Can't get my new clown to eat after 5 days

bat21 · 02/25/2015, 09:15 PM

I bought a pair of tank bred ocellaris clowns 5 days ago. The smaller of the two is just not eating. Only other fish in the tank is a yellowtail damsel. He was a bit territorial the first day or two, but hasn't hassled them since. The larger clown is eating like a pig. But the smaller one will barely even notice the food as the other two fish eat around him. He is still fairly active and moves around the tank. It does seem like he is breathing fast, but otherwise looks healthy. Doesn't seem stressed, except for maybe the breathing.

It's a 66 gallon fowlr. Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate all at zero. I have tried flakes, 1mm pellets, .5mm pellets, frozen brine & mysis. And I have tried adding garlic as well. He ate two .5mm pellets two nights ago when he was across the tank from the larger clown. That's the only thing he's eaten. I have since tried to feed him away from the other fish, but no luck. The LFS was feeding .5mm pellets.

Not sure what else to do. If he wasn't breathing fast, I wouldn't be worried and would just give it more time, but I don't want to lose the little guy.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

thegrun · 02/25/2015, 10:04 PM

I've had good luck with picky eaters using cyclopeeze, frozen are fine.

FraggledRock · 02/25/2015, 10:14 PM

maybe he has internal parasites, or ich. did you Qt any and all new fish?

bat21 · 02/25/2015, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

I've had good luck with picky eaters using cyclopeeze, frozen are fine.

I've seen this suggested elsewhere, but I can't seem to find it. Most sites say it is out of stock or discontinued. Do you know where I can get it?

bat21 · 02/25/2015, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraggledRock

maybe he has internal parasites, or ich. did you Qt any and all new fish?

Unfortunately not. I live in a one bedroom apartment and the space for a second tank doesn't really exist.

02/25/2015, 09:15 PM	#1
bat21 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 701	Can't get my new clown to eat after 5 days I bought a pair of tank bred ocellaris clowns 5 days ago. The smaller of the two is just not eating. Only other fish in the tank is a yellowtail damsel. He was a bit territorial the first day or two, but hasn't hassled them since. The larger clown is eating like a pig. But the smaller one will barely even notice the food as the other two fish eat around him. He is still fairly active and moves around the tank. It does seem like he is breathing fast, but otherwise looks healthy. Doesn't seem stressed, except for maybe the breathing. It's a 66 gallon fowlr. Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate all at zero. I have tried flakes, 1mm pellets, .5mm pellets, frozen brine & mysis. And I have tried adding garlic as well. He ate two .5mm pellets two nights ago when he was across the tank from the larger clown. That's the only thing he's eaten. I have since tried to feed him away from the other fish, but no luck. The LFS was feeding .5mm pellets. Not sure what else to do. If he wasn't breathing fast, I wouldn't be worried and would just give it more time, but I don't want to lose the little guy. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

02/25/2015, 10:14 PM	#3
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	maybe he has internal parasites, or ich. did you Qt any and all new fish? __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

02/25/2015, 10:04 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I've had good luck with picky eaters using cyclopeeze, frozen are fine.