New juvenille clown fish going crazy!

[mooputingtong]

I got a black storm clownfish yesterday and its going nuts! Its constantly swimming at top of the tank and wont go bottom of the tank. Im worried it might die due to lack of energy because its been doing that for a day already. i know clowns tend to do that in new environment but in my personal experience if the fish cant calm and settle within few days most of them didnt survive. i also put it in acclimation box but its headbutting the floor trying to get out so i eventually let him free. I paid a big buck for the clown and im not sure whats causing this problem. All others fish and inverts corals are doing wonderful and my water parameter is pretty good.

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is:
salinity
temperature
ammonia
nitrate

Could very well be an energetic clown but agree that after a day or two, they mellow out

 

[mooputingtong]

What is:
salinity
temperature
ammonia
nitrate

Could very well be an energetic clown but agree that after a day or two, they mellow out

salinity 1.25
temperature 78
ammonia 0
nitrate 5-10

All other livestocks are doing great so it wont be an water issue. I have lost few clown fish with this kinds of behavior in the past so im worried a bit.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

I literally just got two new clowns last week that are very small. They were doing the same thing in the 20g QT tank. Back and forth, back and forth at about 100mph. I thought they were going to have a heart attack. It took about 2 days for them to calm down. I did leave the lights off in the tank and in the room for longer than normal which helped them settle down.

 

[mooputingtong]

I literally just got two new clowns last week that are very small. They were doing the same thing in the 20g QT tank. Back and forth, back and forth at about 100mph. I thought they were going to have a heart attack. It took about 2 days for them to calm down. I did leave the lights off in the tank and in the room for longer than normal which helped them settle down.

Its been 3 days now and my black storm clown still going crazy! It will take a few bite of flakes but spit it out sometimes. It havent eat anything in past 3 days and its pretty skinny. Im not sure how long will this last... i paid 100 bucks for it.....

 

[TheGerm]

Its been 3 days now and my black storm xlwon still going crazy! It will take a few bite of flakes nut spit it out sometimes. It havent eat anything ina. Past 3 days and its pretty skinny. Im not sure how long will this last... i paid 100 bucks for it.....

Try lights out and no lights in the room besides ambient light as Spyderturbo said.

Or, try frozen / live foods (if you can get them). Depending on the fish and where you got it, it may not accept flakes. If you dont have access to frozen or live, try slow sinking pellets.

Main thing i would check is the environment. Are there things outside of the tank that could spook the little guy? (flashes of light, a lot of movement outside of the tank, too much flow in the tank, etc...)

Just my $0.02, i have had a few clowns from juveniles, they are hyper, but normally they settle down or at least eat for me. Also, hopefully you have a top to your tank, so it doesnt jump where there is no water .

 

[j.falk]

The fish is stress swimming...a common thing that happens when you first add them to a tank. Turn the lights out and let it calm down.

 

[Reef.]

I would stop the flakes, for a fish not eating flake is not going to change it’s mind, try frozen or live, mine like brine shrimp or cyclops etc I would consider putting back in box as it can’t keep that up if not eating either.
I feel something is missing here, you say you have had this happen a few times now.
I would post as many details on the set up, other fish and pictures etc see if someone can spot the issue, if it’s not just a crazy clown.

 

[mooputingtong]

Try lights out and no lights in the room besides ambient light as Spyderturbo said.

Or, try frozen / live foods (if you can get them). Depending on the fish and where you got it, it may not accept flakes. If you dont have access to frozen or live, try slow sinking pellets.

Main thing i would check is the environment. Are there things outside of the tank that could spook the little guy? (flashes of light, a lot of movement outside of the tank, too much flow in the tank, etc...)

Just my $0.02, i have had a few clowns from juveniles, they are hyper, but normally they settle down or at least eat for me. Also, hopefully you have a top to your tank, so it doesnt jump where there is no water .

I have corals so i wont be able to turn the lights off.

I tried mysis shrimp but not interested.
It will take some of flakes but it has to be really tiny almost like powder.

I habe jebao dct 8000 pump which is 2113 gph but i have it only on 30% which should be around 600-700gph. I also have 2 nero 5 on each side with 60% 50% on pulse mode. I think either my pump or wavemaker might be too much flow. Even with wavemaker off flakes tend to flow at top of tank and my wrasse and blenny dont really go near top of tank.

 

[mooputingtong]

The fish is stress swimming...a common thing that happens when you first add them to a tank. Turn the lights out and let it calm down.

I have corals so i wont be able to turn the lights off

 

[PicassoClown04]

A day or two with no light isn’t gonna kill your coral. I think it’s worth a try to do a 24 hour blackout to see if he calms down. I also agree with a better diet. There aren’t any big fish in the tank that could be scaring/harassing him right? I had a baby clown die of stress from what I later found out was bullying by a blenny. It exhibited rapid swimming and loss of appetite but also refused to swim in a box. After removal of the blenny, the remaining clown (I bought 2, one died from stress) settled within a day and began eating with a fury.

 

[mooputingtong]

I would stop the flakes, for a fish not eating flake is not going to change it’s mind, try frozen or live, mine like brine shrimp or cyclops etc I would consider putting back in box as it can’t keep that up if not eating either.
I feel something is missing here, you say you have had this happen a few times now.
I would post as many details on the set up, other fish and pictures etc see if someone can spot the issue, if it’s not just a crazy clown.

I tried mysis shrimp but wont eat and the other experience wasnt my current tank. Let me take a pics and my current set up.

 

[Reef.]

Yeah they tend to like small food,they go mad or lobster eggs, pods, cyclops etc are favs, I also grate frozen raw scallops and octopus and they love them too.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

I have corals so i wont be able to turn the lights off.

I tried mysis shrimp but not interested.

A day or two with the lights out won't hurt the corals at all. You might have to go to the LFS and grab some other frozen options. My two wouldn't take Mysis, but I had some frozen Cyclopeeze left from a few years ago they are eating. I know that's not available anymore, but I think it was replaced by Calanus.

My opinion is that flake isn't going to sustain them.

I would normally recommend black worms, but from what I've been told, they won't be available until at least November.

Edit -> Shipping is going to sting, but taking care of your animals is worth the extra money. You might consider buying a few different types of food at the same time because of the shipping costs.

Frozen Calanus

Piscine Energetics Calanus are harvested from pristine arctic waters and make a great coral and small fish food. Their bright orange coloration stems from the high levels of astaxanthin along with other carotenoid pigments. Using the same flash-freezing process as the famous PE Mysis all the...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[j.falk]

I have corals so i wont be able to turn the lights off

A couple of days without light will not kill your corals. Stress can kill your clown if you don't get it to calm down and relax.

 

[mooputingtong]

A day or two with no light isn’t gonna kill your coral. I think it’s worth a try to do a 24 hour blackout to see if he calms down. I also agree with a better diet. There aren’t any big fish in the tank that could be scaring/harassing him right? I had a baby clown die of stress from what I later found out was bullying by a blenny. It exhibited rapid swimming and loss of appetite but also refused to swim in a box. After removal of the blenny, the remaining clown (I bought 2, one died from stress) settled within a day and began eating with a fury.

I got the flake into really tiny pieces almost like powder and it eats.I think its a good sign he eats. No mates are harassing because hes at top of tank while my wrasse and blenny only stays at bottom part of tank. i also put him in a acclimation box but hes headbutting the acrylic box and going crazy so i let him free.

These are my current set up

ammonia zero
nitrates 5-10
wavemaker 2 nero 5 on each side
return pump jebao dct 8000 with 30% which should be about 600-700 gph.
skimmer reef octopus s130

I changed my wavemaker from jebao cp 90 to 2 nero 5 and im still having trouble adjusting the right flow.

Its 60%,50% with pulse mode.

 

[mooputingtong]

A couple of days without light will not kill your corals. Stress can kill your clown if you don't get it to calm down and relax.

Ok i will probably turn the lights off.

 

[mooputingtong]

A day or two with the lights out won't hurt the corals at all. You might have to go to the LFS and grab some other frozen options. My two wouldn't take Mysis, but I had some frozen Cyclopeeze left from a few years ago they are eating. I know that's not available anymore, but I think it was replaced by Calanus.

My opinion is that flake isn't going to sustain them.

I would normally recommend black worms, but from what I've been told, they won't be available until at least November.

Edit -> Shipping is going to sting, but taking care of your animals is worth the extra money. You might consider buying a few different types of food at the same time because of the shipping costs.

Frozen Calanus

Piscine Energetics Calanus are harvested from pristine arctic waters and make a great coral and small fish food. Their bright orange coloration stems from the high levels of astaxanthin along with other carotenoid pigments. Using the same flash-freezing process as the famous PE Mysis all the...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I think it only eats something that will be a bite size for him. i managed to make him eat with flakes, but i had to break it into really tiny pieces almost like powder. I also have to turn wavemaker off. Is It looks like Cyclopeeze is much smaller than mysis shrimp so my black storm probably will eat it.

 

[mooputingtong]

Yeah they tend to like small food,they go mad or lobster eggs, pods, cyclops etc are favs, I also grate frozen raw scallops and octopus and they love them too.

mysis is kinda big for him so i will give it a try with cyclops.

 

[mooputingtong]

A day or two with no light isn’t gonna kill your coral. I think it’s worth a try to do a 24 hour blackout to see if he calms down. I also agree with a better diet. There aren’t any big fish in the tank that could be scaring/harassing him right? I had a baby clown die of stress from what I later found out was bullying by a blenny. It exhibited rapid swimming and loss of appetite but also refused to swim in a box. After removal of the blenny, the remaining clown (I bought 2, one died from stress) settled within a day and began eating with a fury.

i turn only one nero 5 and my black storm seems more comfortable hes swimming freely without staying at corner of tank. It still doesnt go bottom part of tank but i guess mabye its a flow issue? 60% and 50% of nero 5 is roughly 1579gph and 1466 gph for each pump. Do you think thats too much flow for red sea 250?