CLOWN FISH-FIRST CASUALTY

[JDSmith]

I bought a pair of clowns last 'Wed. Everything was going good until late yesterday when I noticed one clown swimming near the bottom. This morning I couldn't find any trace of him. The other clown seems ok but does not appear to be interested in food. I'm, therefore, worrried about him. The water tests seem within norms. Maybe, someone can tell me what's wrong. HELP!

 

[islandcreation]

How long has your tank been established JD? And how long have the clowns been in the tank? Sorry to hear about that.... :sad:

 

[JDSmith]

CLOWNS

The tank has been set up for one month and the clowns have been in the tank for about six days. They just seemed to lose interest in eating. What do they like the best?

 

[islandcreation]

How long has the tank cycled? My clowns eat everything from flake food to mysis shrimp.

 

[davenia7]

Mine like cyclops.

 

[Tony]

Check your sump. i lost a orange spot gobein there and unfortuantely he died. Sorry about the situation. :anxious
Tony

 

[blau]

I had the same thing happen to two of my clowns. They stopped eating also. They had their mouths stuck in the open position and everytime they bumped it, they went into convulsions like it was very sore to the touch.

 

[JDSmith]

Gee, I did not notice anything like that happening. He just started swimming near the bottom during the day and the next morning he was gone. The other clown appears to be eating a little tonight.

 

[JDSmith]

FOLLOW UP ON SURVIVING CLOWN

It has been thirteen days since the last clown died. This one still does not appear interested in eating but I really don't think that he could survive this long without eating something. I tempted him with the garlic soaked food this morning, hoping that would stimulate his apetite. I have resorted to live brine shrimp, hoping that would work. He does not look too thin and is pretty active. So I guess that I should stop worrying about him and just see what happens.

 

[KidNano]

I put mine in last wednesday and he just started eating very aggresively for the first time last night. I did a couple of water changes over the last week and that seemed to help him out a lot. Also the bio load just balanced out from his addition and the ammonia is back down as of last night. In my limited experience the water quality seems to have a direct impact on the appetite of my fish.

 

[blau]

JDSmith,

Did your clown fish ever start eating? I just got two new clowns and only one will eat. Had them for about a week now.

I had to take out the factory pump and put in an adjustable one and dropped the flow down to 40 gallons an hour. The last two clowns I had couldn't handle the flow rate of the stock pump in my 12 gallon nano.

 

[JDSmith]

CLOWNFISH

I have lost three clowns because they would not eat. The remaining clown has a wonderful appetite. I tried, unsucessfully, everything that everyone suggested from the forum to no avail. I guess some get stressed and do not recover. I am sticking with this one clown for a while- I am snake bitten.

 

[blau]

The clown I have that won't eat, swims around like he is fine but he just won't eat. He hides a lot when the lights are on, but when the lights are off, he is very active. The other clown that eats, is always looking for food and is very active.

 

[JDSmith]

CLOWNFISH

You have to see him eat. Have you tried live brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, fresh shrimp, brocolli florets, frozen brine shrimp, squid, and the food soaked in garlic(from Walmart gel capsules) All of this, I received from other forum viewers.

 

[blau]

I've tried brine shrimp, krill, and flakes so far. He tried to eat the krill but couldn't for some reason.

 

[JDSmith]

Hate to say it, but it does not look good.

 

[blau]

I noticed that his mouth is stuck in the open position like the last two that died. I think that the strong current I had in there might have stressed him out. They were in there for two days before I changed out the pumps. Thanks for your input in this.

 

[JDSmith]

CLOWNFISH

There is another post that describes this same condition Look for it. I don't think that the results are good.

 

[blau]

I couldn't find the post you were refering to. I really hate to watch him die a slow death if he's not eating.

 

[JDSmith]

CLOWNFISH

I know how you feel. What was so sad was that the healthy clown kept trying to help him/her by nudging and laying by him/her and caressing it until the very end.

You forgot to say where you put the filter and what kind was it.