Clownfish disappearance!

Sabz0794 · 07/06/2015, 04:27 PM

Ok, so my aquarium was just fine, I started with 3 clownfish total, 2 black n white Ocellaris Clownfish and 1 Tomato clownfish, they were all doing just fine until I introduced some damsels to my aquarium(I know, bad idea!) I said I would never add damsels but when I went to my LFS that's all they had for me to buy.. so I didn't wona go home empty handed n bought a few of them, everyone was fine for a good week, then I noticed one of my clownfish went missing, nowhere to b found... none of the damsels seemed to be bothering any of them, they would bother each other here n there but never my clowns... so anyway,(never found him btw) yesterday another clownfish went missing, this time my tomato clown, I looked everywhere, moved my rocks around, swished my sand...nothing, they both vanished?! I have no idea where they could of gone, I suspected the biggest damsel was the problem, maybe they were hiding from him, but nope, no fishies to be found

I ended up getting rid of him too, so now I have 1 yellow belly damsel and 1 clownfish left, im back to square one with my aquarium... so has anyone else experienced missing clownfish??? or is it just me!!! id hate it to be... btw im fairly new to the hobby.....

Seahorse NJRC · 07/06/2015, 05:33 PM

How long has your tank been setup? Did you quarantine the fish before adding them? I am more willing to bet that there is a disease in the tank that is wiping out the fish. Can you post your tank info (size, inhabitants and how it was cycled) and how you introduced the fish?

Msolomo1 · 07/06/2015, 06:15 PM

Do you have some type of screen or top on your tank? Or is it possibly an all in one tank like a biocube? Could they have jumped out? I had one that was constantly ending up in the return pump chamber of my biocube he eventually ended up in another tank and finally on the floor. I would think you wound find something in the tank unless your cuc got to them before you noticed they were missing?

fishchef · 07/06/2015, 07:20 PM

You may have a crab/hitch-hiker. Place a tall clear glass in the tank over night next to your rock with a piece of food/shrimp/meat. If it goes in it won't be able to get out. Do you have a dog/cat? They take care of jumpers.

thegrun · 07/06/2015, 08:27 PM

How big is your tank? Three clownfish will not work long term in a tank under 8' long, and even then I would be very hesitant to add a third. Adding the damsels of course only made a very bad situation worse since the clownfish are also damsels. There are of course other possible cases for the disappearance, but long term the fish were not going to tolerate each other. Please seek good advice before you add fish to your tank and resist temptation buys.

domination2580 · 07/06/2015, 08:45 PM

I've got a 55 with two...they stay on one side 98% of the time...I don't think the three in a tank under 8' long is correct.

Mcgeezer · 07/06/2015, 09:05 PM

Mixing different clowns is not a good idea...the tomato or damsels probably "took it out"

Damsels are evil.

thegrun · 07/06/2015, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domination2580

I've got a 55 with two...they stay on one side 98% of the time...I don't think the three in a tank under 8' long is correct.

Try adding a third and see just how far from home they will stray to attack! I don't know anyone with a 6' or smaller tank that has successfully kept more than a single mated pair long term.

domination2580 · 07/06/2015, 09:50 PM

I appologize I didn't mean that as in like an attacking way...more of a personal thought....and oppinion....I've seen three in a 20 gallon tank and one stayed to one side and the other two on the other side....didn't really fight much....all the same kind

A sea K · 07/07/2015, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domination2580

I appologize I didn't mean that as in like an attacking way...more of a personal thought....and oppinion....I've seen three in a 20 gallon tank and one stayed to one side and the other two on the other side....didn't really fight much....all the same kind

Probably still juvenile clownfish, give them a little time and they will turn aggressive. I tried multiples in a 6ft 210 gal, did not work.

To the OP, if you have a RR tank look in the overflow.

domination2580 · 07/07/2015, 05:05 AM

Idk...they got sold before I could notice anythinh

rt67ghy · 07/07/2015, 07:56 AM

I have a 6' tank with a mating pair of tomatoes and a skunk clown. The skunk clown is the smallest and although it stays away from the tomato pair during feeding time they all eat together. I've had the 3 together for about 8 months and they seem fine. I think the tomatoes don't consider it a real threat and their attempts to chase it away are half-hearted. However, when I put my maroon clown in the DT the female tomato actively attacks it; here the maroon is only 1" smaller than the tomato. So, I think it can be done if the tank is big enough and there's a large difference in size between the clowns so the dominant female doesn't feel a threat.
But I'd agree that putting damsels in with the clowns isn't a good idea.

Sabz0794 · 07/07/2015, 08:55 AM

I totally agree with u, i watchd my fish real carefully n never ever had an issue with the clowns until i added the damsels...

Sabz0794 · 07/07/2015, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domination2580

I've got a 55 with two...they stay on one side 98% of the time...I don't think the three in a tank under 8' long is correct.

I totally agree with u, i watchd my fish real carefully n never ever had an issue with the clowns until i added the damsels...

Sabz0794 · 07/07/2015, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishchef

You may have a crab/hitch-hiker. Place a tall clear glass in the tank over night next to your rock with a piece of food/shrimp/meat. If it goes in it won't be able to get out. Do you have a dog/cat? They take care of jumpers.

nope, no pets.. and my aquarium is in my bedroom anyway, and im positive I have no hitch hikers...

gone fishin · 07/07/2015, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

How big is your tank? Three clownfish will not work long term in a tank under 8' long, and even then I would be very hesitant to add a third. Adding the damsels of course only made a very bad situation worse since the clownfish are also damsels. There are of course other possible cases for the disappearance, but long term the fish were not going to tolerate each other. Please seek good advice before you add fish to your tank and resist temptation buys.

My thoughts as well. good luck

07/06/2015, 04:27 PM	#1
Sabz0794 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 9	Clownfish disappearance! Ok, so my aquarium was just fine, I started with 3 clownfish total, 2 black n white Ocellaris Clownfish and 1 Tomato clownfish, they were all doing just fine until I introduced some damsels to my aquarium(I know, bad idea!) I said I would never add damsels but when I went to my LFS that's all they had for me to buy.. so I didn't wona go home empty handed n bought a few of them, everyone was fine for a good week, then I noticed one of my clownfish went missing, nowhere to b found... none of the damsels seemed to be bothering any of them, they would bother each other here n there but never my clowns... so anyway,(never found him btw) yesterday another clownfish went missing, this time my tomato clown, I looked everywhere, moved my rocks around, swished my sand...nothing, they both vanished?! I have no idea where they could of gone, I suspected the biggest damsel was the problem, maybe they were hiding from him, but nope, no fishies to be found I ended up getting rid of him too, so now I have 1 yellow belly damsel and 1 clownfish left, im back to square one with my aquarium... so has anyone else experienced missing clownfish??? or is it just me!!! id hate it to be... btw im fairly new to the hobby.....

07/06/2015, 05:33 PM	#2
Seahorse NJRC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 216	How long has your tank been setup? Did you quarantine the fish before adding them? I am more willing to bet that there is a disease in the tank that is wiping out the fish. Can you post your tank info (size, inhabitants and how it was cycled) and how you introduced the fish?

07/06/2015, 06:15 PM	#3
Msolomo1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: De Soto Mo Posts: 21	Do you have some type of screen or top on your tank? Or is it possibly an all in one tank like a biocube? Could they have jumped out? I had one that was constantly ending up in the return pump chamber of my biocube he eventually ended up in another tank and finally on the floor. I would think you wound find something in the tank unless your cuc got to them before you noticed they were missing?

07/06/2015, 07:20 PM	#4
fishchef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,222	You may have a crab/hitch-hiker. Place a tall clear glass in the tank over night next to your rock with a piece of food/shrimp/meat. If it goes in it won't be able to get out. Do you have a dog/cat? They take care of jumpers.

07/06/2015, 08:27 PM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	How big is your tank? Three clownfish will not work long term in a tank under 8' long, and even then I would be very hesitant to add a third. Adding the damsels of course only made a very bad situation worse since the clownfish are also damsels. There are of course other possible cases for the disappearance, but long term the fish were not going to tolerate each other. Please seek good advice before you add fish to your tank and resist temptation buys.

07/06/2015, 08:45 PM	#6
domination2580 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 191	I've got a 55 with two...they stay on one side 98% of the time...I don't think the three in a tank under 8' long is correct.

07/06/2015, 09:05 PM	#7
Mcgeezer Reef gardener Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: DeLand, Florida Posts: 1,205	Mixing different clowns is not a good idea...the tomato or damsels probably "took it out" Damsels are evil.

07/06/2015, 09:50 PM	#9
domination2580 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 191	I appologize I didn't mean that as in like an attacking way...more of a personal thought....and oppinion....I've seen three in a 20 gallon tank and one stayed to one side and the other two on the other side....didn't really fight much....all the same kind

07/07/2015, 05:05 AM	#11
domination2580 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 191	Idk...they got sold before I could notice anythinh

07/07/2015, 07:56 AM	#12
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	I have a 6' tank with a mating pair of tomatoes and a skunk clown. The skunk clown is the smallest and although it stays away from the tomato pair during feeding time they all eat together. I've had the 3 together for about 8 months and they seem fine. I think the tomatoes don't consider it a real threat and their attempts to chase it away are half-hearted. However, when I put my maroon clown in the DT the female tomato actively attacks it; here the maroon is only 1" smaller than the tomato. So, I think it can be done if the tank is big enough and there's a large difference in size between the clowns so the dominant female doesn't feel a threat. But I'd agree that putting damsels in with the clowns isn't a good idea.

07/07/2015, 08:55 AM	#13
Sabz0794 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 9	I totally agree with u, i watchd my fish real carefully n never ever had an issue with the clowns until i added the damsels...