clownfish swimming erratically

flashback · Mar 5, 2020

Hi I bought a clown fish online and its swimming erratically up and down I think I did a stupid thing by not acclimate my fish is there any thing I can do please help me I think it's going to die

Peace River · Mar 5, 2020

#WelcometoR2R!!! I have seen clownfish swim like that when first introduced to a tank so that by itself is not a guaranteed problem. How long has the tank been setup up? Are there other fish in the tank? What else can you tell us about the tank and the water parameters?

flashback · Mar 5, 2020

Peace River said:
#WelcometoR2R!!! I have seen clownfish swim like that when first introduced to a tank so that by itself is not a guaranteed problem. How long has the tank been setup up? Are there other fish in the tank? What else can you tell us about the tank and the water parameters?

it's a new tank I just finished cycling my tank ph 7.8 salinity is 1,023 and I just realise that nitrite is.05ppm it was 0 when I added the fish

Peace River said:
#WelcometoR2R!!! I have seen clownfish swim like that when first introduced to a tank so that by itself is not a guaranteed problem. How long has the tank been setup up? Are there other fish in the tank? What else can you tell us about the tank and the water parameters?

it's a new tank I just finished cycling my tank ph 7.8 salinity is 1,023 and I just realise that nitrite is.05ppm it was 0 when I added the fish and thanks

Peace River · Mar 5, 2020

I'm not sure how you went about the acclimation process or what was the salinity of the water that the fish were shipped in. I have received clowns that were sent in water that ranged anywhere from 1.019 to 1.026. It sound like the tank may still be finishing the cycling process and the fish may or may not have been introduced at a matching salinity. Although it may not be an optimal situation your best bet at this point is to let things settle out and there is a reasonable chance that the fish will survive. Sometimes chasing numbers at this point can complicate matters even more. Good luck!

#reefsquad