Help my clown fish arent doing well

iAmARomeoSF · Dec 30, 2019

so first off i will let everyone know what kind of set up i have. Innovatve Marine Nuvo Fusion Pro 20gal and an external fluval g6 biological filtration system and a nano protein skimmer as for tank cycling i thought i could cheat and just buy several Nature's Ocean Nutri-SeaWater Natural Live Ocean Aquarium Saltwater, 4.4-gal jugs and i went out and got some live rock and place it in the tank to try and speed up the cycling process a bit... well i checked my ammonia and nitrate and nitrite levels and all were at 0 ppm for nearly 5 days so i assumed that all my prep work really did cut a huge chuck of time off the cycling process. So i went out and bought a peppermint shrimp and 2 clownfish to introduce into the tank... i did acclimate them before adding them and at first for a couple days they seemed relatively happy then they started acting stressed out by rapidly swimming back and forth up and down along the one wall of the aquaium and now they are very lathargic and gittery at times and the smaller of the two cant seem to keep his balance swimming almost on his side at times... i will post a video clip of them so you all can see what i mean... Now i know i jumped the gun and should have let the tank fully cycle through but i would be so sad if these two little guys have to suffer like this only to die after... is there anything i can do to the water to keep these guys alive or anything i can treat them with to help please let me know thanks...

Sailfin11 · Dec 30, 2019

Welcome to R2R! I would go back to the store that you brought them from and ask if they would take them back so your tank can cycle for a few weeks. Most LFS's will take fish back, but may only give store credit.

ccombs · Dec 30, 2019

Maybe they could hold the fish for you? What are your current water parameters?

It almost sounds like your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels were 0 because there wasn't anything to contaminate the water in the first place.

Mical · Dec 30, 2019

The above advice is spot on. You thought your levels were ok, adding fish just "upped" the levels. As mentioned bring fish back & have them hold them for you. (yes it's a hassle but you want them alive right?)