clowns not eating

[pufferman]

i have two ocellaris clowns that are about 2-3 months old and they suddenly stopped eating. I can't see anything wrong with them on the outside, no ich, no fin rot, nada. The clowns hasnt been eating for two weeks. i am really stumped.

 

[Wally]

What are your water parameters? Also temp and SG ?

 

[pufferman]

Ammonia=0.25
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=10
Specific Gravity=1.019
Temp= 77 degrees F

 

[two11devan]

Your temp is 77 degrees F?? That seems very low to me. Have you kept your tank at this temp for the whole 3 months the clowns were in there? I keep my tank around 82 degrees F. Also, your SG seems a little low. I try to keep my tank around 1.025. JMO

 

[saltcreep1025]

yea definetly need to raise the salinity... not to fast though. What are you feeding?

 

[Wally]

My concern would be the ammonia. I am in the prosses of lowering my temp from 82 down to 76 after seeing the most fantastic coral reef set up ever in a lfs located in Mason City Iowa. His set up is a 180 gallon with 74 degrees and 1.020 sg!

Way lower than conventional wisdom dictates, however I could not argue with the results.

 

[pufferman]

i feed tetra marine flakes and occasional brine shrimp

 

[jamal-188]

I would bump your temp up to around 80 F, gradually increase your SG to 1.025 and find out what is causing your amonia to be above 0(the only acceptable amount) How often do you feed them and how much? I would suggest other types of food as well however if the clowns were eating already sometine else must be causing this problem.

 

[mansiz]

You mean the clowns are in your tank 2 to 3 months or you mean the age of them are around 2 to 3 months? If they are around 2 to 3 months in your tank, meaning your tank has been at least running for 2 to 3 months, there should be no NH3. The NH3 and the after rising of NO2 should be the problem. SG I think for fishes, 1.019 they can be able to survive healthly.

 

[pufferman]

my tank is 5-6 months old. the clowns were added to my tank 3-4 months ago, Meaning that the tank was empty 1-2 months.

 

[pufferman]

i checked my tank this morning. The clowns lips dont seem to close. he tries to eat but cant grab the food.
thanks

 

[Guest]

I checked your Gallery, and was a bit surprised to see no live rock. This is more than likely why your having ammonia, ecspecially with the bio load from the puffer. 0.25 is not an acceptable range for ammonia, it should be a constant 0, the same goes for nitrites. All I can say is do a good 50% water change, and try to get a hold of some good cured LR. Id also put in a DSB if possible. I have two perculas and my smaller one stopped eating for a week, then started to eat again. Since you have ammonia readings id say that is the cause of their health decline, and loss of appetite. Best of luck, and remember the more rock you have the more biological filtration, and that is the key to better water.