HELP, 3 months old clowns stop eating.

[stanleyw]

Hi all

As the topcis suggested my batch of 3 months old percula clowns all of sudden have lost interest to eat. Today is the third day and most of them now look to have an empty stomach.

The tank is a 20L tank which have two batches of percula babies 1) 3 months batch, around 22 of them.
2) 2 months batch, arundd 35 of them.

The tank is bare buttom with a sponge filter.
Temp is around 26-27.

MH3 = 0, N02 = 0.25 ppm and I sipcon out most visible "fish craps" 1-2 times a day.

I've been feeding Golden pearls(largest size), crushed up flakes, frozen bbs and they have been eating them with no issue until 2 days ago. THe clowns will swim up to the feeding spot when they see me but when I drop the food they are not interested at all. The smaller ones are still eating but are also eating less then usual.

Can anyone help and give me some suggestion, I'm scare they'll become too weak and start dieing soon

[clownfish75]

Thats a hard one to pin point but first of you need to know that certain things are good.

pH
Nitrate
Temperature
O2 or more importantly a decent amount of water flow to make sure this isnt it, and you would also notice faster and more deliberate breathing movement

After that vitamin and mineral content of the food, which could be poor with your mix, will allow them to have a decreased appatite, but dont htink it would stop it.

Finally disease, double check them for it, but an off water condition can cause a higher chance of diease.

Christian

[NicoleC]

Maybe they want something different to eat and need a different nutritional profile? Can you get cyclopeeze in Oz? Very few fish will ignore that.

[Morgman]

Try cleaning your sponge filter. I bet its pretty clogged up.

Better yet add a hang-on power filter(sized for a 30allon) to your tank and do a 95% water change. Drip in the new water to your ten gallon. That should most likely help.

[clownfish75]

you cant get cyclopeeze in OZ nicolec

[stanleyw]

Guys thanks for the suggestion.

I've just try to feed misys shrimp and they took some yesterday morning but at night they are not interested again. I did a 50% water change and also clean out the sponge.

I'm going to check the water paramater again but when I checked before the water change MH3 = 0, N02 = 0.25 ppm. Will Nitrate affect appatite? I also can't see much faster breathing movement.

So you guys reckon is to do with water quality? Are they other stuff I could add on my food to increase these little guys appatite?
I really don't want to lose them after 3 long months....

[clownfish75]

What is the brand of flake you use? And my bets are on water quality for sure.

You oculd grind up some tera colour bits as they have a fair amount of vitamins.

Christian

[stanleyw]

Christian,

the flakes I use is a mixture of Wardley's Total Marine + HBH Marine Green40.

I'm observing the breathing rate of the little clowns now, how would you say is the normal rate for the babies comapre to the parents for example? Does the babies breath faster then the parents? Some of the baby;s mouth are open/closing I would say around 2-3 times a second?

Is around 50 babies in a 18litre box be too crowned?

[clownfish75]

Try something like tetra stuff, expecially the colour bits for a vit boost

They should breath at the same rate as the parents unless other things cause them to breath faster.

If you ammonia shock them then you can burn the gill filaments and therefore they need to breath faster to get the same O2, lack of O2 causes this too (and or circulation)

And 50 in 18L isnt to much but does mean water quality can go bad fast

http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB2/viewto...ighlight=clown

That is similar to what you might be doing, but down the bottom of the page are some pics of his little growout tank, that is a very good way of doing it.

Christian

[Gary Majchrzak]

High nitrates can affect appetite, IME.

[stanleyw]

Hi guys just wish to give an update on this. The clowns are eating again.

I've divided the 50 or so babies into two 18L tanks with the larger ones in one and smallers ones the other. I've upped the air bubble in the sponge and air stones. I'm also feeding the bigger babies who wasn't eating with chopped up frozen brimps.

I think they wasn't eating because there wasn't enough O2, this is maybe why the bigger fish is suffering more then smaller ones.

Anyway just like to thank everyone for helping, and thanks Christian for your link as well mate. Good to know another good forum with heaps of Aussie base people. Cheers guys!