transferred fish to new tank, staying by surface of water.

[TheReefDiary]

not sure if this is an emergency so sorry if it's not, but just transferred my 2 clowns to my new tank. ammonia was 0 for the last couple days and dosed ammonium chloride a few days ago to check that everything was good. no ammonia the following day and tested today before putting in the fish.

temp is same as other tank and have a ton of surface agitation for oxygen exchange.

the fish aren't breathing heavy either but being strange at the top of the tank. could it just be stress? they also always stayed at the top of the old tank, but they didn't literally go to the surface.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Have you tested no2

 

[Carabeo]

Could you add pictures of the fish or tank? Are the lights turned off for now? It could be stress. No other fish in there it sounds like, right?

 

[TheReefDiary]

also they're paired and got stressed the heck out when I transferred because I had to get them one at a time. the female was stressed when I transferred the male first. took like 5 minutes to get her. once they were together they were a lot less stressed.

just unsure if this behavior is odd.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Could you add pictures of the fish or tank? Are the lights turned off for now? It could be stress. No other fish in there it sounds like, right?

none just them.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Watch closely. I have had clowns that likes to stay at the top of the tank until comfortable. If not breathing heavy oxygen probably isn’t the problem but is something to consider.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Have you tested no2

it was very low if not non existent. API tests aren't great but was same when I started my last tank. I also did a 20% water change before introducing them.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Watch closely. I have had clowns that likes to stay at the top of the tank until comfortable. If not breathing heavy oxygen probably isn’t the problem but is something to consider.

yeah I will be. definitely my favorite fish so will see how they do over the next couple of hours. I also dosed additional nitrifying bacteria when I added them. I also have prime on hand in case.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Light is also a good note from other poster. I like to turn lights off after a tank transfer to let them settle in.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Light is also a good note from other poster. I like to turn lights off after a tank transfer to let them settle in.

one side of the tank is lit to the same settings as their old tank and the other half is dark currently. still have the second light on the other setup until I transfer corals and other 2 fish.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Nitrite isn’t toxic in salt water fish so that shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Nitrite isn’t toxic in salt water fish so that shouldn’t be a problem.

it was low anyway. I used fritz to start the cycle. within a week ammonia was 0. redosed ammonium chloride went to 0 in 24hrs. waited a few days nitrite tested low and nitrate was higher but not crazy high. did water change right before transfer. dosed bacteria again alongside the addition of the fish. they ate when I transferred them which was a good thing.

just their behavior is odd compared to what I've seen from them.

 

[Uncle99]

You changed their home.
They are not breathing heavily so no issue.
They will need to reset.
If they eat, there fine.
Just leave them.

 

[threebuoys]

You stated temperature between the two tanks was consistent. I assume salinity in the two tanks was also the same?

I don't have a lot of experience with clowns, but mine have tended to stay near the bottom of the tank where they have staked out their boundaries. Fish I've had remain near the top have tried to gulp air, or have been trying to stay away from more aggressive fish.

Keep an eye on them. They may just need more time to adjust. But if breathing seems to become an issue, confirm no ammonia and perhaps add an airstone.

 

[TheReefDiary]

You stated temperature between the two tanks was consistent. I assume salinity in the two tanks was also the same?

I don't have a lot of experience with clowns, but mine have tended to stay near the bottom of the tank where they have staked out their boundaries. Fish I've had remain near the top have tried to gulp air, or have been trying to stay away from more aggressive fish.

Keep an eye on them. They may just need more time to adjust. But if breathing seems to become an issue, confirm no ammonia and perhaps add an airstone.

the seem to be adjusting. less fidgety then before. they looked like they gulped a few times for air, so that's why I was a bit concerned. I guess it was just stress because they seem better now. still going to keep an eye on them until I got to bed. luckily that's another 4 hrs at least of observationz so by then I'll know if they're good.

 

[TheReefDiary]

You stated temperature between the two tanks was consistent. I assume salinity in the two tanks was also the same?

I don't have a lot of experience with clowns, but mine have tended to stay near the bottom of the tank where they have staked out their boundaries. Fish I've had remain near the top have tried to gulp air, or have been trying to stay away from more aggressive fish.

Keep an eye on them. They may just need more time to adjust. But if breathing seems to become an issue, confirm no ammonia and perhaps add an airstone.

yes salinity was same across both tanks.

 

[Reeftransport]

not sure if this is an emergency so sorry if it's not, but just transferred my 2 clowns to my new tank. ammonia was 0 for the last couple days and dosed ammonium chloride a few days ago to check that everything was good. no ammonia the following day and tested today before putting in the fish.

temp is same as other tank and have a ton of surface agitation for oxygen exchange.

the fish aren't breathing heavy either but being strange at the top of the tank. could it just be stress? they also always stayed at the top of the old tank, but they didn't literally go to the surface.

Mine do that at time lay almost flat on surface by over flow . They do this more towards evening but now they figure out its just them and the blue hippo . They been staying down more now.