Our fish just FLIPPED OUT!!!

[sstanle4]

We got our clown fish and purple firefish yesterday.. They're in a 10 gal tank with about 3 lbs of live rock. Our clown has been acting weird all day and we thought something might be wrong with him. He hasn't eaten all day and he continually laid on his side against the wall of the aquarium or against one of our rocks. We turned the hood light off and our clown went crazzzzyyyyyy!! maybe into shock? maybe? (you know when Nemo wakes up in the aquarium, and he swims around running into things, yeah! like that!). Then! he immediately stopped moving and turned upside down... We thought he was dead. But he was still breathing... So. We kept working with him until he turned up right and started swimming again. Now he is swimming at the top of the tank... What just happened to our Nemo? Please help us...

 

[Wlegrow]

Don't know - might have just startled him... I've got two that when the light's out - they sleep at the top of the tank almost on their sides and they've done that since day one.

Try to get two lights and have one turn off 1/2 hour before the other.. that way it'll be more like sunset and do the same when they turn on - sunrise.

That might help.

The issue with him not eating and acting strangely all day might be stress from a fast aclimation?

Test your water to make sure the levels are okay.

 

[Whitegurl84]

Our clowns did the same thing they eventually calmed down. They still sleep at the top corner of the tank at night. When we turn on the lights they swim around normally.

 

[joy13]

It is probably stressed out, is your tank cycled? If you put both fish in today even if is cycled there could be an ammonia spike you have to remember it is a tiny tank for 2 fish.

 

[sstanle4]

well. sadly, that particular clown died.. about 2 hours after that was posted. and the purple firefish died not too long after the clown did. however. we got two more clowns and they are swimming non stop! back and forth across the front and sides of the tank. is that normal??

 

[herp_mommy]

just my two cents- you shouldn't have bought new fish without figuring out how the first ones died. What are your water parameters?

 

[sstanle4]

oh yeah. we found out why they died. they both were extremely stressed. we found out that these two fish had been in a 55 gallon tank for the past two years. then were suddenly transferred to ours (a 10 gal). our LFS neglected to inform us about these fish and where they had been until after they died. it had nothing to do with our levels because we check them everyday and they're always good.

 

[redsea]

Sorry about your losses. Congrats on your new fish though!

 

[Wlegrow]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your fish! That's terrible. Good luck with the new ones!

 

[LyndaB]

oh yeah. we found out why they died. they both were extremely stressed. we found out that these two fish had been in a 55 gallon tank for the past two years. then were suddenly transferred to ours (a 10 gal). our LFS neglected to inform us about these fish and where they had been until after they died. it had nothing to do with our levels because we check them everyday and they're always good.

What test kit are you using? And what are your exact readings?