New Clownfish help

[rporter996]

Here i am thinking im helping

No problem any advice is good advice!!

 

[threebuoys]

Unless I misunderstood, the behavior changed from good to wild very shortly after the water change. Hence, the thought that something in the water change was responsible.

You had plenty of places for the fish to hide in the live rock in your tank. And, as we've indicated, the type of food would not lead to this type of behavior.

In the last video, they seem to calmed a little, but are still bouncing around. By now, the fish have acclimated to any differences in the water. So, unless you detect something drastically off in the water parameters, or perhaps a trace of an unknown chemical that was accidentally introduced during the water change (soap, bleach, vinegar, etc), I would just observe closely over the next day and not make any changes. You are not yet at a crisis point where doing anything would be better than doing nothing.

 

[rporter996]

Unless I misunderstood, the behavior changed from good to wild very shortly after the water change. Hence, the thought that something in the water change was responsible.

You had plenty of places for the fish to hide in the live rock in your tank. And, as we've indicated, the type of food would not lead to this type of behavior.

In the last video, they seem to calmed a little, but are still bouncing around. By now, the fish have acclimated to any differences in the water. So, unless you detect something drastically off in the water parameters, or perhaps a trace of an unknown chemical that was accidentally introduced during the water change (soap, bleach, vinegar, etc), I would just observe closely over the next day and not make any changes. You are not yet at a crisis point where doing anything would be better than doing nothing.

Alright thank you I'll keep and eye out and keep you guys updated! I really appreciate all the help. As for the diet how do you recommend me getting them to eat pellets or flakes or maybe something else you recommend? I wont be switching the diet now but for the possible future

 

[threebuoys]

Alright thank you I'll keep and eye out and keep you guys updated! I really appreciate all the help. As for the diet how do you recommend me getting them to eat pellets or flakes or maybe something else you recommend? I wont be switching the diet now but for the possible future

Some of the frozen foods that come in blocks have higher percentages of protein and fat and less water than the cubes. I also like small sinking New Life Spectrum pellets. When introducing new fish to them, I will soak them in a shot glass with a little tank water and a cube of frozen brine or mysis or something similar. Once thawed, the fish eat the pellets at the same time they eat the brine shrimp and seem to quickly develop a taste for them.

 

[rporter996]

Some of the frozen foods that come in blocks have higher percentages of protein and fat and less water than the cubes. I also like small sinking New Life Spectrum pellets. When introducing new fish to them, I will soak them in a shot glass with a little tank water and a cube of frozen brine or mysis or something similar. Once thawed, the fish eat the pellets at the same time they eat the brine shrimp and seem to quickly develop a taste for them.

Ahh that genius! Thank you ill have to try that once they hopefully get "better"

 

[rporter996]

Just got home from work I've been watching them for a good 15 minutes. The larger one is nipping at the smaller one a little as well as the glass. From what I understand maybe they're trying to assert dominance and become the female or something?? The smaller fish isn't missing any fins. Is it possible that the behavior last night was because the larger one thought it was another clown in the reflection and was acting erratic?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

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

What PH level is that on the chart? Also API tests are the worst.

 

[rporter996]

What PH level is that on the chart? Also API tests are the worst.

Looks like it's an 8

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

API test kits (minus phosphate, is worthless) aren’t worthless, better than the all-in-one test strips, but are cheap and easy to use, I know people who are able to keep successful reef tanks using them. Not SPS dominant, though. Really need to dial in and test for exact numbers in that situation. You won’t start with SPS coral so u have some time to build up your testing kit inventory. Main problem with API is you’ll be testing a range for nitrate ( the steps are large increments, won’t be able to differentiate 20 from 25 )

not everyone can afford apex or Hanna for all parameters, but the main ones are absolutely worth the investment. Remember this is not a hobby you want to try to cut costs with. “Buy once cry once” I’m keeping an eye out on marketplace to try and grab some used Hanna testers.

 

[rporter996]

API test kits (minus phosphate, is worthless) aren’t worthless, better than the all-in-one test strips, but are cheap and easy to use, I know people who are able to keep successful reef tanks using them. Not SPS dominant, though. Really need to dial in and test for exact numbers in that situation. You won’t start with SPS coral so u have some time to build up your testing kit inventory. Main problem with API is you’ll be testing a range for nitrate ( the steps are large increments, won’t be able to differentiate 20 from 25 )

not everyone can afford apex or Hanna for all parameters, but the main ones are absolutely worth the investment. Remember this is not a hobby you want to try to cut costs with. “Buy once cry once” I’m keeping an eye out on marketplace to try and grab some used Hanna testers.

Understandable if I may ask which testers should I get from Hanna then Ill pick them up when I get my tax return lol. Also the fish are looking much better this morning. I tried giving them some pellets this morning mixed with the thawed brine as @threebuoys recommended. The bigger clown had a few no problem but the smaller one it seems they're too hard for him to eat. They're 1mm pellets and I did soak them for about 5 minutes before as well.

 

[Sir Kon Salty Sox]

Understandable if I may ask which testers should I get from Hanna then Ill pick them up when I get my tax return lol. Also the fish are looking much better this morning. I tried giving them some pellets this morning mixed with the thawed brine as @threebuoys recommended. The bigger clown had a few no problem but the smaller one it seems they're too hard for him to eat. They're 1mm pellets and I did soak them for about 5 minutes before as well.

That is good news keep soaking and feeding the small one will see the big one eating and follow suit. Have u tried frozen mysis, brine shrimp? My clowns love that.

Phosphate ultra low range, nitrate, salinity and kh would be the first ones I’d grab. Salifert has a good nitrate tester and tropic Marin has good phsosphate test but again the test gives a range of values. I am happy with those two, still using API for kH, but really need to upgrade.

 

[rporter996]

That is good news keep soaking and feeding the small one will see the big one eating and follow suit. Have u tried frozen mysis, brine shrimp? My clowns love that.

Phosphate ultra low range, nitrate, salinity and kh would be the first ones I’d grab. Salifert has a good nitrate tester and tropic Marin has good phsosphate test but again the test gives a range of values. I am happy with those two, still using API for kH, but really need to upgrade.

Yes I've been feeding them frozen brine shrimp and they love it. However I was told the nutrition isn't there and they need to eat a variety of things. The pellets just seem too large for the small clown right now. He tries to eat them but they're just too big. Do they have smaller than 1mm pellets??

 

[Atherial]

I use the TDO chroma boost pellets. The small size might be small enough but there are smaller ones too. I've got the B2 size for my tiny mandarin goby. I also feed both frozen and pellets usually alternating.

 

[rporter996]

I use the TDO chroma boost pellets. The small size might be small enough but there are smaller ones too. I've got the B2 size for my tiny mandarin goby. I also feed both frozen and pellets usually alternating.

Ill have to give those a shot a lot of people seem to recommend the TDO pellets. Thanks!

 

[rporter996]

I use the TDO chroma boost pellets. The small size might be small enough but there are smaller ones too. I've got the B2 size for my tiny mandarin goby. I also feed both frozen and pellets usually alternating.

Do you have any pics of your goby I'd Love to see it! I really want one but I heard they're not super beginner friendly and tough eaters

 

[threebuoys]

Yes I've been feeding them frozen brine shrimp and they love it. However I was told the nutrition isn't there and they need to eat a variety of things. The pellets just seem too large for the small clown right now. He tries to eat them but they're just too big. Do they have smaller than 1mm pellets??

The 1 - 1.5 mm pellets are what I use. My guess is the small clown is just having difficulty deciding if he wants to eat it rather than the pellet being too large. Once they adapt, you won't even need to soak the pellets. All of my fish, including a breeding pair of clowns, eat it voraciously.

 

[rporter996]

The 1 - 1.5 mm pellets are what I use. My guess is the small clown is just having difficulty deciding if he wants to eat it rather than the pellet being too large. Once they adapt, you won't even need to soak the pellets. All of my fish, including a breeding pair of clowns, eat it voraciously.

Alright I may pickup the x-small TDO Chroma boost pellets and see if he likes those better. Currently I'm using the small Omega one pellets.

 

[Atherial]

Do you have any pics of your goby I'd Love to see it! I really want one but I heard they're not super beginner friendly and tough eaters

I ordered my mandarin directly from Biota. She is very, very small. She can easily fit on a dime. I added her a few weeks ago and I only see her every 4-5 days as she is tiny and there are a lot of hiding places in my tank. I'm not sure that I would recommend this route and I can't be sure that she is eating since I don't even know where she is.

 

[rporter996]

I ordered my mandarin directly from Biota. She is very, very small. She can easily fit on a dime. I added her a few weeks ago and I only see her every 4-5 days as she is tiny and there are a lot of hiding places in my tank. I'm not sure that I would recommend this route and I can't be sure that she is eating since I don't even know where she is.

Yeah my LFS has a few of these they just got in stock and I really want to get one at one point.

 

[kay2443]

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:

I'd say the ammonia. Happened to my clown too unfortunately mine died. I was using api test kits.