New percula clownfish...

[jenny_rs]

hello everyone, just finished my cycle almost a week ago, i double checked to make sure everything was zero and then i was off to pick up my percula. i only got one because i don't want to add too much at one time and screw up my bioload. anywho, my percula is breathing hard, and swimming in generally only one spot. didn't seem to eager to eat this evening either. i did the drip acclimation over a 2 hour period, so just wondering if this is normal behavior for newly added clowns? he is so cute and i don't want to lose this little guy. any suggestions?

 

[mcsd22]

Sounds like he is just getting use to his new home. Kinda need to no your water parameters to say for sure.

 

[jenny_rs]

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
SG: 1.020
When I did my water change i don't think i added enough salt, but the lfs where i got the perc from keeps their salinity at 1.016, so i figured if i increase my salinity too fast that wouldn't be a good thing for my percula.

 

[alyssia]

Your sg is too low. You need to slowly bring it up. If you have a reef it should be 1.025-1.026. Alot of lfs's keep their sg low to try and stave off ich, but it's harmful to the fish if done long term.

 

[stokessc]

I concur with Alyssia,
Try to slowly raise your salinity up higher. How's the water temp? The change can stress them out for a day or so but he should be doing fine soon. Keep a good watch on him and let us know how he's doing today.
Steve

 

[jenny_rs]

Okay so today he is doing better, started swimming in some other areas of the tank, even started swimming in my fake anemone

i will start to bring up the salinity slowly today. he still stays at the bottom, on occasion he swims to the middle of the tank and then will go back down. i'm sure he'll adjust soon enough. My temp is steady at 75 F.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Jenny_RS
Okay so today he is doing better, started swimming in some other areas of the tank, even started swimming in my fake anemone

i will start to bring up the salinity slowly today. he still stays at the bottom, on occasion he swims to the middle of the tank and then will go back down. i'm sure he'll adjust soon enough. My temp is steady at 75 F.

Your temp is fine. Don't try to bring the salinity up all in one day! Do it VERY slowly. A good way to do it is to add salted topoff water instead of just RO water.

 

[jenny_rs]

Yea i was thinking it would be better to do it that way, so i didn't change anything today because my tank does not need to be topped off yet. i tried feeding him today, and he started to swim toward the food but didn't eat it. i guess in good time.

 

[imurnamine]

Have you tried Garlic Extreme?

 

[jenny_rs]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
Have you tried Garlic Extreme?
No, i haven't been to the lfs yet to pick any diff food up. i was thinking about trying that, i heard it's supposed to be good for their immune system.

 

[jenny_rs]

He ate! and then spat it out...grr...