[sandrewo]

I have a 20 gallon long tank, with the EcoSystems 40 refugium for filtration. My lighting is 50/50, 136 watts. All my parameters are perfect, and all other specimens (rose tip anemone, bubble tip anemone, ricordia, polyps, leathers, mushrooms, snails, yellow watchman goby, mimic blenny, 2 pepperment shrimp, scarlet skunk shrimp, and sea star) are all thriving. I have 2 pink skunk clown fish(Mahatma and Indira), and they have taken to the anemones quite well. Indira is perfectly pink, happy, and healthy. About two weeks ago, though, Mahatma, who lives in the rose anemone, started fading in color. He will also lay on his side for two or three days at a time in the anemone panting and not moving a whole lot. But after that third day, for a day or two, he is up and about, moving around as if he's the perfect specimen of health. Then, he goes and does the three day 'lay in my anemone and pant for three days thing'. There are no markings, or signs of ill health anywhere on his body, the only thing that is different about him is that his color has faded dramatically. Can anyone tell what this is a sign of and how I may cure it? I have not added anything (additives or live specimens) into the tank since their arrival except for that Mark Weiss stuff that makes the coralline algae prolifigate. Help!!

[Reefland]

Hi sandrewo, Welcome to Reefland!

I am not sure what is wrong with your clown but recently, we lost a clown of ours that was acting in the same manner. Over the course of a couple of weeks, the fish lost all it's color and died. The same behavior was noted though, laying on it's side breathing heavy and then it would swim a bit for a couple of days.

I hope your not experiencing the same thing we did.