Worried about my clownfish

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by Kargai, Jan 24, 2016.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Kargai

    Kargai Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2015
    Messages:
    4
    My clownfish have been acting strangely for a couple of days now. The black and white one keeps laying on the sand on his side in the corner. When we feed they both chase after the food but inevitably they both head back to this corner. My wife tried to net him into a makeshift qt but he was too quick.
    Quick params
    Temp 78.2° PH 7.8 Ammonia 0
    Nitrite 0 Nitrate 5 Calc 540
    °DkH 10 Phosphates 0.25
    IMG_20160124_104700780.jpg IMG_20160124_112226587.jpg I am concerned it may be ich but haven't seen the telltale spots on them or the goby. All 3 fish are from Vivid Aquariums and were drip acclimated about a month ago.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Click Here!

  3. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    dont worry clown fish will be clowns. when they lack an anemone host they will often act bizzarly, they especially have a tendancy to "burrow" a nest in the sand bed.... I use to have my true percula (still have them today after 6 years) that would float on the surface at night at the mercy of the powerhead currents. needless to say the first few times I saw this i freaked out. but when the lights came on they would act normally again. some more pictures would help but i think you could get some more food in em they look a little thin
     
  4. Kargai

    Kargai Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2015
    Messages:
    4
    Thank you for your quick reply. We do have a BTA that the clowns have no interest in. They instead are hanging out in the corner near our Giant Feather Duster. The black one has been laying like this throughout the day and the orange one stays by his/her side... If it would help, how can we persuade them into the BTA?
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    by giving them time, thats the only true way. they will eventually pick up on the nem. my pair took them over 6 months before they finally picked up on the bta
     
    cody3819 likes this.
  6. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    re assure me you did go through the cycle before you added your live stock yeah?
     
  7. Kargai

    Kargai Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2015
    Messages:
    4
    Yes we cycled with daily ghost feeding the tank for about 7 weeks before adding the CUC then about 2 more weeks before adding the fish and BTA.
     
    Swisswiss likes this.
  8. Click Here!

  9. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2011
    Messages:
    2,879
    Location:
    Geneva Switzerland
    ok youre golden, dont worry about them being strange its perfectly normal. usually the first sign of an unhappy fish (other than physical marks) is that fact it wont eat anymore. so long as they are stuffing their face not all is lost
     
  10. cody3819

    cody3819 Bubble Tip Anemone

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2015
    Messages:
    668
    +1 on the eating, if they eat and no signs on the skin I would worry to much. But I would still keep an eye out for spots, white slaty spots..... But a sick fish normally will not eat.