First fish in the tank. Actin weird

Woonkie · 09/25/2017, 07:04 AM

I noticed at the fish store these 2 were swimming in the corner together so I didn’t want to break them up. My water was good as far as I can see and the shop agreed. So I brought them both home. They are both still very attached to each but they didn’t really care for the pellets or frozen shrimp I put in the tank. They just keep swimming into the glass at the corners. Going from corner to corner in the aquarium. At night they are just swimming vertically, Basically glued together. Very strange and weird. Tested my water this morning and ph is on the high side and Nitrates are around 30ish. May do a water change later today but a small one. It is a new tank about a month old with live rock. Any advice is appreciated. Little worried I got sick fish or something.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cliving1 · 09/25/2017, 07:52 AM

As long as your tank is fully cycled, you should not have an issue. Need to bring those nitrates down though. Its common for new fish not to eat right away, just keep a varied diet. Clowns are also known to sleep in wierd places

Woonkie · 09/25/2017, 07:57 AM

So water change then? I’m thinking about getting an algae reactor as well to add to the tank

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Small Heavens · 09/25/2017, 11:05 AM

Wild Clowns will keep a low profile until nighttime and then dance like crazy throughout their territory.

They tend to pick low flow zones, to stay in, and host that place and often corners gets the best low flow zones.

Making an obvious safe spot for them, can help them change location, or something they like, like anemones or softies, so they host that instead.

Tank raised clowns, tend to school weird places, because they lived side by side with many of their siblings and the tanks they are in are often empty or mostly empty so they are 100% used to hanging around the glass as the only available current-breaker.

I want to have a long night light circle because the fishes dance and play like that in the nighttime, but, my LTA really dislike the blue light so for her sake I keep it short :/

Remember that clowns are not good at competing with other fishes, sorry will stay more in one spot, if you give them company. Let them fill your tank alone, and they will relax and own all of the territory.

Then they will mark everything together and play catch and say those super-cute 'bop' sounds that they make.

I would strongly recommend that you try to let them fill the tank, and avoid more tank mates, so they don't grow stuck in those cornerspots, you really should allow them all the space to dance

Small Heavens · 09/25/2017, 11:26 AM

(sorry was autocorrected from *so they*, meant to say so they will stay more in one spot, not sorry will stay...)

But I don't think they are sick. Just crazy clowns, seems tank raised if they like the glass more than good rock perches and besides they do keep calm during the day.

The balance is to not scare them by adding more company so you lose their play over the territory, but not end up with a tank that got NOTHING going on half the day because the clowns are hanging out during daytime, without doing nothing.

But they should be fine, give them a few days and they should want food

Good luck & enjoy.

Woonkie · 09/25/2017, 11:29 AM

It’s weird. I’m not getting anymore fish though until I see these guys acting a bit more normal. Right now they’ve been stuck together swimming straight down. They’re hardly ever horizontal.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kinetic · 09/25/2017, 08:56 PM

Do you have experience with clownfish to know if they're swimming normally?

Swimming against the current vertically if the current is going up down/down up is normal. My clownfish swam vertically for years because they were hosted by the overflow (lol). To keep themselves there, they had to swim up/down to battle all the current in the tank.

Goss · 09/25/2017, 10:56 PM

Try brine shrimp

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Small Heavens · 09/26/2017, 03:40 AM

+1 (Goss & Kinetic both)

pfan151 · 09/26/2017, 04:24 PM

More than likely fine. Captive bred clowns seem to take a little time to adjust to being in a reef setting bigger tanks than they are raised in. They will start acting more normally soon. You can try putting a terra-cotta pot in there for them until your tank is mature enough for an anemone.

09/25/2017, 07:04 AM	#1
Woonkie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 50	First fish in the tank. Actin weird I noticed at the fish store these 2 were swimming in the corner together so I didn’t want to break them up. My water was good as far as I can see and the shop agreed. So I brought them both home. They are both still very attached to each but they didn’t really care for the pellets or frozen shrimp I put in the tank. They just keep swimming into the glass at the corners. Going from corner to corner in the aquarium. At night they are just swimming vertically, Basically glued together. Very strange and weird. Tested my water this morning and ph is on the high side and Nitrates are around 30ish. May do a water change later today but a small one. It is a new tank about a month old with live rock. Any advice is appreciated. Little worried I got sick fish or something. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/25/2017, 07:52 AM	#2
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	As long as your tank is fully cycled, you should not have an issue. Need to bring those nitrates down though. Its common for new fish not to eat right away, just keep a varied diet. Clowns are also known to sleep in wierd places

09/25/2017, 07:57 AM	#3
Woonkie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 50	So water change then? I’m thinking about getting an algae reactor as well to add to the tank Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/25/2017, 11:05 AM	#4
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	Wild Clowns will keep a low profile until nighttime and then dance like crazy throughout their territory. They tend to pick low flow zones, to stay in, and host that place and often corners gets the best low flow zones. Making an obvious safe spot for them, can help them change location, or something they like, like anemones or softies, so they host that instead. Tank raised clowns, tend to school weird places, because they lived side by side with many of their siblings and the tanks they are in are often empty or mostly empty so they are 100% used to hanging around the glass as the only available current-breaker. I want to have a long night light circle because the fishes dance and play like that in the nighttime, but, my LTA really dislike the blue light so for her sake I keep it short :/ Remember that clowns are not good at competing with other fishes, sorry will stay more in one spot, if you give them company. Let them fill your tank alone, and they will relax and own all of the territory. Then they will mark everything together and play catch and say those super-cute 'bop' sounds that they make. I would strongly recommend that you try to let them fill the tank, and avoid more tank mates, so they don't grow stuck in those cornerspots, you really should allow them all the space to dance

09/25/2017, 11:26 AM	#5
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	(sorry was autocorrected from so they, meant to say so they will stay more in one spot, not sorry will stay...) But I don't think they are sick. Just crazy clowns, seems tank raised if they like the glass more than good rock perches and besides they do keep calm during the day. The balance is to not scare them by adding more company so you lose their play over the territory, but not end up with a tank that got NOTHING going on half the day because the clowns are hanging out during daytime, without doing nothing. But they should be fine, give them a few days and they should want food Good luck & enjoy.

09/25/2017, 11:29 AM	#6
Woonkie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 50	It’s weird. I’m not getting anymore fish though until I see these guys acting a bit more normal. Right now they’ve been stuck together swimming straight down. They’re hardly ever horizontal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/25/2017, 08:56 PM	#7
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	Do you have experience with clownfish to know if they're swimming normally? Swimming against the current vertically if the current is going up down/down up is normal. My clownfish swam vertically for years because they were hosted by the overflow (lol). To keep themselves there, they had to swim up/down to battle all the current in the tank.

09/25/2017, 10:56 PM	#8
Goss Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Valley Center, Ca. Posts: 222	Try brine shrimp Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/26/2017, 03:40 AM	#9
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	+1 (Goss & Kinetic both)

09/26/2017, 04:24 PM	#10
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	More than likely fine. Captive bred clowns seem to take a little time to adjust to being in a reef setting bigger tanks than they are raised in. They will start acting more normally soon. You can try putting a terra-cotta pot in there for them until your tank is mature enough for an anemone.