clown not doing to good. I think

[seaker]

I put this in the l.a. forum. I thought I was here. my black ocellaris isn't doing to good. he's been in the same spot for over 9 hours. he is in the left top corner of my 12 gal nano cube. he is swimming at a 45 degree angle. His fins and tail are moving pretty fast but he isn't going anywhere. I turned out the lights a few hours ago and he did swim around a little but now he's right back where he was doing the same thing. I put some frozen krill in there earlier but he just sucked it in and spit it back out. Is this normal for a clown. I don't want him to die. what can I do. I did a gal and a half water change. I don't know the ammonia level, test went bad.
nitrite 0
nitrate 20
ph 8.4
temp 82
I also have a cleaner shrimp and a red head goby and they seem to be doing fine. the shrimp ate the krill the clown didn't want. I did drip acclimate him for over 4 hours. I'm a newbie. what can I do to save my clown if this isn't normal behavior?

[seaker]

I forgot to add that he is right at the surface. It's like he's touching the side and the top at the same time.

[dacoolguychris]

this is normal behavior.. in a new tank they are scared.. so they tend to find a spot and "hide".. until they get used to their surroundings..

he might have been feed somethign different @ the place you got him from.. so he's not used to the food yet.. he'll come around.. just be patient..

-Chris (dacoolguy)

[nanocat]

Hard to say at this point. He could just be getting used to the new tank. It's only been a day and he's still insecure. As long as he isn't breathing super heavy (looks like panting), or showing signs of infection or parasites, I'd just keep an eye on him. Your nitrates are a little high for a nanocube. How long has this been set up?

Remember I said he might not eat much for a couple of days. If he looks like he's getting sick, go get the 10g. and set it up as QT.

My guess is, he's just getting over the move. See how he looks in the morning.

[seaker]

he's almost going flat now. he's not doing a very good job at hiding he isn't behind anything. he sure is making me worry. how long can he keep moving like that without getting tired. should I try feeding him again. I got some "kent garlic extreme attractant and food" should I try soaking the food in that? I also have flake, formula one, frozen shrimp. will either of these help in any way?

[dacoolguychris]

what is your sg at?... what kinda flow do you have.. maybe he's just swimming against it.. in the store they get hardly any flow at all..

my two ocellaris clowns would battle the powerhead all day for the first week i had em.. thye turned out fine.. and started eating after like 3 days in the new tank.. (new to them).. and they hid up in a corner.. i call it hiding..c ause they feel like they're hiding.. maybe not visibly.. but they have protection of some sort (wall of tank and top of water)

-Chris

[seaker]

he's almost going flat now. he's not doing a very good job at hiding he isn't behind anything. he sure is making me worry. how long can he keep moving like that without getting tired. should I try feeding him again. I got some "kent garlic extreme attractant and food" should I try soaking the food in that? I also have flake, formula one, frozen shrimp. will either of these help in any way?

[seaker]

I don't know how that posted twice

[nanocat]

I wouldn't bother him tonight. He probably won't eat anyway - he won't starve in a day. Hope for the best and check him out in the a.m.

You might want to check out the Clownfish forum faqs. Depending on how he's doing tomorrow, you may be considering a fresh water dip, or formalin. Try not to worry.

It may very well be just a clown reacting to a new tank :)
He can swim like that for a whole lifetime. Clowns only rest at night and even then they sort of swim "in place".

My little tang finds a tight place in rockwork, and tuck in. The first couple of times I found him like that I thought he was dead. Apparently tangs don't move while they sleep.

[seaker]

the specific gravity is a 1.023 acording to the deep six. I ordered the refractometer from nano-reef.com over a week ago and it still isn't here. his body looks alright. I don't know about the panting I can't tell with only the room light and I don't want to turn on the tank light cause it will probably stress him out more. should I leave it off tomorrow? I have two power heads. the stock on in the sump and a mini jet 606 on the left their both pointed forward. he's behind it and about 2 to 3 inches above it.

[eums]

when i got my tomato clown he was spazzing out like yours, but she is fine now, and has been in the tank for some time and growing. every fish is not the same, heck my foxface sleeps in an orange digi at night.

[seaker]

the mini jet 606 is turned down about half way. I've seen that book about clowns but thought to myself why would I buy a book just about one fish? now I'm considering it. my goby looks happy swimming between the rocks. and the cleaner is sitting right on the sump intake, It looks like he's picking at the sponge on the other side.

[seaker]

I'm feeling a little better. I just have the worst luck. ya think I should leave the lights out tomorrow?

[seaker]

hey nanocat, how's your clown doing? and the frozen krill or shrimp from strictly fish, the ones shaped like little fish, how much do you feed your clown?

[OUinLA]

If he his still acting weird tomorrow I might leave the lights off. Can you turn on only partial lights? or is it an all in one kind of thing. If he's fine tomorrow then just proceed with caution.

[seaker]

no It's just the stock 24 watt pc that came with the nano cube.

[nanocat]

Sure you can leave the light off for a day. The corals won't suffer in one day. I have the same little fish shaped frozen from Strictly. I usually just cut about a third of a cube and let it thaw.

Now that I'm feeding 3 tanks, I use the whole cube and feed everybody a little. I just drop in a tiny pinch by my fingers. Watch them eat most, then drop in another tiny pinch. If you drop in the whole third, they don't eat fast enough and it gets caught behind rocks etc.

Mine is doing swell, but is still a picky eater. It takes them a couple of days to really get their groove on :D

[dacoolguychris]

Originally posted by nanocat
Sure you can leave the light off for a day. The corals won't suffer in one day. I have the same little fish shaped frozen from Strictly. I usually just cut about a third of a cube and let it thaw.

Mine is doing swell, but is still a picky eater. It takes them a couple of days to really get their groove on :D

I have the same food :).. they really love the krill more then the brine shrimp.. most of the food goes tot he clowns.. they eat it all before anybody else in the tank can get to it.. (they all get the stuff in the rocks.. etc :)

yeah they are territorial.. so once they set theirs up.. they're comfortable and will eat more.. etc.. as for the light being off.. i'm not sure what that'll accomplish.. in the fish store they got a regular light/dark cycle.. being in a new tank.. and then not having light... but definately let it sit the night..

-Chris

[seaker]

nanocat, did you follow the qt exactly how it says in the clownfish forum faqs? I'm thinking about going out tomorrow and getting a 10 gal and starting one up. really good info there, thanx

[nanocat]

I saw your PM and answered there, but no, I didn't bleach the 10g. and wait 2 days :D

I did use a heater, HOB filter, and airstone. I even put in the little white PVC pipe, but mine was too sick to give a darn.

[dulichion]

I get it from my LFS frozen, seems to work well, occassionally I will put frozen shrimp with selcon. They love the Cyclopeeze best of all the two mates fight over it when i put it in the tank, they wil nibble on my finger as I do it...feels kinda funny! When Clownfish Attack!! LOL I was freaking the first couple of days with my clowns, they were swimming the same spot for hours then trying to swim down against the powerhead, got me freaked but it was just their way of adjusting to my tank's flow and currents and their new enviroment. The LFS had like zero current mine has like over 200gph. Anyways, if they devlop spots and especially start breathing heavy or dont eat for days then you got trouble. Maybe Brook or Ich, but for right now just watch and be patient. Nanocat is right, she knows what she's talking about as does most of the staff here.
Take care and good luck soon your clown will be nibling your finger for more food...:cool:

[dacoolguychris]

yeah dul my clownfish had brook when i first put him in.. and i did freshwater dips for 4 days straight... (drastic times call for drastic measures).. I saved the fish and it is alive and well 8 months later.

-Chris (dacoolguy)
I'm gonna trya nd see if they like live brine or cyclopeeze.. better than the krill.. and just feed my anemones the krill

[dulichion]

Awesome, glad your fish are doing great! Yeah, I think with clowns youneed drastic measures when they come sick from LFS or from Online. My advice is never buy from Live Aquria I have heard like 4 or 5 bad tales including my own. Take care man good luck.:rollface:

[seaker]

29galclownfish- how long did you quarintine your clownfish after the dip?

[nanocat]

Brian, make sure you read the WHOLE procedure if you're planning a freshwater dip. The temp AND the ph need to be the same as the tank he will be going back into.

[seaker]

whats IIRC? How do I match the ph?
I checked him at 8am before lights came on and I couldn't see him so I opened the drape a little and he was swimming around. Then I looked back and he was right back up in the same place at the top swimming in place. The lights are gonna come on in 15min then I'll try feeding him some more frozen krill with the garlic extreme. ya'll think I should just leave him in there instead of qt? Maybe he's alright. I don't wanna stress him.

[nanocat]

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly

Sounds like he might be fine and just taking some time to adjust. Just watch your tank chemistry and don't overfeed. You're already at 20 ammonia, and you don't want it to go higher.

A good water change should lower that.

You match the ph by buffering.
(cut and paste from a search)
1. Get your R/O water ready. 1/2 gallon will do.

2. Add baking soda gradually to bring the PH up to about 8.2 (or whatever your tank is). I find that 1/4 per gallon is just right. That would be 1/8 of a cup for 1/2 a gallon.

3. Warm up the freshwater to the temperature currently in the tank.

4. Throw in an air stone.

5. Drop the fish in and wait exactly 15 minutes, gently stirring the water to keep the fish moving somewhat.

6. If the first dip doesn't work, do the same procedure 24 hours later, but with 1 drop of formalin.


I'd double check the above with the procedures in the clownfish forum.

[seaker]

the nitrate is at 20. the test kit I have sux. It goes from 0 to 20 nothing in between, so I don't know if it's exactly 20.
The lights came on and he has been swimming around since then, 15 or so minutes. I'm gonna try feeding soon. everything else in the tank seems to be doing fine.

[OUinLA]

I woudln't worry about feeding him unless he looks really skinny

[seaker]

well, he's been swimming around the tank for a while now. I fed him 20 min ago and he is eating now. I don't know if my goby is eating but I haven't seen any of those little pods crawling around. the shrimp is eating the krill like there's no tomorrow. I don't know if I should qt the clown or leave him be.

[nanocat]

Leave him be IMO. Just kinda look in on him a few times a day, I think he'll be fine :D

I tol' ya, those gobies must sneak food..cause I never see mine eat agressively, yet he's healthy and not thin. Of course they hardly swim around much (mine just perches like a canary in a tree), so maybe they don't burn a lot of calories :D

[dacoolguychris]

yeah man i think you're just too parinoid.. better safe then sorry i guess.. but he'll be fine

-Chris

[seaker]

yup, he's been swimming around now. yup, I'm too paranoid. this is my first saltwater tank. first saltwater fish. thanks for all the help.