Weird clownfish behaviour

[dt98]

Hi guys,

about 12 hours ago I bought two black ice clownfish. I brought them home, acclimated them, everything seemed to be fine, they were swimming about (although one quite erratically) but now they are both laid in the corner on the sand, I got sold them as a pair so I’m thinking they’ve just settled in there I’m not sure? All the parameters are reading good, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates .25. PH 7.6. The temp is 78. The two clowns are breathing a little fast, nothing to extreme but seems fast to me. I Just have no idea what it could be, Please tell me this is normal

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Are the lights off? Clowns tend to find a place to sleep and they will host anything

 

[socal562]

Mines Did the same for couple days after I transferred them to my Waterbox 100g. They should be fine once settled in new tank. Check your parameters.

 

[dt98]

Are the lights off? Clowns tend to find a place to sleep and they will host anything

Yes, lights have been off for the first 24 hours

 

[dt98]

Mines Did the same for couple days after I transferred them to my Waterbox 100g. They should be fine once settled in new tank. Check your parameters.

That’s so good to hear! I’ve checked my parameters and everything is great. I’ll keep an eye on the clowns for the next few days.

 

[dt98]

Just an update,

this is the clowns current positions, I’ve never seen this from any fish before?? One keeps going back to the sand and laying on its side.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Just an update,

this is the clowns current positions, I’ve never seen this from any fish before?? One keeps going back to the sand and laying on its side.

Take a video upload it to you tube and post it here

 

[RGoltz]

Weird clownfish behavior is normal clownfish behavior. If they were behaving (reading the news and paying their taxes) I would be surprised.

The vertical posturing is normal behavior with a bonded pair and I would say they maybe attracted to the filter pipe as a home. Clownfish do those stupid things. The only thing unusual here is this laying on the sand behavior. That I would keep an eye on..

 

[dt98]

Just an update,

this is the clowns current positions, I’ve never seen this from any fish before?? One keeps going back to the sand and laying on its side.

 

[Reef.]

You said your parameters are fine but didn’t post your salinity and your PH is unbelievably low, I doubt that is correct, i would double check your parameters.

Clowns do tend stay in the same position but with a new tank it’s hard to say it’s not the parameters.

 

[dt98]

You said your parameters are fine but didn’t post your salinity and your PH is unbelievably low, I doubt that is correct, i would double check your parameters.

Clowns do tend stay in the same position but with a new tank it’s hard to stay it’s not the parameters.

Sorry, I bought my saltwater from my LFS and they said the salinity was 1.024. How do I increase my pH level?

 

[Reef.]

Sorry, I bought my saltwater from my LFS and they said the salinity was 1.024. How do I increase my pH level?

Never trust lfs water, the salinity could be off, you need to check this, as it changes with top ups, you can not rely on it staying constant without checking it.

You don’t correct anything until you know 100% it needs it, what are you using to test it?

In the meantime make sure the room has good fresh air flow, and the surface of the water is being broken up with the return flow and/or the power heads, this will help the ph a lot...if it is truly that low, the measures I stated won’t harm the tank even if the ph turns out to be incorrect. And is actually higher.

 

[Reef.]

Also are you topping up with plain ridiculous water and not salt water?

You really need to get something to check the salinity, I recommend the tropic main hydrometer, or for something a little more simpler to use the Hanna salinity checker.

 

[downonthereef]

Hi guys,

about 12 hours ago I bought two black ice clownfish. I brought them home, acclimated them, everything seemed to be fine, they were swimming about (although one quite erratically) but now they are both laid in the corner on the sand, I got sold them as a pair so I’m thinking they’ve just settled in there I’m not sure? All the parameters are reading good, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates .25. PH 7.6. The temp is 78. The two clowns are breathing a little fast, nothing to extreme but seems fast to me. I Just have no idea what it could be, Please tell me this is normal

Clownfish are cute little Characters, when I first added mine, it lay on the back of my tank on the sand and my Mum sent me a photo saying it was dead, until I got home and it was swimming around all happy. Mine recently had a little episode where it was breathing really fast, hiding in caves and swimming into the sand, but after about a week of this it soon came back to being it's normal self

 

[dt98]

Ok so now I am extra confused! Just took a sample of water to LFS and they said my ammonia is a little high and everything else is fine, they tested this with the dip in stick. I got back and tested the water right away for ammonia but with the solution type stuff. And it read 0. How can the LFS be reading one thing and me read another?

 

[Viva'sReef]

Ok so now I am extra confused! Just took a sample of water to LFS and they said my ammonia is a little high and everything else is fine, they tested this with the dip in stick. I got back and tested the water right away for ammonia but with the solution type stuff. And it read 0. How can the LFS be reading one thing and me read another?

Usually an error in your testing method or you have a bad test kit. What brand of test kit are you using? I am no help with ammonia testing procedures, I don't think I've ever tested for Ammonia in my tanks.

 

[takitaj]

Nice fish! Clowns are very weird. They're also pretty hardy but not indestructible.

Test strips are inaccurate, I wouldn't trust them. I would trust the test kit (even API) far more, as long as you're sure you're doing the tests properly. Is this a QT tank or your display tank? It is cycled right?

You really need to get yourself something to measure salinity accurately and as mentioned top off with fresh RODI water only. Water evaporates but salt doesn't. If you top off with salt water then the salinity will keep rising and eventually reach deadly levels. If you don't have a RODI unit you can use distilled water from the grocery store, etc..

The pH could be low due to lack of gas exchange/aeration. 7.6 is pretty low but not deadly low. It should be corrected though. At least above 7.8 and the low 8's is better. As mentioned, point a power head slightly towards the surface to break it up & get it moving (ripples not a fountain ) to increase oxygen/CO2 gas exchange, or add an air stone, then test again after an hour or 2. The latter being the better option if you have a sealed cover.

 

[dt98]

Usually an error in your testing method or you have a bad test kit. What brand of test kit are you using? I am no help with ammonia testing procedures, I don't think I've ever tested for Ammonia in my tanks.

I’m using Colombo test kits

 

[dt98]

Nice fish! Clowns are very weird. They're also pretty hardy but not indestructible.

Test strips are inaccurate, I wouldn't trust them. I would trust the test kit (even API) far more, as long as you're sure you're doing the tests properly. Is this a QT tank or your display tank? It is cycled right?

You really need to get yourself something to measure salinity accurately and as mentioned top off with fresh RODI water only. Water evaporates but salt doesn't. If you top off with salt water then the salinity will keep rising and eventually reach deadly levels. If you don't have a RODI unit you can use distilled water from the grocery store, etc..

The pH could be low due to lack of gas exchange/aeration. 7.6 is pretty low but not deadly low. It should be corrected though. At least above 7.8 and the low 8's is better. As mentioned, point a power head slightly towards the surface to break it up & get it moving (ripples not a fountain ) to increase oxygen/CO2 gas exchange, or add an air stone, then test again after an hour or 2. The latter being the better option if you have a sealed cover.

Just added power head! The fish are still breathing heavily, and just kind of floating around, not swimming, they have moved positions and are chilling next to a live rock now but they don’t look like they’re having a good time, I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong?

 

[dt98]

Just added power head! The fish are still breathing heavily, and just kind of floating around, not swimming, they have moved positions and are chilling next to a live rock now but they don’t look like they’re having a good time, I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong?

Also just done a reading.
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 0

im so confused with what is happening right now, I’ve left my tank cycle for weeks by adding source of ammonia (fish food) and monitored every stage of the nitrogen cycle, put fish in and they look like they are dying!! I will go out tomorrow and buy a hydrometer cause that really is the only thing left it could be