2 Perculia Clown / Nemo Fish

[wstadnick]

Just recently got 2 of these fish. They seemed to be doing fine in the tank when i first put them in, were nibbling at the flake i was using. I've had them for about a week now. Tank has been set up for about month and a half, 2 months. Currently run two hanging filters, with T8 bulbs 50/50.

Ammon 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
PH about 8.1-8.2
Sal 23
Temp 78

About About a day or 2 after they seemed to stop eating the flake, and won't touch pellets. I put some seaweed into the tank either blue/purple and they didn't touch that, snails loved it tho. I tried a little bit of mysis shrimp frozen yesterday, and didn't really notice them going after it.. might have a few times, or might have just been swimming.

Now the 1 seems to hang out near the bottom when the lights are on, and seems to go vertical near the top of the tank during the day. i'm not home until later on in the day, but i notice before i go into work. Should i try feeding them at night maybe? The other clown seems to swim around fine, but seems to like to stay by the side of hte other one. From what i've seen online i beleive ones male and ones female.

Also the adding to the tank i did the floating bag, adding a little of my water to the bag water, over a long time method. Any suggestions on what i can do. They are currently only fish in tank, with some snails, and a shrimp.

Also to note they maybe eating when im sleeping, as there's never any food/pellet left on the ground inthe mornig. Or that may be my cleaning crew. Or could it just be them getting used to the tank. Also i beleive they were caught, and not tank born. ANd the Store said they were eating when i bought em.


**Also to add, i had a damsel fish in there for 2 weeks before returning him to the petstore and getting the 2 clowns, and he was fine in the tank, eating the flakes like a pig. I just hope i dont regret trading him in.

[leebca]

You don't mention the size of your tank.

Fishes that begin to eat then stop, soon after acquisition are usually because the change has had a negative effect. This includes water quality, space, foods being fed, environment, and acclimation problems.

Not much can be done to sort it out. Just be sure it isn't a disease -- watch for symptoms of infection, and parasites.

A two month old tank has not matured yet and is in a state of changing: The Mature Aquarium I'd say you were lucky with the Damsel in there, before any fish should have been added.

Create the most stable of environments as you can. If this is a small tank, then I suspect they will have caused a problem by being introduced together, to the biological system. Water quality includes much more than just the things we test for. It also has to do with the equipment you have running and the filters you have set up. You should read this post: What is Water Quality

For now, what you should do is a very large (over 85%) water change. Since this is a large water change, follow these guidelines for that water change: How to Make a Successful Water Change

See if the fish don't 'change' their behavior after the water change. If they do, perform another water change of that same size or larger, the next day.

If they come around, please start feeding them better food:
Feeding Marine Fish and Fish Nutrition
and
Getting Fish to Eat the Right Foods

[wstadnick]

Sorry thought i had all the information. The tank size is 55 gallon.

And ill get ready to do a water change.

As i sit here typing there both swimmin around fine right now. They go up to the flake food as to eat it.. but then back away.. might just be they don't like that particular one..

Should i try just feeding htem a lil mysis shrimp each day? Like a quarter of a cube?

Also i put a seaweed piece in there just in case..

[leebca]

They are omnivores. Continue to offer the macro algae, but reading and learning more will be your very next step in addition to the water changes. They will eat pods and also a very large variety of meaty foods.

[tstern]

Hey

I had the same problem with my percs a while ago. I went through six different types of food before I found something they'd eat. They will eat a mix of brine shrimp (frozen) and spectrum small pellets.