Help! New clownfish not doing well!

ReefPup

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2024
Messages
37
Reaction score
43
Location
Washington State
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I purchased 2 clowns yesterday and today when I go to check in them the big one is laying on it's side on the bottom and can't swim well. It looks like he is having issues maintaining buoyancy when he swims he just falls back to the bottom.

He is also breathing very hard.

20240909_104610.jpg
 
Last edited:

Cell

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 20, 2019
Messages
14,812
Reaction score
22,630
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Need full parameters and tank history. Is this a new QT tank?
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
95,762
Reaction score
212,953
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
I purchased 2 clowns yesterday and today when I go to check in them the big one is laying on it's side on the bottom and can't swim well. It looks like he is having issues maintaining buoyancy when he swims he just falls back to the bottom.

He is also breathing very hard.

20240909_104610.jpg
How was fish introduced/acclimated and for how long?
I assume no quarantine or at minimum a bath such as ruby rally pro bath? May be two factors here alone
 
OP
OP
R

ReefPup

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2024
Messages
37
Reaction score
43
Location
Washington State
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How was fish introduced/acclimated and for how long?
I assume no quarantine or at minimum a bath such as ruby rally pro bath? May be two factors here alone
They are in the quarantine tank, I brought them home, matched my salinity to the salinity in the bag, floated them for 30 minutes and put them in. He has passed away now but did I do something wrong? The smaller one seems to be doing ok he's eating.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
95,762
Reaction score
212,953
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
They are in the quarantine tank, I brought them home, matched my salinity to the salinity in the bag, floated them for 30 minutes and put them in. He has passed away now but did I do something wrong? The smaller one seems to be doing ok he's eating.
There are many wats to acclimate. Below is my method. All in all you want to equalize temperature first then add water in increments and match the salinity. 30 mins May have been too quick in turn leading to shock but also, questions how stable was the fish at the lfs, if netting fish was aggressive as examples

My acclimation method (not the only one out there):
I generally:
Float for 20-30 minutes
Transfer fish and water into a clean bucket
Then . . . .
Measure the Ph, salinity and temperature of the bag water. If you can, make up some water in a container that has exactly the same measurements as the bag readings and move the fish right over, then you can add a cup of tank water to bucket every 15 mins 6 times (almost 1.5 hours)
Then check salinity in bucket and compare to tank. If no match or very close, add a cup of water every few mins until youve reached salinity and trap fish in same cup and pour off water and release into display. Release under LOW light before lights out.
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
28,064
Reaction score
27,784
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They are in the quarantine tank, I brought them home, matched my salinity to the salinity in the bag, floated them for 30 minutes and put them in. He has passed away now but did I do something wrong? The smaller one seems to be doing ok he's eating.

What was the starting difference between the salinity in the bag versus that of your tank?
 

DO YOU PREFER BIGGER TANKS OR SMALLER TANKS? WHY?

  • The bigger the tank, the better it is!

    Votes: 59 75.6%
  • The smaller the tank, the sweeter it is!

    Votes: 12 15.4%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 7 9.0%
Back
Top