New Clownfish help

[rporter996]

New to reefing fish help

Hello,
I'm not sure if you can possibly help but I recently got a tank all setup. I got it cycled with the Tim's fishless method which took me around 20 days. I finally was able to get fish this past Saturday I got 2 snowflake clowns and they've been great until tonight. They've been a little picky with flake and pellets but are eating thawed frozen brine shrimp. I preformed my first water change today and about an hour after the water change I noticed the larger one is swimming mad all around the tank hitting the glass,sand and occasionally rock. Now the other clown is doing the same thing. I've attached two videos one from yesterday when they were doing great and one from tonight with the one swimming like a mad man. I did not do a QT tank as these are my first fish and I didn't see anything to risk but these two fish so I decided to take the chance. I did temp and drip acclimate them for an hour. I'm aware that I have ~.25 ammonia used the API kit and it's not quite yellow but not quite .25 kinda in between which from what I read is normal with your first new fish as the tank is still getting going.

Parameters before water change:
PH 8
Ammonia ~.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

Any help would be appreciated thanks so much

-Ryan

Behavior yesterday: https://youtube.com/shorts/1gE4ModGPNM?feature=share

New craziness:

 

[threebuoys]

New to reefing fish help

Hello,
I'm not sure if you can possibly help but I recently got a tank all setup. I got it cycled with the Tim's fishless method which took me around 20 days. I finally was able to get fish this past Saturday I got 2 snowflake clowns and they've been great until tonight. They've been a little picky with flake and pellets but are eating thawed frozen brine shrimp. I preformed my first water change today and about an hour after the water change I noticed the larger one is swimming mad all around the tank hitting the glass,sand and occasionally rock. Now the other clown is doing the same thing. I've attached two videos one from yesterday when they were doing great and one from tonight with the one swimming like a mad man. I did not do a QT tank as these are my first fish and I didn't see anything to risk but these two fish so I decided to take the chance. I did temp and drip acclimate them for an hour. I'm aware that I have ~.25 ammonia used the API kit and it's not quite yellow but not quite .25 kinda in between which from what I read is normal with your first new fish as the tank is still getting going.

Parameters before water change:
PH 8
Ammonia ~.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

Any help would be appreciated thanks so much

-Ryan

Behavior yesterday: https://youtube.com/shorts/1gE4ModGPNM?feature=share

New craziness:

Welcome to R2R! Sorry you are having some difficulties with your first tank.

So, if I understand, the two clowns behaved normally on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. You did a water change on Tuesday and the erratic behavior began.

How long after the water change did you notice the behavior change?

My immediate thought is that some water parameter changed when the water change occurred.

How do you mix water for your changes?
RO/DI?
How long do you allow the newly mixed water to stabilize before adding to the tank?
Water temperature before and after?

How do you measure your salinity and what was it before and after the water change?

You provided the before parameters, how about the after?


While I don't believe food played a role in the behavior change, I am concerned that the only food you see them consuming is frozen brine shrimp. While fish love the standard brine shrimp cubes, the food is mostly water with very little nutritional value. You need to get them eating other foods quickly.

Many have difficulty getting accurate test results for ammonia, particularly using the API kits, when they first get into the hobby Double check your process, and consider getting a different kit from a different mfg . Then compare the results from the two.

Others will offer some opinions as the morning progresses. Keep an eye on the fish for other behavioral changes and post updates.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

+1 on what @threebuoys said. What was your before and after readings for salinity(specific gravity)?

Jay

 

[Weeb]

eating thawed frozen brine shrimp

You definitely want to improve their diet. These fish are omnivores. Please read the Fish Nutrition post soon and follow the guidelines.

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

interesting you have not listed salinity or temperature - a lot of water movement and surface agitation so I would think oxygen level is okay but this looks like a fish that had a large swing in either salinity or temperature. for salinity I use the hanna salinity checker - very reliable, and temperature I use an inkbird. The 2 most overlooked parameters are often the 2 parameters that are the issue.

i am not recommending to purchase either of these right now, but it is very important to know these 2 levels and to keep them as close to your normal temp/salinity as possible at all times

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

i just watched the first video - fish seem to be looking for something to hide in/ be hosted by. it is much too early for an anemone, but maybe a ceramic flower pot would give them something to host and feel more comfortable in

also the glass is very clean - well done, but that could mean the clowns see their reflection and are mad at it. when I introduce new fish I'll put a mirror up and the fish swim very similar to how the 'mad' clown is swimming

 

[Jay Hemdal]

You definitely want to improve their diet. These fish are omnivores. Please read the Fish Nutrition post soon and follow the guidelines.

Just to point out, the quality of the diet here is not causing these acute symptoms. We need to find out what that's all about and then work on improving their diet.

Jay

 

[rporter996]

Welcome to R2R! Sorry you are having some difficulties with your first tank.

So, if I understand, the two clowns behaved normally on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. You did a water change on Tuesday and the erratic behavior began.

How long after the water change did you notice the behavior change?

My immediate thought is that some water parameter changed when the water change occurred.

How do you mix water for your changes?
RO/DI?
How long do you allow the newly mixed water to stabilize before adding to the tank?
Water temperature before and after?

How do you measure your salinity and what was it before and after the water change?

You provided the before parameters, how about the after?


While I don't believe food played a role in the behavior change, I am concerned that the only food you see them consuming is frozen brine shrimp. While fish love the standard brine shrimp cubes, the food is mostly water with very little nutritional value. You need to get them eating other foods quickly.

Many have difficulty getting accurate test results for ammonia, particularly using the API kits, when they first get into the hobby Double check your process, and consider getting a different kit from a different mfg . Then compare the results from the two.

Others will offer some opinions as the morning progresses. Keep an eye on the fish for other behavioral changes and post updates.

Yes I use rodi water from my 5 stage filter. The water sat in the bucket for probably around 5 days. It was covered and heated to 78°. I measure salinity with a refractometer both the bucket and tank are at 1.026. Reason for not getting parameters after the water change I just didn't have time once I get home from work today I'll definitely be seeing how they're doing. Is there any test kit you recommend that's maybe a bit more accurate for ammonia then?

 

[rporter996]

interesting you have not listed salinity or temperature - a lot of water movement and surface agitation so I would think oxygen level is okay but this looks like a fish that had a large swing in either salinity or temperature. for salinity I use the hanna salinity checker - very reliable, and temperature I use an inkbird. The 2 most overlooked parameters are often the 2 parameters that are the issue.

i am not recommending to purchase either of these right now, but it is very important to know these 2 levels and to keep them as close to your normal temp/salinity as possible at all times

Bucket was heated to 78° and both the tank and bucket were measured with a refractometer 1.026. I was careful to get everything the same before the water change

 

[rporter996]

i just watched the first video - fish seem to be looking for something to hide in/ be hosted by. it is much too early for an anemone, but maybe a ceramic flower pot would give them something to host and feel more comfortable in

also the glass is very clean - well done, but that could mean the clowns see their reflection and are mad at it. when I introduce new fish I'll put a mirror up and the fish swim very similar to how the 'mad' clown is swimming

Hmm very interesting I'll have a look into and thanks on the glass compliment lol. I was just concerned that he was bumping into things. I seems so far no one thinks it may be flukes or and parasite or bacterial infection. That's a bit relieving.

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Bucket was heated to 78° and both the tank and bucket were measured with a refractometer 1.026. I was careful to get everything the same before the water change

With this information I don’t have any other ideas other than possibly the fish being angry at its reflection. Clean glass is a blessing and a curse haha. How is fish doing currently ? Is it eating? If it’s not eating then we need to call in some actual fish medics

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Flukes you should see the fish trying to scratch itself on rocks or sand, bacterial infection you could see visually, parasites are possible but idk if parasites cause a fish to swim like that, I think parasites would cause the fish to act lethargic vs. excited

 

[rporter996]

With this information I don’t have any other ideas other than possibly the fish being angry at its reflection. Clean glass is a blessing and a curse haha. How is fish doing currently ? Is it eating? If it’s not eating then we need to call in some actual fish medics

I haven't fed them yet today I don't usually feed until late afternoon when I get home from work. I checked them quickly before I left for the day and they seemed a bit better although the room had been dark all night and morning.

 

[rporter996]

Flukes you should see the fish trying to scratch itself on rocks or sand, bacterial infection you could see visually, parasites are possible but idk if parasites cause a fish to swim like that, I think parasites would cause the fish to act lethargic vs. excited

I mean they were running into the glass and sand and occasionally rock but didn't look like they were trying to scratch anything off there bodies. And yeah from what I was reading it doesn't sound like a parasite as I would expect them to be lethargic this seems to be the opposite

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Also the fish could be a lil stressed cause of no nem/coral to host. Try the ceramic pot trick when u get home, they might instantly take to it and feel safer and less crazy

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Also refractometers can be tricky to use properly. Have you had any 35 PPT solution to calibrate it with? I always share my reefing struggles, was using a non-calibrated refractometer for 6 months and had 2 anemones die, no idea why. Turns out my salinity was 1.021 instead of what I thought at 1.026, a quality salinity checker is so easy to use and comes with calibration liquid. After the salinity was corrected, my third anemone has grown to close to 12” in diameter and will eat entire large shrimp pieces 2x a week. Changed the whole game

 

[rporter996]

Also refractometers can be tricky to use properly. Have you had any 35 PPT solution to calibrate it with? I always share my reefing struggles, was using a non-calibrated refractometer for 6 months and had 2 anemones die, no idea why. Turns out my salinity was 1.021 instead of what I thought at 1.026, a quality salinity checker is so easy to use and comes with calibration liquid. After the salinity was corrected, my third anemone has grown to close to 12” in diameter and will eat entire large shrimp pieces 2x a week. Changed the whole game

Yes I did calibrate it and it came with fluid I did double check it last night and it's still calibrated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

New to reefing fish help

Hello,
I'm not sure if you can possibly help but I recently got a tank all setup. I got it cycled with the Tim's fishless method which took me around 20 days. I finally was able to get fish this past Saturday I got 2 snowflake clowns and they've been great until tonight. They've been a little picky with flake and pellets but are eating thawed frozen brine shrimp. I preformed my first water change today and about an hour after the water change I noticed the larger one is swimming mad all around the tank hitting the glass,sand and occasionally rock. Now the other clown is doing the same thing. I've attached two videos one from yesterday when they were doing great and one from tonight with the one swimming like a mad man. I did not do a QT tank as these are my first fish and I didn't see anything to risk but these two fish so I decided to take the chance. I did temp and drip acclimate them for an hour. I'm aware that I have ~.25 ammonia used the API kit and it's not quite yellow but not quite .25 kinda in between which from what I read is normal with your first new fish as the tank is still getting going.

Parameters before water change:
PH 8
Ammonia ~.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

Any help would be appreciated thanks so much

-Ryan

Behavior yesterday: https://youtube.com/shorts/1gE4ModGPNM?feature=share

New craziness:

It sounds like they are playing with and even getting annoyed with their reflection off glass. Can water quality play a role- Possibly and test kits to use for better accuracy are Hanna and salifert.
Diet is not a cause for this and if you give them a stick of dynamite, they'll try to eat it !!
Add foods however such as LRS reef frenzy or nano frenzy to give them a more complete diet with vitamins and aminos.
Im not a fan of drip acclimation and acclimation is an important part of introduction. Matching salinity and ph is the most important part of acclimation.
Continue to work with Jay and three buoys on this.
Also Clowns do NOT need an anemone to exist or relax. I have 5 breeder pairs and 6 anemones and they wont go near the bubble tips and are happier than a lark

 

[rporter996]

interesting you have not listed salinity or temperature - a lot of water movement and surface agitation so I would think oxygen level is okay but this looks like a fish that had a large swing in either salinity or temperature. for salinity I use the hanna salinity checker - very reliable, and temperature I use an inkbird. The 2 most overlooked parameters are often the 2 parameters that are the issue.

i am not recommending to purchase either of these right now, but it is very important to know these 2 levels and to keep them as close to your normal temp/salinity as possible at all times

These were just taken this morning 5 minutes ago. Salinity was also just checked and is at 1.026. Temp in the tank is 78°. Here is a video of them this morning seem to be acting a bit more normal. I'm not too sure what happened my best guess is the water change stressed them out somehow.

Video as of ~5 minutes ago

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Here i am thinking im helping