Need help with sad clown

[fishgate]

Well my new Percula clown has not been happy since about a day and a 1/2 after he was introduced to the tank. He has been moping in a crevice in the rocks. Sometimes he'll move to a new crevice but I have not seen him eat. He is looking very thin but other then that he looks normal. No signs of disease or injury.

I don't think there is any hope for him but is there anything I can do?

[Reefmedic79]

Be persistant with the feeding, try turning off pumps and circulations while you do this until he starts eating.

Slightly off topic, but clown fish can sometimes act really peculiar at times, they really are "funny" fish and most of the times there is nothing to worry about.

[captrad]

what are you trying to feed him. when i first got mine they would not touch anything till i got them to eat some frozen mysis. after that they started eating anything (including my hand lol). also they hid like crazy till they got a new tank mate then they started to move around alot more.

[fishgate]

I feed flake foods, pellet foods, tubifex worms and frozen brine shrimp. The other, larger original clown eats everything and is an absolute pig. He is out and about in the tank and has no fear of anything. As soon as I introduced this new one, they very quickly established dominance. Since then this one has gone downhill.

I have seen all types of food float right past him and he just ignores it. The larger will sometimes swim near it like he is trying to get the smaller one to do something but I think he is growing weaker. Maybe I should put him in my floating isolation tank and try feeding. I think that might stress it even more though.

[Sport507]

Originally Posted by fishgate

I feed flake foods, pellet foods, tubifex worms and frozen brine shrimp. The other, larger original clown eats everything and is an absolute pig. He is out and about in the tank and has no fear of anything. As soon as I introduced this new one, they very quickly established dominance. Since then this one has gone downhill.

I have seen all types of food float right past him and he just ignores it. The larger will sometimes swim near it like he is trying to get the smaller one to do something but I think he is growing weaker. Maybe I should put him in my floating isolation tank and try feeding. I think that might stress it even more though.

I saw the video of them fighting then the sulking video.

The bottom line to my post at least is this. Not everything you put in your tank will survive it is part of the hobby. As I said in another one of your posts sometime even the most experience people, just walk away scratching their heads.

Now my reason for even posting again is about this is. All the food that you have described floating passed him sounds like you could be over feeding just for one fish and could be putting the whole tank in jeopardy, this happens often.

You have done all you can do my friend, just let nature take it’s course. Don't feed more than the tank can eat in a few minutes and make sure you see it all taken other that crums for a clean up crew. If a fish won't eat it won't eat.

[windyridge]

Clowns are so resilient. As I said in another recent thread, one of mine was almost dead. I had a new pair in quarantine and he was laying on his side, panting. I figured he'd be dead the next morning. I almost took him out because he was suffering. The next day he was swimming around as if nothing had happened. Don't give up on him yet. And remember they can go long periods without food.

[briankmarsh1980]

He may have gotten beat up by the other or may have an internal parasite.... You may consider dosing prozipro but it will kill feather dusters and stuff like that but is safe for a reef

[fishgate]

Well sad news. The clown expired sometime last night. 3 peppermints were feasting on his carcass this morning. I'll let the CUC do its job.

I don't think I will be buying any more fish online. This box was dropped by the FedEx guy and I think that may have contributed. I have lost two fish out of that box. On the lighter side, the 3 cardinals (from the same order) are doing VERY well. They seem happy and adjusted to the tank. The other clown hangs out with them a lot. kind of funny actually! He kind of lunges at them and they lunge at him. Not much but it looks more like playful lunging.

I'll go this week and get another Percula from the local fish store.

[1fishkeeper]

I would not leave the dead fish in there. Pull it out. Yes I can see where your coming from on letting your clean up crew do their thing but its not worth the risk of all of your other fish.

[fishgate]

You know what, good call! I got it out. The shrimp did NOT want to give it up though!

[GPB]

As sport said, it is part of the hobby. I always try to buy good livestock. I have a clown that is 6 years old. They are very hardy critters. I recently added a Randall's Goby, and a Tailspot Blenny. The Randall's did great. The Tailspot hid immediately , never came out of the rockwork to feed and I lost him in a week. Everything else in the tank is great, snails shrimp, hermits, clown , Goby and corals.

I even watched the Tailspot eat at the LFS whan I bought him. He was acclimated identical to the Goby as well. My parameters are all fine. Sometimes it just happens.

[GPB]

As sport said, it is part of the hobby. I always try to buy good livestock. I have a clown that is 6 years old. They are very hardy critters. I recently added a Randall's Goby, and a Tailspot Blenny. The Randall's did great. The Tailspot hid immediately , never came out of the rockwork to feed and I lost him in a week. Everything else in the tank is great, snails shrimp, hermits, clown , Goby and corals.

I even watched the Tailspot eat at the LFS whan I bought him. He was acclimated identical to the Goby as well. My parameters are all fine. Sometimes it just happens.

[w16227]

Originally Posted by fishgate

Well sad news. The clown expired sometime last night. 3 peppermints were feasting on his carcass this morning. I'll let the CUC do its job.

I don't think I will be buying any more fish online. This box was dropped by the FedEx guy and I think that may have contributed. I have lost two fish out of that box. On the lighter side, the 3 cardinals (from the same order) are doing VERY well. They seem happy and adjusted to the tank. The other clown hangs out with them a lot. kind of funny actually! He kind of lunges at them and they lunge at him. Not much but it looks more like playful lunging.

I'll go this week and get another Percula from the local fish store.

I would not eliminate the use of online vendors just because of this occurrence - there are many on the boards who will ONLY use online.

What I would do is SLOW DOWN.

Do not go out and get a new clown - unless you are adding it to a QT tank for observation.

I have looked over some recent posts - unless I am reading wrong you have added something like 5-6 fish to a 40B in a short time frame?

For a tank that size - this can really overstress the biological filtration.

If you do not have one - get a QT. If you continue trying to add a lot of fist directly to the DT - one will eventually die from a disease that will take everything else out as well.

[fishgate]

Part of the problem buying online is the expense of shipping. It really isn't worth it unless you are buying a rare species or more then one fish. I bought 5 fish. The clown, a blenny and 3 cardinals. The blenny died day one, the clown after 3 days and the 3 cardinals are doing great. I tested the water before and after and the tank is keeping up with the increased bioload (no ammonia spike). I did add the dragonet recently but she seems to be doing well. BTW: With these 5 fish there were only 6 fish in the tank plus a small CUC. I do have a lot of really good live rock and the tank has been cycled for over 4 months. There won't be any new fish added accept maybe another small clown this week to replace the one that died. I don't have a QT tank but may for future fish.

[00Warpig00]

Originally Posted by w16227

I would not eliminate the use of online vendors just because of this occurrence - there are many on the boards who will ONLY use online.

And some will buy from many different places but like to stack the deck in the favor of their purchases surviving and not being a large financial loss if they don't

Example. I have bought many fish from the LFS. Most of my LFS's have little or NO warranty. Not too horrible if you loose an inexpensive fish (~$20). Some of those same LFS's I also spot sick/crypto infested fish in their tanks from time to time. Scares me away for a while or makes me only want to buy inexpensive fish from them. My next fish I am looking for is and Aussie Harlequin Tusk ($150-$190) depending on where you purchase. For a fish with that price tag I'm gonna get the best warranty I can. When it comes to warranty liveaquaria is tough to beat. Also I haven't had a fish from them yet that didn't sail through QT with very little issues (a little lymph). When it comes to a large $$$ fish I am more likely to buy online. I'm just trying to stack the deck against loosing ~$200 in my favor the best I can. Now as soon as they get one in stock I'll buy it, unless I find a LFS that has one for a similar price that appears healthy and they will be willing to float me a similar warranty. (Which I highly doubt)

Nick