Please help! My clown is dying! Only a baby!

[ChelseazFishiez]

okay, so I'm in a hurry!! please help me!! I got my occellaris clown fish just today! I left it in the bag and kept in in the tank WITh the fish INSIDE the bag for about 20-25 mins. They I netted out the fish and put them into my 10 gallon aquarium!
I got two one has all its stripes . And the other one a just really young cuzz it's 3rd stripe is developing, and it doesn't have that black line on its tail .. Just when I put it in, it was floating UPSIDE DOWNNN!! But it's gills where moving .. so i stirred thed water a little bit and it started swimming a little towards the bottom and trying and stuggling then it float back upside down!
I called for help on this help line where i got the store from, and he said it was probably under alot of stress and the gravity change was big and its older enviroment had a lower gravity and salinity level. I tested my gravity and stuff and it came out pretty high so I added some fresh water to it, and now the salintity is 28, and the grav. is 1.020-0.020 !!
please help!! and the other fish is just in one corner, and its having trouble breathing??? it just looks like its gasping... poor fishy.. PlLEASEE HELP! THANKS FOR READING I KNOW, THIS IS LONG BUT ALL HELP IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!

wHAT SHOULD I DOOO??!!!?!??!?!?!?!?! :'(

from about 30 mins later-- whenever i tap the glass with my fingernail where my fish is it swims for a moment then slowly gos upside down again, and my other fish isn't swimming it's just on the to pof hte tank like ''standing'' pleaseeee help..

 

[Innovator]

Sounds like you know what happened and didn't acclimate properly for salinity adjustments. I would try and match what the salinity of the lfs at this point...and leave things be. I imagine the rest of your water parameters are up to par: please post them including pH and temperature.

 

[Sadielynn]

I echo innovator on this ,Keep water perameters in check keep extra water for emergency H20 changes ....
Keep your lights out and stop tapping you are stressing the lil guy out more ... Give it a day or two but at this point there may not be much left to do to save him ...
If he does not make it follow acclimation guidelines

 

[SHARPiE]

Hi ChelseazFishiez - got a few questions for you:

- How long do you intend to keep the two clowns in the 10g tank for?
- Do you have plenty of hiding places for the scared/stressed fish?
- Is there adequate waterflow?
- Do you have any form of oxygenation in the water?
- Did the fish look active and happy @ the fish store?
- Did you ask the fish store to show you that they are eating?


Next time you acclimate your saltwater fish, make sure it's a longer processes. Float the bag for a few hours, and every 30 mins, add a small amount of your tank water into the bag with the fish (so they can gradually acclimate to your tanks parameters - there are lots of articles on welcoming your new fish home, one of the best options being a drip method)

Also - it may scare or stress the fish if you are tapping on the glass.

 

[match55]

IMO I really don't recommend using net to any fishes.
has a chance to damage the fish gills or any part of the body.
Good luck on your clown, my tiny clown didn't make it and died this morning.

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

-I'm going keep them for as long a they can live
-I didn't turn on the fliter cuzz I'm scared it might suck the fish into the filter

I put in some live rock (cured) and I put in some plastic plants and decor and live sand. I kept the lights off.

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

the ph was about 7.5 - 8.0 (I checked yesterday)

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

sorry, but what does acclamation mean? I asked this one guy, but he just repeated what he just said..

 

[match55]

acclimation mean u need to slowly add water from your tank to your fish bag.
or you can pull the whole bag with the fish in a container and slowly drip water from your main tank, so the fish can get use to your tank water.

the water drop should be really slow.
acclimation
this should help u understand it clearly

and the pH should be a little hard around 8.2
7.5 is a little low IMO

I would still open your filter, cuz you still want some water flow for gas exchange at the surface.
but IMO I don't recommend doing water change as its trying hard to get use to the tank now.

good luck ><

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

o ok thanks so much i try and turn the filter on now

 

[SHARPiE]

The pH should be up at 8.2 and steady - big jumps in pH can really stress the fish out.

• What are you using as substrate (gravel/sand) - the best option is to use coral sand or aragnite to keep your pH @ 8.2

The filter could be a BIG factor. You mentioned you are worried that the fish might be sucked in. How big is the inlet of the filter?

- I definatley would reccomend having the filter on for a few reasons:

1. Water Movement
2. Oxygenation (could be the reason the fish are gasping)
3. Removal of bad bacteria/detrius

(Someone correct me if I am wrong)

 

[match55]

is the clown still unside down?
hows it now?

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

i tried turning on the filter and its moving a little bit doing good! thanks everyone for the advice!!!!~

 

[match55]

let us know how it does tmr.
^^

 

[SHARPiE]

let us know how it does tmr.
^^

Definatley let us know how the little guys are going!

 

[ChelseazFishiez]

thanks to everyone who helped!! My 2 fish are doing very well !!! Again, thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo extremely much!

 

[match55]

thanks to everyone who helped!! My 2 fish are doing very well !!! Again, thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo extremely much!

^^ yeahh, my clowns started to eat too.
good to hear your clown is doing well now
take good care of it ^^

 

[SHARPiE]

That is great to hear ChelseazFishiez and match55.

Good Luck! and Happy Keeping