new clown odd behavior

Whatnow · Jan 10, 2016

Hey I purchased a Clownfish (1.5") and a Hippo tang (2") from my LFS on Saturday and I brought them home and drip acclimated them both separately till more than doubled the water the carefully put them into the holding tank and since then the Clown has been acting strange and has been going up & down on the left side of the tank rapidly and really not eating either. Well the hippo tang comes and goes gently in and out of his hiding area and eating fine. LFS said the hippo would hide for longer periods of time for a while but he's actually out and about more than he's hiding and acting just great. So I've seen Clowns act sort of like this before but not to this extent. Every once and awhile he will do a quick dart like he was scared.
Tank chemistry is close to perfect with almost 0 ppm nitrites and no ammonia or nitrites.
30gallon holding tank

Bakerrr1010 · Jan 10, 2016

Temp? Sometimes I've seen fish act that way from to high of a tempura ute

Whatnow · Jan 10, 2016

temp is at 77.4f and salinity is 1.023

Bakerrr1010 · Jan 10, 2016

Whatnow said:
temp is at 77.4f and salinity is 1.023

Hmm not sure I have my temp at 80 want to lower it to 78 but all of my fish and corals have seemed to adapted to it and I always make sure my salinity is 1.026 and sg at 35

Bakerrr1010 · Jan 10, 2016

Give it some time and once established into your main tank it will find its spot

40Gallon · Jan 11, 2016

The not eating could be a sign of flukes but considering he's new could be that too.

KorD · Jan 11, 2016

What are you feeding? And if you have not tried it yet.. Get some ROE (Real Oceanic Eggs)... Clowns love that stuff.
My clown also did the up and down the side of the tank for the first few days I brought it home.. My temps are a tad on the lower side holding steady at 75.7 degrees F. It acclimated itself to the tank and now swims around all over... I think it is a behavioral thing where they are trying to get to know the tank and looking out for predators.

DeniseAndy · Jan 11, 2016

Give it time. However, watch for any signs of cloudy eyes, spots, hard breathing, red spots, scratching itself on sand or rock, flicking around like bothered. This could mean disease or parasite.

Whatnow · Jan 11, 2016

40Gallon said:
sign of flukes

Well any fish I get gets a dose of Prazipro in the holding tank and he's on day 2 of that treatment.

Whatnow · Jan 11, 2016

KorD said:
And if you have not tried it yet.. Get some ROE (Real Oceanic Eggs)... Clowns love that stuff.

I thought you did't want to only feed them that? I've been feeding them defrosted brine shrimp dipped in garlic.

KorD · Jan 11, 2016

Whatnow said:
I thought you did't want to only feed them that? I've been feeding them defrosted brine shrimp dipped in garlic.

That should not only be their food source.. But if they are not eating... it will not hurt, and will hopefully get them to eat something. CF love the stuff and will do almost anything for it.

Whatnow · Jan 11, 2016

Well came home and fed the fish and he started to eat some, not a huge amount but progress

Now he was swimming around nicely for a while but after an hour or so he's back at the swimming up and down at the same side of the tank and every once an a while he will just start swimming normally with the tang then like 10 seconds later back at his exercises. lol

fishroomlady · Jan 11, 2016

clowns love to do weird things

I'm sure it will be fine and is just getting to know its new home. Denise mentioned all the things to look for in terms of a problem.

KorD · Jan 11, 2016

I just noticed why mine now swims at the top of the tank and barley ventures to the rest of the tank... He is getting picked on by the chromis, and the six line wrasse

Whatnow · Jan 12, 2016

Now I have another Clownfish that basically swims just in upper corner of the tank and sleeps in the top corner near the heater.

Whatnow · Jan 13, 2016

Okay today he seems to be doing fine and swimming mostly around the tank but still does his little up & down dance. It doesn't seem as often maybe only 15% of the day now I guess you were right and he is just getting used to the tank. Too bad I'm going to move him to the DT after a while and he will get all bent out of shape again LOL. He seems to be getting along great with the Hippo Tang and their swimming together most of the time. The funny thing is that when he wasn't eating the Tang was eating a lot just slowly but now since the CF is eating good the Tang is gobbling it up like he needs to hurry up before its all gone hahaha.