Help! Clownish Pale & Not Eating

Tinfoil_Anemone · Feb 13, 2022

Hey, so I am pretty new to reefing and just got a pair of baby clowns about two weeks ago. They swim and eat fine most of the time... but I work 12 hour shifts and when I get up early to feed them every morning they are very pale for the first 5 or 10 minutes after I turn the lights on and flopping around listless on the sand bed. They start to perk up but won't eat so I have to come home twelve hours later and feed them and they look like they are starving.. is feeding them that infrequently ok? What is up with the pale colors and acting strange when I first turn on the lights? thanks guys! Perameters are all good with the exception or phosphates being 0.16...

Km4qpd · Feb 13, 2022

I pretty new it the saltwater aquariums also. I think the pale color when you first turn the lights on is normal, my fish are kind of pale when lights for come on. If they are not eating in the much when you first turn the lights if you have a timer maybe have the lights come on 30 minutes before you feed them. As far as them acting like they are starving, my fish act like that every time I feed and I feed 2 to 3 times a day roughly 6 hours apart. I have hear of people only feeding every few says to keep a cleaner tank, but I think it's kind of cruel. If you are worried about them eating my try an auto feeder to feed once a day while at work. Hope this helps some.

Tamberav · Feb 13, 2022

I4Z said:
Hey, so I am pretty new to reefing and just got a pair of baby clowns about two weeks ago. They swim and eat fine most of the time... but I work 12 hour shifts and when I get up early to feed them every morning they are very pale for the first 5 or 10 minutes after I turn the lights on and flopping around listless on the sand bed. They start to perk up but won't eat so I have to come home twelve hours later and feed them and they look like they are starving.. is feeding them that infrequently ok? What is up with the pale colors and acting strange when I first turn on the lights? thanks guys! Perameters are all good with the exception or phosphates being 0.16...

They are sleeping. Most fish get pale when asleep and will be listless. Clowns are also weird and may even lay on the sand bed.

You can set your lights so they are on before you wake up and have to feed. A simple timer from Walmart can do that.

Otherwise once a day feeding is generally ok for clowns but some other fish would do poorly on once a day. They do make auto pellet feeders as well.

Supa · Feb 13, 2022

Clowns have strange behaviors. My clowns eat 2 times a day when I first wake up and when I get home after work. Sometiems I work 10 hours sometiems 8 or 12 and they don’t mind if I’m late to feed them but they are always waiting around those times now lol

Tinfoil_Anemone · Feb 13, 2022

Haha ok good to know guys! I thought they act kind of funny.. odd little fish they are. And do you guys suggest after the lights go out for the day not to turn them back on again? They have lights on a timer already and those go out.. but it is my home office they are in and sometimes I have to go in late and flip the lights on... they seems always disturbed from their slumber everytime lol

Supa · Feb 13, 2022

I4Z said:
Haha ok good to know guys! I thought they act kind of funny.. odd little fish they are. And do you guys suggest after the lights go out for the day not to turn them back on again? They have lights on a timer already and those go out.. but it is my home office they are in and sometimes I have to go in late and flip the lights on... they seems always disturbed from their slumber everytime lol

I wonder if you could just add an auto feeder to drop some food in without you having to be there.

Tinfoil_Anemone · Feb 13, 2022

I was thinking that, but are there any auto feeders that will work with the xsmall TDO pellets? They are just Lil guys

Supa · Feb 13, 2022

I4Z said:
I was thinking that, but are there any auto feeders that will work with the xsmall TDO pellets? They are just Lil guys

possibly. Or maybe you could look into some flake food ? I’m not sure if that would be better or not, I feed frozen food/pellets.

Rtaylor · Feb 13, 2022

I4Z said:
I was thinking that, but are there any auto feeders that will work with the xsmall TDO pellets? They are just Lil guys

Yes, most auto feeders you can adjust the size of the opening. You may need to restrict it more with a piece of tape. As usually only the width of the opening is adjustable not the length.