New Lightning pair with problems

VaZoaFan

New Member
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I got a couple of lightning maroons a few weeks ago and they looked stressed badly in the bag, fins torn , sitting on bottom etc. I put them in a 10 gallon frag tank I have so the fish in display wouldn't bother them . I planned to separate them not knowing if they would fight ( still assume they are juvies) but now I had no choice but to put together in 10 gallon.
they both seem to be weighted ( like a magnet) to the bottom. If I feed they swim like mad to the top to get food but then after a minute or so hover back to bottom and "plop" back to the bottom. If they don't swim for a bit they lay/fall onto their sides and I've often mistaken them for dead.... Before they flutter up slightly when they see me.
I've done 2-3 five gallon water changes over the past week . Water salinity is 1.023.
Sorry to be so long winded and glass is dirty but don't wanna stress any more than have to. Any ideas of what may help?
 

nycbob

Active Member
as long as water parameters are good, they should be fine. they will fight to assert dominance. the dominant one will become female. advice is to buy one clownfish that is smaller than the other if u want to pair them.
 

VaZoaFan

New Member
Ty for the reply, i do have a small and a large lightning and the bigger one does seem to show dominance.
The problem seems to be the lack of wanting to swim or plain lazy. When I feed they eat like pigs . Someone suggested more surface aeration so I have crossed my power head streams to meet at the surface as of last night and will see how that goes. I just think someone else must have a similar behavior with their clowns. Someone at ORA suggested it may be a "phase" and they may grow out of it.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Clowns are not big swimmers. Not unusual for them to find a spot and stay near it. My maroon tended to camp out on the sand until dinner time.
 
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