Clownfish won't eat

[wrassecal]

I put two perula's in my 20 gal a couple weeks ago. They are very small and the only fish in there with caulerpa cc and about 8 lbs lr. One of them will not eat and is getting very skinny. I've tried flake and forzen brine soaked in garlic. The one that won't eat is getting lethargic now. Two weeks seems long enough to entice the fish to eat and it's not the other one bothering it or anything like that. I can use a turkey baster and put food right in front of it while the other one is off eating somewhere else and it still won't eat. No other signs of sickness.

 

[ed r]

If it has not been eating other things found in the tank, I doubt it will recover after two weeks of not eating. Not eating for the first few days is no big deal, but two weeks?? I would try tempting it with small amounts of other foods. Do you know what it was fed before going into your tank? If you have tried the food it was used to, that is about all you can do. I feel that most fish that get very shrunken stomachs and a wasted appearance do not live very long, even if they begin to eat again. Perhaps someone else will have better news for you.

 

[keiko]

I would call the store you bought them from and ask what they were feeding him. You could also try squid, since lots of fish find that aromatic.
Wish you (and the perc) the best!

 

[wrassecal]

They were just feeding flake food. I'll try the squid if I can get it small enough. I have some. It doesn't look good though. I hate to jinx it or anything but I wanted a pair. If this one doesn't make it will I be able to add another one?

 

[frankl15207]

You already know that it depends on the individual fish, but since they are young, it shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes it happens. The 30 day rule.

 

[wrassecal]

Dang! that poor little fish is just miserable. Still hangin in there though. I'm afraid it is suffering and I don't know what to do. I can't tempt it to eat anything including the squid.

 

[blueberryboomer]

Have you tried the brine without the garlic? Sometimes the fish turn away from it and won't eat. Mine do on occ. when I feed it
to treat ick. Yes you can get another Clown, if (I hope not)this one does not recover, but I would give it a little while, about a month before getting a second one. That will give the remaining one a chance to get comfy in it new home, she may pick on the new one for a little while, but they should settle in nicely togther.
Oh, and if you don't already know, you don't need to worry about sexing them for breeding, the one that is bigger will be the female and the smaller one will change into a male.
Hope this helps, Lisa