Why can’t I keep clowns alive

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

my tanks has been setup for over a year. Just changed form a standard 20 to a nuvo 20. Pygmy angel and blennie have been there since October.
Went to lfs and skipped on the 1st batch of clowns they had because they didn’t look good so I waited for the 2nd batch.
Clown 1 was temp acclimated(15mins)and then drip for 30 mins. No acclimation box but died on the 5th day Never ate

Clown 2 same process but used a acclimation box to help with aggression. Left him in there for 3 days. 5th day died
Got it to eat on the 2nd day and was super happy
I know I should QT but either way they would of died because they show no sign of illness and aren’t acting lethargic.
Don’t know if they are WC and captive bred
Anyone have an idea why they aren’t surviving

sfin52 · Feb 2, 2019

Did you see any agression from the angel or the Blenny.

sandswhitson · Feb 2, 2019

What are your water parameters? Any ammonia or nitrite?

sfin52 · Feb 2, 2019

With it only being a 29 g I'm betting agression. If it where ammonia or nitrite the other two fish would be effected to

MSB123 · Feb 2, 2019

Or disease. Brook?
@Humblefish @4FordFamily

sfin52 · Feb 2, 2019

That's a good point.

MSB123 · Feb 2, 2019

MSB123 said:
Or disease. Brook?
@Humblefish @4FordFamily

They are all from the same LFS. They could have it in their tanks.

rkpetersen · Feb 2, 2019

MSB123 said:
Or disease. Brook?

This occurred to me as a possibility as well. I was also thinking about flukes just because they're so common and might not show signs.

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

There is aggression form the angel but that only occurred with the first clown. When u used a acclimation box the angel really didn’t care about the 2nd clown.
No ammonia or nitrite present on tank.
All these fish came from the same lfs.

I’m not saying these fish are disease free but how long does it take for flukes and brook to kill fish. There are a pair of lighting maroon clowns in the holding tank (that have been there for over a month) next to the reg clown tank and there all plumb into this huge sump. Wouldn’t they have died from the same disease ?

davocean · Feb 2, 2019

reeflover_3303 said:
my tanks has been setup for over a year. Just changed form a standard 20 to a nuvo 20. Pygmy angel and blennie have been there since October.
I know I should QT but either way they would of died because they show no sign of illness and aren’t acting lethargic.

A QT will keep disease from passing to your existing fish.

A 20g tank is about as small as I would keep a pair of clowns just by themselves, MAYBE one more very small fish at most like a damsel that could hang w/ their aggressive nature.

When we overstock, we stress our fish and make them more vulnerable to disease.

Not sure why these guys died, but I'd guess possibly disease, and I'd take a breather deal w/ what you have surviving right now, and I'm not sure if I'd add any more fish to that 20.

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

The Pygmy angel was a gift from my uncle on my birthday in October and was order on live aquaria. I’ve been trying to sell it but no one wants it and my lfs will give me $10. My plan was just to keep the 3 fish. 1 clown, 1 blenny, and 1 angel.
I bought one clown each time, not pairs.

MSB123 · Feb 2, 2019

reeflover_3303 said:
There is aggression form the angel but that only occurred with the first clown. When u used a acclimation box the angel really didn’t care about the 2nd clown.
No ammonia or nitrite present on tank.
All these fish came from the same lfs.

I’m not saying these fish are disease free but how long does it take for flukes and brook to kill fish. There are a pair of lighting maroon clowns in the holding tank (that have been there for over a month) next to the reg clown tank and there all plumb into this huge sump. Wouldn’t they have died from the same disease ?

They could be medicating their tanks.

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

I also didn’t know my tank was overstocked. I did on ton of research on here before and someone had a nuvo 20 with 5 fish including a flame angel.

davocean · Feb 2, 2019

reeflover_3303 said:
I also didn’t know my tank was overstocked. I did on ton of research on here before and someone had a nuvo 20 with 5 fish including a flame angel.

There are people that do or promote doing things like that...

Take a breather, let existing fish chill for a bit.
I hate to suggest getting rid of gift angel, but tank may be small for it really, though cool of your uncle to gift that to you.

Keeping just one clown does give some freedom as it's usually less aggressive than a pair.

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

Never intended on a pair too (not trying to back pedal).

davocean · Feb 2, 2019

Understood, everyone goes through a learning cycle, and no one knows everything.

This is a good place to begin learning animal needs and space requirements, not always perfect, but it helps and a good place to start.

https://www.liveaquaria.com/

reeflover_3303 · Feb 2, 2019

So what are ways to identify the disease ?
Can I identify them at the lfs ?

I’m not worried about right tank sizes as I know the appropriate tank size for lots of fish but my family members do not.

davocean · Feb 2, 2019

reeflover_3303 said:
So what are ways to identify the disease ?
Can I identify them at the lfs ?

I’m not worried about right tank sizes as I know the appropriate tank size for lots of fish but my family members do not.

Some disease are hard to identify, why qt even if it's just observation is really best, but if I had to suggest to someone that can not or does not have a qt, clear fins, active, not flashing, most important eating.