# my clown fish is swimming backwards



## Mrmofo

ive done all the tests but im at another house and dont have the tests or fish tank around me, but i remember doing them all 3 days ago and everything was fine, no ammonia, no nitrite and a lil bit of nitrate(the end cycle on i think or i got the nit's mixed around) salinity was in between the specific gravity of i think its like 1.024 or somthing.hardness was 150.

The problem is my clown fish sticks to the side of the tank and lays on his side and glides along the glass forward and backwards (never knew they could swim backwards) and when he gets touched by the net, he doesnt move at all and doesnt care...he is the biggest one in the tank, and its been running for about 2 months now so i think its cycled..i have a coral banded shrimp but i dont think hes scared of that.its so strange and only recently started happening can anyone help?its almost as if he is blind


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## fs49864

wait... I'm a bit confused... did you move the fish tank?

Does the fish have any odd looks to it other then the way it's swimming?

Is it the tank in your tank info that is 33 gallons?

Do all the other fish appear to be fine?

What kind of clownfish is it?


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## Mrmofo

the white n orange ones not sure but they r tank bread and got them off a breader they r mated, all fish appear to be fine n healthy, he swims on the front panel of glass up the top trying to get gulp of air? i did a water change and he is still doing the same thing maybe he is blinde? the little other fish swims around him. he isnt eating food and when i net him he doesnt seem to see it till he is in the net, where as normal fish try to swim away


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## Melissa

he may be dying. atleast thats what it sounds like. and watch out for your coral banded shrimp. that are aggressive and can eat your small fish.


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## Mrmofo

i relise he mite be dying anything i can do?...a water change can only do so much?anyone have a problem and fix it? i really dont wanna loose a mated fish esp since the breeder told me to take realllly good care of it...anyone?


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## fs49864

I'm going to guess you have a percula clown or false percula. 

Do you have an air pump?

Also do you know the water temperature?


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## Melissa

have you noticed if there is ich or any other diseases you can see?


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## fs49864

I'm also not quite sure what your fish has, but it may be a good idea to give it a freshwater dip. Not sure if you have done that before but if it is a parasite it helps get rid of them, and it's free(or not to expensive).  
As long as you have clean water (you can use tap but make sure it's dechorlinated).
Also try to get close to the same temp water and pH.
I'd also suggest you use an airstone in the container your using while doing this. (You can get small battery powered packs at a petstore and some stores like kmart,walmart, or target for <$10)


However if you've never done this before this might be hard.
You can probably look up or ask for some more directions on how to do this.

The whole process shouldn't take longer then a few minutes either.

But just make sure you have everything and are ready if you do attempt to give it a freshwater dip.


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## Mrmofo

sounds pretty straight forward, i have an air stone i use in a small fresh water tank and a spare pump...so i just dip it in there for like 3 mins? with fresh water? so i have to get the fresh water (no salt) to 8.1 PH which i can prolly accomplish with PH up but if i just get an ice cream container and fill it and leave him in for 3 mins or so sound like a good idea?


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## Melissa

this will only work if he might have parasites. if there is something else wrong then it wont help anything.


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## Mrmofo

yea did that for a straight 3 mins, looked like he was dying but put him back in...he looks better as in not swimming on his side, he stays up right now but still gulps up the top for air...starting to loose hope on this guy and hes the best one in the tank too! i dont think i have ich but there are some white spots but i think there just like algea stuff maybe thats developing cause the rock itself was abit white and only on the 1 rock no other fish or LR have it


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## usmc121581

Mrmofo said:


> yea did that for a straight 3 mins, looked like he was dying but put him back in...he looks better as in not swimming on his side, he stays up right now but still gulps up the top for air...starting to loose hope on this guy and hes the best one in the tank too! i dont think i have ich but there are some white spots but i think there just like algea stuff maybe thats developing cause the rock itself was abit white and only on the 1 rock no other fish or LR have it



If hes at the top gasping for air theres something wrong with the water. Have you got it tested? I would get it tested for everything if you havent already.


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## Mrmofo

but hes the only fish doing it and its been like this for a week now, if somthing was wrong with the water which it isnt cause i tested it and it has no trace of anything wrong, other fish could be doin it too...


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## Mrmofo

ok well whats this week 4? he is still alive i think he may be blinde as he runs into things...wonder how this could of happened, he still eats tho


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## Mrmofo

well its been afew weeks...i think he is just plain old blinde as he runs into rocks but still manages to find somthing to eat, abit of a hassel to do it but hes my hassle to make somthing of.anyone heard of a fish going blinde?


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## Lupin

Mrmofo said:


> anyone heard of a fish going blinde?


A fish can go blind if it has infections in its eyes caused by water quality and injuries, genetic defects or cataracts. Heard of blind cave tetras? They are blinded as they mature yet they can sense anything including prey with the use of their lateral line according to the information I had obtained.


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