Clownfish not eating and swimming funny!

aaron1983

Member
I have a pair of clownfish I just bought from saltwaterfish.com on tuesday. Anyways the one is doing fine but the other one swims with his head up ALL THE TIME! I know this isnt normal ive had alot of fish and this just isnt right. He wont eat either. 100 gallon tank nitrate 20 nitrite 0 ammonia 0 ph 8.3 salinity about 1.024-1.025 other fish in tank are the other clown, royal gramma, pygmy angel, yellow wrasse, and a yellow tang. Im pretty sure whatever is wrong has nothing to do with the other fish in the tank but everyone always asks to know so I thought id tell.
 

loopy

Member
We had one swim like that...it died a couple days later. I am no expert though...not at all, the opposite actually. But that is just what I saw, and then.....croak. Good luck.
 

aaron1983

Member
It died! Ive had this happen alot to percula clowns. Im starting to think clowns are very much harder to keep than most other fish.
 

motohead

Member
well i had problems with clowns for ahile.lost about three.almost gave up on em.but it is my belief that it was a bad batch of clowns being sent out at the time.the two i have now i have had for a year.both pigs,both doing great....
 

aaron1983

Member
Ill tell you one thing! Everyone says clowns are so easy to care for I dont know where that comes from. Ive had bad luck with them with everyone I ever bought. I have better luck with tangs, royal gramma's, gobies. All i know is clowns arnt as hardy as they are made out to be.
 

mary

Member
I, who have trouble in other departments when it comes to the our reef tank,, have had very good luck with Clarkii. They are about 5-6 years old and recently spawned hundreds of fry. They are a hardier than other clowns, at least mine have proven what I have read about them, to be true. They are the least aggressive of many of the Clowns, but upon preparing for the ritual of egg laying, had a very difficult time keeping rocks and corals in place. I mean large rocks. They did get very protective of theor space.
The male who has never shown any aggression before, is now much more demonstrative than the female who has always been very protective of their massive "colt like coral". Have never been able to identify exactly this particular coral. . But, you might try a Clarkii or two, unless you would prefer other colors. These are Blackfoot Clarkii. The male changed over time to a yellow foot, and kind of darkens up now and then. They were wild caught, which now when choosing fish I would never purchase wild caught in that the methids for catching are often deliterious to the reef and fish.
Their relationship to their chosen coral is endearing and entertaining. It took them at least two years to settle on a leather. :happyfish
 
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