Ammonia poisoning to newly added clownfish?
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I don't remember. I had it tested by 2 different Lfs and bought the fish at a 3rd. They showed me the charts and everythin to show they werent telling me crap. Both showed 0 in ammonia and nitrite is all I can remember. Salinity is around 1.024 give or take .001. Nitrate was slightly over 0. Just enough to show in the test. Sorry no numbers.
The clownfish was swimming and looked healthy at the store. But it was also schoolig with the other clowns so could it be in withdrawl?
Not sure if this is significant or not, but the little clown is just swimming along the surface, has never taken a gasp of air and its fins aren't clamped along its side. The only thing in the tank are 3 snails, a hermit, mini brittle starfishes, some pods. There is some red streaks on the fins but they seem to be symmetrical so I could be just paranoid.
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Could be ammonia poisoning or a lack of oxgen in the water. Is there any surface aggitation at all from powerheads or filters? Also, it is not the best idea to be cycling your tank with fish without having your own test kit. I suggest that you go grab a liquid test kit tomorrow as well as a refractometer or a hydrometer (refractometer is more accurate). If there is no surface aggitation, put something in the tank that will get the water moving and get oxygen in the water. Either way, I would suggest doing a small water change.
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Get a test kit and stop relying on others to test it for you. Best of luck to you.
I did 2 water changes in the past 4 hours, with my salinity at 2.024. I will be headed to the lfs to get a test kit as soon as the place opens in 1 and a half hours. I have noticed that the little clown is swimming around more with the tank light on. It just floats at the top when the moonlight is on. So far no clamped fins or at the bottom of the tank like I've read about ammonia poisoning.
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
It could just be getting used to the tank, or maybe just sick with something else. Hard to tell. I kind of doubt it's ammonia - even if the tank wasn't cycled it would take a few days for it to show up and it doesn't sound like that's the case here.
Agree with others though... good time to get test kits for everything.
Agree with others though... good time to get test kits for everything.
Thanks everyone for the help. I was up all night watching him. I think he has hosted next to the heater. When the clock struck 9 I went to the store and got an API test kit. I forgot that these things are color coded (i'm blue/green colorblind.) I did the tests and asked people in the house which matched the closet.
Results with numbers now
pH- 8.0 a little low...
Ammonia (tested twice) between 0 and .25ppm on the chart but closer to 0
Nitrite- 0 no doubt
Nitrate- pretty high at 10ppm
It looks like I was just being paranoid.. Do clowns usually host towards the top next to a heater? I think mines afraid of the dark, at lights out it stays as close to the surface as it can get and stays still, when the lights are on it swims about a bit before returning to the heater
Results with numbers now
pH- 8.0 a little low...
Ammonia (tested twice) between 0 and .25ppm on the chart but closer to 0
Nitrite- 0 no doubt
Nitrate- pretty high at 10ppm
It looks like I was just being paranoid.. Do clowns usually host towards the top next to a heater? I think mines afraid of the dark, at lights out it stays as close to the surface as it can get and stays still, when the lights are on it swims about a bit before returning to the heater
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes, clown fish are know to hang at the top, next to a heater or any other object that offers them some protection. Once the lights are on it should start moving about a bit. It all sounds like normal behavior.
Still, you need your own test kits. I too am blue/green color blind so I use the Salifert test kits for Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Alk, and Magnesium. I use a Pinpoint monitor for pH and a refractometer for SG. The Salifert test kits have a sharp color change for most tests so it's easy to read the numbers.
Still, you need your own test kits. I too am blue/green color blind so I use the Salifert test kits for Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Alk, and Magnesium. I use a Pinpoint monitor for pH and a refractometer for SG. The Salifert test kits have a sharp color change for most tests so it's easy to read the numbers.
Yeah I have a testing kit now. I will look into the Salifert kits you are referring to I'm sure those will help out a lot. Lights are on and he's easing in and out of the heater. Any way to move his safe spot to somewhere closer to the center of the tank?
2.024..?? the salinity is high~!!
assume that typing error....yes...my clownie also acted like that....when the light is off, he swim more at the surface and near the return pipe...
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yea, I also assumed it was a typo and that SG was 1.024.
Clowns will go where they are happy. What else is in the tank?
How many gallons is the tank?
Clowns will go where they are happy. What else is in the tank?
How many gallons is the tank?
Yeah that was a bad typo. lol Right now nothing is in the tank but snails and a few hermits that seem to be nocturnal, live rock and sand. Its a 15 gallon, sounds kinda small... But i think i can get it to work with a clown. Just planning on some soft corals and shrooms. Its been a week after the cycle so there really isn't anything in the tank
Magma
Aquarium Advice Freak
i have 2 black clowns in my tank and when lights are off they lay ontop of my power head (closer to the base not on the intake) and also on top of my magfloat. they act really really weird at night and i assume thats normal for these fish.
my blue/green chromis lay sideways at the top of the water when they sleep....
my blue/green chromis lay sideways at the top of the water when they sleep....
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
My clowns didn't eat for a week when I first got them.
I got some frozen mysis and will try a bit of that. I've seen my little clown eat tiny pods climbing around the glass and such
EDIT:
The little guy goes for the mysis but some are just too big for him.. and its the smallest size of mysis I could get. Hermit is loving it though
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Try frozen brine shrimp, make sure they are vitamin enriched, otherwise they will have little to no nutritional value. As for the pellets, if you have the soft kind, it is fairly easy to take a sharp knife and cut them into halves or even quarters if the are big enough. Hikari Marine S pellets should be small enough as is if you can get your hands on them.
He's eating the mysis but just not the big pieces. I slapped chopped the pellets and he's just not interested.
