Added first fish. Not doing well

[recess62]

i just finished cycling a bio cube 29. Today I added a small cleanup crew and a small clown fish. I did a drip acclimation and put the fish in the tank. The fish then spent the next 4 hours swimming into the current coming out of the sump/filter . Well not surprising the fish started acting funny. Swimming listing to one side. I turned off the filter and after an hour the fish seems fine. I am a 45 year veteran to freshwater systems and this is my first Marine tank. I did an ammonia digestion test x 3 with no ammonia after 24 hours, no nitrite , and nitrate around 40. Ph 8.0. SG 1.025? I am running the coralife skimmer, chemipure elite, and a Refugium

Any thoughts about the behavior

 

[Reefaddict305]

Did you check your nitrates? You may not ammonia but you can have some nitrates still in your system.

 

[recess62]

Did you check your nitrates? You may not ammonia but you can have some nitrates still in your system.

Nitrate around 40

 

[melypr1985]

So swimming into the flow of a powerhead is an indicator of velvet. They do this- i believe- because the parasites are in their gills and excess mucus is building up there making it difficult to breathe. Are there any other indicators? breathing heavy? spots or a dusty appearance? These are not always apparent until it's too late, but this is why we QT before introduction into the DT. Got any pics?

 

[recess62]

So swimming into the flow of a powerhead is an indicator of velvet. They do this- i believe- because the parasites are in their gills and excess mucus is building up there making it difficult to breathe. Are there any other indicators? breathing heavy? spots or a dusty appearance? These are not always apparent until it's too late, but this is why we QT before introduction into the DT. Got any pics?

I tried to take a picture but the quality is too poor. No gasping no spots. So I turned off the filter and the fish settled down. Can I leave the filter off for the night to give the fish a chance to become less stressed?

 

[DeniseAndy]

How small a clownfish and was it captive bred or wild caught?

 

[Viperdoug]

While we can't be positive, there is a chance water chemistry is causing the fish stress. That being said, you have nothing to lose by doing water changes. I would do one immediately and another tomorrow. See how he is doing after that. If he starts improving, then continuing checking parameters and doing water changes if necessary. If he does have a disease then you will likely start to see a physical indication soon like spots. Good luck.

 

[recess62]

How small a clownfish and was it captive bred or wild caught?

Very small 1.5 inches. Captive bred

 

[DeniseAndy]

Unlikely to be a disease unless it was housed with wild caught fish. I would do what Viper suggested and do a water change. Also, darken the tank. No lights for the next couple days. Helps with stress. Could be just that it is a baby and taken away from the others that gave security in numbers. Now it is all alone in a strange environment. Give it time to chill and watch for any signs of disease such as no swimming, red streaks, white speckles, etc.

 

[pugcrush]

A couple things to consider here. 1) what test kits you using? are you able to double check your results w/ the store. Even better if you know a local hobbyist 2) is this a REPUTABLE store? ie. having very healthy livestock 3) 40 seems a little high to me for nitrates; how did you cycle the tank? 4) #3 leads me to 4. I would've added CUC and then wait a good week. Even better if you could hold out for 2. If they check out OK and levels holding steady, then move on to fish (slowly).

 

[pugcrush]

Also meant to add, the above is IF the fish is actually sick. Do you have a pic? Maybe he is rather REALLY small. Hopefully not too small that he shouldn't even have been on the market yet. But clownfish can be funny at times (swimming activity like you're stating).

 

[Vinh]

I just recently added a pair of clowns. Initially I had the lights on and they were swimming very strange and hiding in a corner. I turned the tank light off and kept a nearby lamp on and they came right out of the corner and started to explore the tank and was swimming normally. I'm new to saltwater so I can't offer up much help but this is what I recently experienced.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Darkness for the first few days in a new tank is good for stress. I darken all my QT tanks and rarely ever even put lights on them for fish anyway. Just ambient light is what they get.

 

[recess62]

I will do a water change tonight and tomorrow. I have the lights off. I will double check my tests results since I am using the api kit

I cycled the rank with live sand, live rock and biospira.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Great. Keep us updated on how he is doing.

 

[domination2580]

I don't think nitrates are the problem....I've had very high nitrates...like 180+. And didn't do anything to me additions or to my two ocelleris clowns

 

[recess62]

Thanks for all the replies. I kept the pump off overnight and the fish has survived seems ok this am with the pump on. Maybe this clown just had an anxiety attack. Next time I will dose with Prozac.