Urgent Need Help!

So at Petco I bought Instant Ocean Bio-Spira to help reduce the nitrite. I also bought a cheap flake food for the clown. I put barely any in and it floated around. He seemed like he wanted it, but only went after the very very small pieces. He would eat them, then try to spit it out. I took out all of the floating food so my nitrates wouldnt go up. You guys have any idea of how soon he will start to eat? He still acts weird going up and down the glass, but his color is still very good!

 

Honestly, I'd just get used to that, both my clowns swim just like that, always have, and prob always will, sounds perfectly normal to me. Just watch his belly, as long as it stays out and doesnt recede in, he's eating enough. Fish need ALOT less food than we think they do. I'd prob just start enjoying your fish, as Jason said, they are rather dumb acting

 

I just hope he will eventually eat. He hasn't yet and idk if he ever will.

 

Most fish act kinda strange when you first put them in the tank especially when they are the first and only fish in the tank. As you put more fish in the tank the new additions will acclimate a little better in my experience. Never worry to much for about the first week or so. I have a few fish not eat for a few days just because their stressed out. They might have been moved about 5 times or so before you got them. They will eat when there ready.

 

He will,leave him be for a coulple of days,let him settle in and become more comfortable with his surroundings.Leaving lights off may help some.

 

Don't sweat the eating behavior. Some fish can last even a couple of weeks without food if necessary. Someone on here suggested you contact the pet store and find out what they were feeding him. Did you do that? If you can put the food he WAS eating into your tank along with the food you want him to eat, that will help him to start eating what you want him to eat. An easier idea may just be to feed him what he already knows is food. ...still, it's like the other guys said, he's not going to starve himself.

 

+1 to all the above. I think you'll find that most people here are not fond of flake food. The nutrition in most is kinda marginal and it has a tendancy to foul up the tank. It s hard to remove the excess if it does not get eaten. Brine any mysis shrimp are some of my clowns favorites. There are a lot of quality foods out there and plenty of bad ones too... a little research and you will have a very happy clown!