find it.

I waited about 2 weeks before getting 3 baby ocellaris and 1 firefish. The baby ocellaris all died within days. Now, about 2 weeks after I got the new fish, I found that my other clownfish, the larger of the original pair, died as well.

I am at a total loss to explain these deaths. I've tested the water, and ammonia/nitrite/nitrates are all at 0. The tank is currently overrun with cyano and/or diatoms, but as I understand, that should not cause fish deaths.

I can only think of these possibilities:

*1- The damselfish killed them all.*

Pro:
- the large clownfish was staying outside of his usual hangout, which he'd always shared with the damselfish, and hanging listlessly on the sand out in the open, before he died.
- the dead baby clowns were all found near the place where the damsel and the large clown hang out. The damsel did act aggressively toward the baby clowns when they ventured near the hangout.

Con:
- I've never seen the damsel attack the large clown, and they've been hanging out ever since the smaller clown vanished a month ago. Before that, they've lived together in a 16-gallon tank for over a year.
- The large clown is twice the size of the damsel, and a pretty spunky guy himself. I have serious doubts about the damsel being able to pick on him.

*2- The baby clowns had some kind of disease and it infected the large clown*

Pro:
- the firefish and the damsel are still doing well for now
- the large clown died two weeks after introducing the new fish; he was doing well until then

Con:
- I did not see any visible symptoms on the dead clowns, though admittedly I don't know what to look for.

Any advice on what to do would be much appreciated!


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

Hey dude sorry to hear that man. Just last night I lost my little clown too. and not sure why. I know it's been a bit under stress from McCosker's flasher wrasse who's been a bit territorial around feeding time but I never saw it get "bit". it was healthy last night, this morning it was dead. the cleaning crew were feeding on it.

check your water parameters and see if anything's off. How big is your tank?


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

How big is the tank? 

What about the water parameters?

As a side note, even thought they may not hurt fish on their own, having an outbreak of diatoms and cyano could be signs of something else off in the tank, like an excess bioload or live rock leaching phostphates, or who knows what... might take some investigation


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Tank is 79 gallons. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are all 0. Don't know about phosphates.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Hmm... IDK. Seems a mystery, but when introducing new fish there's a lot of variables. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

My biggest concern right now is disease. Is there a likelihood of that? So far, the damsel and the firefish seem to be doing fine. Are there any disease that affects only clowns?


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Clowns are affected by bad humour. The ones from outer space are affected by water.


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## WiseGuyPhil (Jun 15, 2011)

Well you have identified red flags for me...

One is your Cyano and Diatom bloom. If you have these issues you have a phosphate issue and/or probably under skimming your system. I am also guessing you are using tap water with a de-chlorinator instead of RO water. If your doing that your not removing other harmful chemicals especially such as Bromate and other silicates.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Probably the damsel? From the info provided I'd guess the cyano and diatoms area a result of that missing clownfish decaying in the tank somewhere...


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