Just added two Maroon Gold Striped Clownfish to my tank!

Stblindtiger · Feb 17, 2023

I just added 2 Maroon Gold Stripe Clownfish yesterday and I haven't seen them eat anything yet. It's been two days. I've tried feeding them 1 block of Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp and then a few hours later a pinch of Freeze Dried Brine shrimp each day for two days but I haven't seen them eat anything? It's possible the food has sat in the tank and they ate it after it floated down, but I haven't seen them eat? The tank has been through two stockings of copepods so maybe they are eating them?

As far as how they are getting along.... The one clownfish is noticeably bigger than the other one. The bigger one was definitely asserting itself yesterday with the little one ending up hiding in the upper corner of the tank for a few stretches. They ended up finding their own cave on each end of the tank last night. Then when I woke up this morning, they were all buddy buddy with each other swimming next to each other and hanging out peaceably. The lights came on brighter during the afternoon and they went back to hanging out in their own caves for the rest of the day. The blue lights came on around 7 tonight and then they came back out to mingle with each other. The smaller one looks like it the more aggressive one now, but they are getting along overall much better than yesterday. I'm pretty sure the smaller one had one of his back dorsal fins damaged last night, and now he's had enough. Do you think the competition between the two is over now? Is this why I haven't seen them eat? Is this normal?

KrisReef · Feb 17, 2023

Too early to tell but it sounds good so far. Do you have Fresh frozen mysis available ? Freeze dried taste like cardboard, yuck!

Can you get live clams or mussels and chop them up, feed the fish and freeze the rest in a plastic bag pressed flat for easy use later?

dedragon · Feb 17, 2023

try piscine energetics (PE) frozen mysis or a mixed seafood blend like larrys reef services (LRS) reef frenzy.

xiongsy · Feb 18, 2023

I've always heard garlic would do the trick. I feed my pair wild caught salmon and they can't get enough.

jtf74 · Feb 18, 2023

My maroon female that I had for 5 years stopped eating for 12 days when I put her in with a smaller male. Maybe yours are just getting settled.

Stblindtiger · Feb 22, 2023

The clownfish finally started to eat some of the mysis and brine shrimp, and I added into the rotation some pellets from Pricine Energetics. I have some fresh frozen food from bulkreefsupply set to be delivered on Friday. I'll try the garlic mixed in with some of that when it arrives to add into the rotation as well. Happy to see them start to eat the freeze dried food though!

These clownfish are definitely fun to watch! The little one has been showing a lot of hosting behavior around random spots in my tank. Can't wait to add an Anemone in to the tank! I've been trying to dig into where my water parameters are, and gathered these results:

Ideal Rates

PO4..........Kh............Ca..................Mg.........NO3.........PH...........Salinity...........Tds

.01-.03.....8-12.....380 - 450.....1200-1400...1-20......8.1-8.3.....1.023-1.026......0

My Measured rates:

PO4............Kh........Ca.......Mg.....NO3..........Ph........Salinity....Tds from RO filter.....Tds tap water

.12...............7.8......300.....1400....16...........8.12.......1.023................2...........................220

I put an order in to DrReefsQuarantined fish for an Anemone, shrimp, Lawnmower Blenny, and Yellow Watchman Goby, so they probably won't be delivered for at least 4-6 weeks from now. Time enough for me to build some guards for my wavemakers, but should I do anything about these results? Some are within/close to ideal, but others are still a bit high??? Any advice on lowering my Phosphate levels?

Thanks for all the help everyone!