Clownfish staying in open water

[Zoa_Fanatic]

I got two snowflake clowns tpday. They’re the only fish in the tank. It’s a biocube 32 led. They’re staying out in the water column right now. They look like they’re riding the flow around. Is that normal? Will they find a low flow area of my tank to inhabit or are they just being weirdos? Photo of my scape attached. Flow is only from stock return pump. I know there are huge dead and low flow spots. Is there too much flow for them?

 

[Jeffcb]

They are just swimming for now. Lower the lights for a while.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Clowns will be clowns, as long as you don’t see signs of illness (white poop, floating, being unable to swim down, slimy skin, ulcers) or parasites (flukes) then you’re good. Mine like to “surf” the current in front of the powerhead, gives me a heart attack sometimes but I love em

 

[DinoMagnet]

Completely
Normal, mine go directly in front of the wave maker and ride the waves. Sometimes they let it push them all the way before the swim forward, at night time close to lights out they go on my back wall and just stay vertical to sleep.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Clowns will be clowns, as long as you don’t see signs of illness (white poop, floating, being unable to swim down, slimy skin, ulcers) or parasites (flukes) then you’re good. Mine like to “surf” the current in front of the powerhead, gives me a heart attack sometimes but I love em

Is it normal for them to not eat well when they are placed into a new tank? They’ve been in there two days and have barely eaten for me.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Is it normal for them to not eat well when they are placed into a new tank? They’ve been in there two days and have barely eaten for me.

As long as they are eating something then they’re okay. It’s easier when there’s other fish in the tank to show them what’s food and if you can feed them whatever they were eating at the LFS then that’s your best option. I got a Wyoming White baby from a friend who bred them and he didn’t eat for 4 days before I realized that he had no idea that LRS and mysis were food! As soon as I started him on pellets he went crazy and now (4ish months later) he munches anything that hits the water.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

As long as they are eating something then they’re okay. It’s easier when there’s other fish in the tank to show them what’s food and if you can feed them whatever they were eating at the LFS then that’s your best option. I got a Wyoming White baby from a friend who bred them and he didn’t eat for 4 days before I realized that he had no idea that LRS and mysis were food! As soon as I started him on pellets he went crazy and now (4ish months later) he munches anything that hits the water.

I’ve tried mysis and pellets which is what the fish store was feeding them. They kinda pick at mysis and the flakes I tried but they spit it out most of the time.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I’ve tried mysis and pellets which is what the fish store was feeding them. They kinda pick at mysis and the flakes I tried but they spit it out most of the time.

Any white stringy poop? Did you see them eat at the LFS? I will never ever buy a fish that I don’t see eating

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Any white stringy poop? Did you see them eat at the LFS? I will never ever buy a fish that I don’t see eating

No to the poop and yeah I saw them bullseye pellets. Also I know the lady that runs it she said they’d been doing well. It’s almost like they’re too busy swimming around being nuts that they don’t want to hit the food. But it’s also a problem that the mysis sinks quickly with my return pump off and they don’t notice it till most of it has hit the sand.

 

[PicassoClown04]

No to the poop and yeah I saw them bullseye pellets. Also I know the lady that runs it she said they’d been doing well. It’s almost like they’re too busy swimming around being nuts that they don’t want to hit the food. But it’s also a problem that the mysis sinks quickly with my return pump off and they don’t notice it till most of it has hit the sand.

I leave my pumps on to feed, the movement from the flow helps stimulate the feed response and helps move the smell of the food through the water try pouring a little mysis juice in like 30 seconds before you feed, they should start swimming around looking for food. Make sure you turn off your skimmer before you do that!

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

I leave my pumps on to feed, the movement from the flow helps stimulate the feed response and helps move the smell of the food through the water try pouring a little mysis juice in like 30 seconds before you feed, they should start swimming around looking for food. Make sure you turn off your skimmer before you do that!

Should I be worried that they don’t seem to want to eat? One of them for sure tries to eat pellets but I think they’re too big. Maybe both of the Them try, they’re very similar I can’t tell them apart.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Should I be worried that they don’t seem to want to eat? One of them for sure tries to eat pellets but I think they’re too big. Maybe both of the Them try, they’re very similar I can’t tell them apart.

If they seem to like the pellet but it’s too big then use a mortar and pestle (or crush them with the flat part of a knife) or buy smaller pellets. My baby Wyoming is around 1 1/2” or 2” now and he still loves the same pellets from when he was .5”-.75”, bigger pellets aren’t as appealing to him. They’re tiny, like the dot on an i.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

If they seem to like the pellet but it’s too big then use a mortar and pestle (or crush them with the flat part of a knife) or buy smaller pellets. My baby Wyoming is around 1 1/2” or 2” now and he still loves the same pellets from when he was .5”-.75”, bigger pellets aren’t as appealing to him. They’re tiny, like the dot on an i.

This is what they do all day lol. I’ve determined a way to differentiate them and one of them is eating anything I toss in there and the other is picking at foods but may not outright eat yet. It did eat a few small pieces of frozen brine shrimp I got today so it’s on the right track I think.