Is this normal behavior for 2 new clowns?

[lapin]

The issue you have is common with the tank clowns . They have been in a tank and really dont know what rock and stuff is. The corners of the tank is their friend. It has taken over a year for my breeding pair to actually host. They picked a torch near their breeding corner. They should eat frozen food. If not you can try pellets. I know they will eat live food. I feed mine live white and black worms as well as live brine while in QT and in the display. They also eat frozen. I use Rods, Mysis, Spira-Brine, Cyclops ect

 

[BadFish619]

Did u feed??

 

[Westside Guy]

The issue you have is common with the tank clowns . They have been in a tank and really dont know what rock and stuff is. The corners of the tank is their friend. It has taken over a year for my breeding pair to actually host. They picked a torch near their breeding corner. They should eat frozen food. If not you can try pellets. I know they will eat live food. I feed mine live white and black worms as well as live brine while in QT and in the display. They also eat frozen. I use Rods, Mysis, Spira-Brine, Cyclops ect

They are inseparable and are now starting to explore the middle of the tank!

 

[Westside Guy]

Did u feed??

Yes, I gave them frozen mysis shrimp last night. The larger one gobbled it up and the smaller one ate a little. I still had the lights off and I was wondering if they couldn’t see the shrimp dropping to the bottom of the tank. Starting today I will turn my Ai Hydra 26’s back onto their normal schedule and feed them again tomorrow.

 

[BadFish619]

Well they have an appetite! Good to hear

 

[Westside Guy]

Well they have an appetite! Good to hear

My wife is already asking what fish should we add next as our Reefer 250 looks pretty empty with only 2 fish.

Also I am hoping for coral suggestions, I was considering some zoas.

 

[BadFish619]

Well you're next fish depends on what you'll be keeping. If they are reef safe and compatible with your community. At the moment I keep a keyhole angel (probably not reef safe) a fuzzy dwarf lion and a banded goby who sifts the sand for me. Keep in mind this is a fish only tank for me. If you decide to get coral your fish community will have to be tailored to that.

 

[BadFish619]

Exciting she is on board with it though! Remember you need your bb to keep up with your bio load so try not to add too many fish too quick. Your bb will grow to keep up but it does take about a week. So add a fish, wait a week or two before adding another.

 

[ccombs]

I think taking them straight from ORA and not introducing them to the LFS tank is the right call. I did this with my sustainable aquatic clowns and it is nice knowing they came from a clean facility.

Clowns swim weird and host in corners, etc. With a mated pair especially they do weird seizure type things and other frightening behaviors that makes you think something is wrong, but they are totally fine.

 

[kintle]

As to the swinning mine really just started exploring the tank a little but kinda just chilled in the same corner for 6 weeks or so. Slowly venturing out. Now they kinda explore all the time. They havent hosted in anything yet so just trying to be patient with that. As for feeding I'd go frozen. I feed frozen everyday once at night. I add pellets to that maybe twice a week to add some variety to the diet. My clowns, war paint gobey and 6line all eat it and pick at pods when they spot them.

 

[Crashjack]

My two Oscellaris (ORA) spend most of their time at the top of the back right corner with the majority of what time is left over spent in the same corner, just not at the top. I've had these two clowns for about 1.5 years. I recommend feeding new fish frozen brine shrimp to get them eating. It isn't very nutritious, but I can't remember seeing a healthy fish refuse. Once you've fed brine shrimp 2-3 times, you can start adding other foods with the brine shrimp and then stop feeding the brine altogether or just once in a while.

 

[Westside Guy]

I think taking them straight from ORA and not introducing them to the LFS tank is the right call. I did this with my sustainable aquatic clowns and it is nice knowing they came from a clean facility.
.

The manager of my LFS, their person that services my tank and the phone rep at ORA all recommended that I pick them up the same day they are delivered in their original bags. Luckily Ora is located in Ft. Pierce, Florida and my LFS is in Hollywood, FL. It is about a 2 hour drive and they have a delivery on most Fridays to the LFS located in my area. When I picked up my Gladiators on Friday they had several other bags for other customers waiting for pickup.

 

[ccombs]

The manager of my LFS, their person that services my tank and the phone rep at ORA all recommended that I pick them up the same day they are delivered in their original bags. Luckily Ora is located in Ft. Pierce, Florida and my LFS is in Hollywood, FL. It is about a 2 hour drive and they have a delivery on most Fridays to the LFS located in my area. When I picked up my Gladiators on Friday they had several other bags for other customers waiting for pickup.

Yep, SA is a pathogen free facility, and I am sure my LFS is not, so I skipped the middle man. I bet your situation is very similar.

 

[Westside Guy]

I programmed the lights today so they came on gradually. Once on the Gladiators are starting to really explore the tank!

 

[Westside Guy]

As to the swinning mine really just started exploring the tank a little but kinda just chilled in the same corner for 6 weeks or so. Slowly venturing out. Now they kinda explore all the time. They havent hosted in anything yet so just trying to be patient with that. As for feeding I'd go frozen. I feed frozen everyday once at night. I add pellets to that maybe twice a week to add some variety to the diet. My clowns, war paint gobey and 6line all eat it and pick at pods when they spot them.

Tonight they are swimming all over the tank from top to bottom on both sides with the exception of the tunnels in the aquascaping and look like they are having a blast!

 

[BadFish619]

Very cool. Looks like they're settling in!

 

[Polyp Punk]

Both the lady I spoke to at ORA and the manager at the LFS said I should take them directly home and not put them in one of the tanks at the LFS where they would be exposed to other fish. They are now the only fish in my 2 month old tank.

What about their first feeding which should I use, frozen mysis shrimp and/or the micro pellet swordfish prawns I have from Cobalt Marine and how soon and how frequently?

Go frozen mysis for now .. either one is fine but I like frozen mysis .. less nutrients in the tank

 

[Westside Guy]

Go frozen mysis for now .. either one is fine but I like frozen mysis .. less nutrients in the tank

That is what I finally decided to do. Do you think a quarter a frozen cube every other day is ok?

 

[BadFish619]

That is what I finally decided to do. Do you think a quarter a frozen cube every other day is ok?

Do they finish it in a couple minutes without it getting stuck in rocks or sitting on the sand?

 

[Westside Guy]

Do they finish it in a couple minutes without it getting stuck in rocks or sitting on the sand?

No, with both the pump and wavemaker in feed mode some shrimp definitely fell on the rocks and the sand. The larger one is definitely eating more than the smaller one.