I dropped Nemo

[SquanGirl]

Hi everyone. I feel really bad typing this but I am looking for some info on what might happen to my clown fish?

I have a 35g salt water tank with 30lbs of rock and my substrate all ready to go.

I just got my new tank through the cycling period, everything is GREAT! Today was the day I could add a fish. Went to my store and got two tiny clown fish and proceeded to add them to the tank. When I had them both in the net and was about to drop them into my tank, one of the little guys jumped out of the net and landed on my granite countertop!

After I screamed, I scooped him up in a matter of seconds and dropped him in my tank. They are both swimming around just fine now but I feel sick to my stomach that I might have hurt him.

· Has this happened to anyone?
· Are these fish very delinquent?

I plan to watch them like a hawk but I feel so bad. I went through all the steps to acclimate him to the water, temperature, etc and that happened!

Advice please.

 

[Zer0]

I think he'll be fine. Best thing you can do is watch over him just like you said you would.

 

[mrg02d]

My clown went carpet surfing after leaping out of the tank to bite my hand. He (she) is okay, maybe a little nicer now.

Im sure your clown will be just fine.

Matt

 

[Mitchell0605]

Clowns are damsels which are a tough little fish species. I'd say he'll probably be fine. Or she.

 

[thincat]

It does not seem that you acclimated your new arrivals to your tanks parameter. I would worry more about not acclimating then a clown falling onto a counter top. Did you acclimate them?

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

lol read the second last sentence thincat, the one about going through all the steps to acclimate them

 

[SHARPiE]

lol read the second last sentence thincat, the one about going through all the steps to acclimate them

I don't see anything about acclimating?
Just that the tank is cycled and ready for fish.


The best way to acclimate is to float the bag (evening out the temp), then drip acclimation (with airline tubing) for minimum of 30 mins to even the parameters between the shop's water and your tank water (Salinity and pH and kH are the main factors you need to even out). NEVER put the shop's water into your tank. Floating the bag only levels out the temps.


PS - Your clown should be fine - it's not like it had a 1.5m drop onto the floor. Clowns are very hardy as Mitchell said.

 

[harmy4993]

here you go

I don't see anything about acclimating?
Just that the tank is cycled and ready for fish.

\

I plan to watch them like a hawk but I feel so bad. I went through all the steps to acclimate him to the water, temperature, etc and that happened!

 

[SHARPiE]

Hahah,
Cheers - I didn't notice that there tucked away at the bottom!!
Thanks Harmy

 

[thincat]

lol read the second last sentence thincat, the one about going through all the steps to acclimate them

OOPS, my bad....

 

[SquanGirl]

Hi folks, I did acclimate them and as I was netting him into the tank from the bag, he jumped from the net out!

The way the store told me to acclimate was:
- place bag in tank (closed) and let sit for 15min
- open bag and place a 1/2 cup of may tank water in bag, let sit for 15min
- place another 1/2 cup of my tank water in bag, let sit for 15 min
- net out of bag and place in tank (do not put bag water in tank)
- turn off lights for 24 hours.

thoughts?

 

[SquanGirl]

To confirm I did acclimate him accoding to the instructions of the store. Those were:
- let bag float in tank for 15min
- put a 1/2 cup of my tank water in bag for 15min
- put another 1/2 cup of my tank water in bag for 15min
- net out the fish into tank (not allowing any water from bag to enter the tank
- shut off lights for 24 hours

Does this sound reasonable?

 

[SHARPiE]

That sounds fine for a damsel (clown).

Other delicate fish (including sea stars) will need the process done much more gradually.

How's he/she going?

 

[SquanGirl]

Woke up and they are doing great. I noticed they only stood in one spot and this morning they are in another area of the tank.

I am hopefull! (and nervous). The store said next week I can put a cleaning crew in.

 

[MCorder]

I'm not a saltwater keeper...but I did have a goldfish when I was younger that constantly jumped from my tank during the night. I'd find him/her in the morning, dried to the point that it was sticky or completely dry, and place it back in the tank. This went on for years with no damage to the fish.

 

[SquanGirl]

Quick Question on Feeding. The pet store said feed these two clown fish twice a day! Morning an night, does this sound excessive? I thought you feed something like 3x's a week?

 

[thincat]

Okay, there is no need to keep the bag closed while floating it to bring the bag to AQ temp. Second I would drip acclimate by either using a tank valve or just tying two knots in the 1/4" drip line and ajust for 1 or 2 drips a second.. Third, feeding 2x is excessive. Feed them and watch how much they eat and judge from there how much they can eat in 5 mins. #4. clowns will blow your mind as to how they swim. They are just so much fun to watch.

 

[Mitchell0605]

They will also blow your mind with they stupidity sometimes.

 

[SHARPiE]

Clowns. Stupid. NEVER!!
I rekon clowns are the dorks of salt water aquaria!

 

[SquanGirl]

One more quick questions folks. The Hydrometer measures the level of salt in the water. Mine (which is new) does not have any reading. The hand it totally off the charts. Do yout think its broke? Surely if it was working if would give me some sort of a reading? Mine is this one below and the arm is point straight up where the water come in?