Help needed.
- Thread starter chrisely24
- Start date
chrisely24
Member
Not sure what is going on with my tank but I am going crazy trying to figure it out.
I posted a while back about ich on a Tang and losing 2 clownfish with what looked like Brook.
I left the tank empty except for inverts for 5 weeks, then I put my LM back in the tank from the qt. everything was doing great for a few weeks all parameters were good.
I bought 2 small ORA clowns and they wouldn't eat so after a week or so I took them back to the LFS. A week later I bought 2 more clowns from another LFS last Saturday the 7th and the first one got really pale almost immediately and died 2 days later. Last night the other clown was resting on the bottom of the tank and this morning at 4am he was struggling. By 6am when my wife woke up he was gone and somebody nibbled on him before she could get him out.
These last 2 clowns were not eating either (Mysis, flake, pellet, cyclo) nothing. I never saw a film or anything on them at all. I decided not to qt the fish because I had no other fish besides LM in the tank.
I can post current parameters if needed but I checked them and 2 LFS checked them and they were fine. temp is at 78.
Maybe I just wasn't meant to have clowns in this tank lol.
I posted a while back about ich on a Tang and losing 2 clownfish with what looked like Brook.
I left the tank empty except for inverts for 5 weeks, then I put my LM back in the tank from the qt. everything was doing great for a few weeks all parameters were good.
I bought 2 small ORA clowns and they wouldn't eat so after a week or so I took them back to the LFS. A week later I bought 2 more clowns from another LFS last Saturday the 7th and the first one got really pale almost immediately and died 2 days later. Last night the other clown was resting on the bottom of the tank and this morning at 4am he was struggling. By 6am when my wife woke up he was gone and somebody nibbled on him before she could get him out.
These last 2 clowns were not eating either (Mysis, flake, pellet, cyclo) nothing. I never saw a film or anything on them at all. I decided not to qt the fish because I had no other fish besides LM in the tank.
I can post current parameters if needed but I checked them and 2 LFS checked them and they were fine. temp is at 78.
Maybe I just wasn't meant to have clowns in this tank lol.
Did you QT the new fish? Also, unless the clowns were actually a mated pair, their would likely be trouble between them. If you want more than one clown in your system, you should look for an actual mated pair, or very juvenile clowns. What is your acclimation procedure?
chrisely24
Member
I did drip acc for about an hour and 30. I dripped in the bags they came home in sitting in a bucket. I let the water overflow out of the bags into the bucket.
I did not qt the fish as they were the only ones in the tank. These 2 clowns were not advertised as a mated pair but the first ones that died were.
I may just end up with 4 or 5 PJ's and leave it at that.
It's not just the money I am wasting, I feel bad for the fish too.
I did not qt the fish as they were the only ones in the tank. These 2 clowns were not advertised as a mated pair but the first ones that died were.
I may just end up with 4 or 5 PJ's and leave it at that.
It's not just the money I am wasting, I feel bad for the fish too.
chrisely24
Member
Salinity 1.020 on refract.
PH at 8.2
Temp 78
Fish seem fine when first put in tank, the 2 I took back to the LFS were fine for over a week but wouldn't eat. LFS owner said the whole batch she got from ORA weren't eating either though.
PH at 8.2
Temp 78
Fish seem fine when first put in tank, the 2 I took back to the LFS were fine for over a week but wouldn't eat. LFS owner said the whole batch she got from ORA weren't eating either though.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Your salinity seems a little low. Did you check the salinity of the water in the bags before acclimating? If not, ask the LFS what the salinity of their water is. You should try to match it, or at least get close, before adding any more fish. Steep changes in salinity and/or pH can wreak havoc on new fish.
jay0705
Well-Known Member
This is weird. Captive clowns can be picky eaters at first. They only know what they were fed as food. Mine would only eat hikari s pellets and brine. Lasted about 3 months, then mysis, prawn roe, flake , ect where all accepted. Now they eat it all but do have a fondness for nls pellets.
chrisely24
Member
Thanks, never thought to check bag water but I will from now on. There has got to be something going on, most likely attributed to my lack of knowledge.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
I run my salinity between 1.024 - 1.025 SG. I also do a long, slow-drip acclimation, which is typically 90 minutes for fish, and up to 3 hours for sensitive invertebrates. This allows for the animals to adjust to any changes in salinity, pH, temperature, etc. with as little stress as possible.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
+1. If they come from the same tank, or even the same brood, there will likely be friction between the two. As the dominant one tries to turn into a female, it will badger the other to keep it in submission. This often results in the death of the passive fish. I had to separate my sibling pair, so it's a good thing I have two tanks!
chrisely24
Member
Jay, if you can find my post from a while back you can see the trouble I had before going fish fallow for 5 weeks. Right now there's only inverts and a lawnmower
chrisely24
Member
I'm not giving up on the clowns, I just have yet to have any fish other than the lmb. Make it in my tank. Gonna get some less expensive pjs if they do ok ill try a mated clown pair in a few months.
1guydude
Well-Known Member
Wat size tank? R u running skimmer.
Salinity is fine for fish imo.
Sounds like the batch of ORA fish had just arrived at the lfs and that's prob why they wernt eating. Than u took em home and put Em in another set of parameters.
Usually when ppl get a new fish and take it home. One of the first things we wanna do is see it eat. So we feed.
It's a new fish. Takes time. Lights out helps at 1st.
Feed the tank and walk away. Give em some privacy lol.
My acclimation includes floating for temp...that's it besides dip for coral.
D
Salinity is fine for fish imo.
Sounds like the batch of ORA fish had just arrived at the lfs and that's prob why they wernt eating. Than u took em home and put Em in another set of parameters.
Usually when ppl get a new fish and take it home. One of the first things we wanna do is see it eat. So we feed.
It's a new fish. Takes time. Lights out helps at 1st.
Feed the tank and walk away. Give em some privacy lol.
My acclimation includes floating for temp...that's it besides dip for coral.
D
chrisely24
Member
It is a 60g with a sump and in sump skimmer
2014FishKiller
Member
Does any one in here feed before put the fish in the tank?
jay0705
Well-Known Member
I feed draggonets in the bag. Those are the only fish I do it w.
clowns generally are fairly hardy tho. The fact there is inverts and a lawnmower living is puzzling.
Tank inhabitants can get use to certain things that new arrivals can't handle. Yet your water tests ok.
mated clowns aren't necessarily needed if you buy them young. I always buy my clowns in pairs but there not mated, too young. If a clown is under say 1.5" they shouldn't be sexually mature. That said I have seen some nasty little guys too. Only exception is my maroon I bought her single.
Now for you, in a 60 tank a pair should be fine. You could maybe try a diff type of clown, or atleast make sure there eating at the store
clowns generally are fairly hardy tho. The fact there is inverts and a lawnmower living is puzzling.
Tank inhabitants can get use to certain things that new arrivals can't handle. Yet your water tests ok.
mated clowns aren't necessarily needed if you buy them young. I always buy my clowns in pairs but there not mated, too young. If a clown is under say 1.5" they shouldn't be sexually mature. That said I have seen some nasty little guys too. Only exception is my maroon I bought her single.
Now for you, in a 60 tank a pair should be fine. You could maybe try a diff type of clown, or atleast make sure there eating at the store
chrisely24
Member
I just purchased something called a Poly-Bag. it is supposed to change color according to whatever contaminates may be in your tank that are not usually tested for
Has anyone tried them before? it was only 12 dollars so I figure it cant hurt.
Has anyone tried them before? it was only 12 dollars so I figure it cant hurt.