Clownfish Not Eating ;/

[under10minutes]

Picked up a pair of phatoms from MR on Black Friday. They were eating cylopeez when I got them but now I'm noticing one isn't eating at all. I've tried Mysis, cyclopeez, New Era, with garlic, without garlic..... Can anyone recommend some food that I should try?

 

[piranhapat]

Brineshrimp is other food they like. Once settle in tank he should start eating. As long he's not breathing heavy. Does he go after food and spit it out. Or no interest in eating. Could be water par are different causing him to be stress.

 

[under10minutes]

Thanks for responding. I'll confirm parameters tonight. I do see him breathing rather heavily. I think the pair that I acquired are two females but I'm not sure if that is what is causing stress.


I did some prelim research and read up on the behavior of clowns when establishing dominance. When they encounter each other they both turn on their sides and have their little shaking fits. This has been going on since Black Friday. It stopped this week. Now they have selected opposite sides of the tank and are both hosting anemones. Oddly enough (or maybe not oddly) this is about the same time the one stopped eating.


Do you think there is a link?

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

About how big are they each?

Clownfish who pair up usually do not stop doing the submissive dance ever. The female will continue to harrass so the dominance is reaffirmed. I have a 5 inch clown that still does this till the male either shakes or starts cleaning rock.

Do they ever meet up or stay in seperate anemones the whole time.

How big of a tank as well?

 

[under10minutes]

120 gallon.


The large one is about 2-2.5 lips to fin. Smaller one is about 1.5. Noticeably different in size.


Every once in a while they will meet up and go through the shaking ritual.


I'm terrible concerned about their lack of eating. I'm not sure how long they can go without a large meal. It's been about a week since the big one ate. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lskywalker5]

I think hat if it keeps happening for a couple more weeks you might have a problem. I read somewhere that fish can not eat for a month... Have you tried live food?

 

[under10minutes]

I have not. Any recommendations?

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

Try live brine or live black worms. I think everything is all right. I would
Just try some live foods to see their reaction.

They may be picky. Sometimes my large female gaster will not eat squid a week later she will. Have you seen them poop and if so what color

 

[under10minutes]

Thank you, I will try both.


As far as the poop goes I haven't caught them in the act. I'm afraid with their lack of appetite I might not get a chance.

 

[under10minutes]

Parameters:

Temp 78
NH4 0
NO3 30
pH 8.1
Salinity 1.025
KH 8
Ca 460
PO4 .25

 

[piranhapat]

So the bigger clown isn't eating. And the little one is eating. If you can try catching the little one. Place him in a container and keeping him in same tank. See if the bigger one is less stressed and see if he eats. Usually the little one gets chase and beat up a bit.

 

[under10minutes]

Try live brine or live black worms. I think everything is all right. I would
Just try some live foods to see their reaction.

They may be picky. Sometimes my large female gaster will not eat squid a week later she will. Have you seen them poop and if so what color

Poop is white and long. Looks like a string with tiny little bumps on it. Perhaps a worm? But very very thin. Like the thing that comes out if a vermtid snail (spelling?)

 

[chris koci]

About how big are they each?

Clownfish who pair up usually do not stop doing the submissive dance ever. The female will continue to harrass so the dominance is reaffirmed. I have a 5 inch clown that still does this till the male either shakes or starts cleaning rock.

Do they ever meet up or stay in seperate anemones the whole time.

How big of a tank as well?

do you have a pic of the 5 inch clown

 

[brand]

live food.

have you tried live food. brine shrimp Mysis .....if that doesn't do it then something wrong for sure.

 

[brand]

Long, white, or stringy feces... possibly "plugged up" likely not feeding...:Internal parasites (of the lumen)... usually protozoan (e.g. Octomita/Hexamita) or worms of various possibilities. Even just resultant from poor adjustment, acclimation... Recent moving, introduction to a new setting.Isolation, feeding of medicated foods (Protozoacide and Anthelminthic), and/or administration of anti-protozoal and deworming agents to the water possibly. Epsom Salt.

 

[brand]

googled this for you .

Long, white, or stringy feces... possibly "plugged up" likely not feeding...:Internal parasites (of the lumen)... usually protozoan (e.g. Octomita/Hexamita) or worms of various possibilities. Even just resultant from poor adjustment, acclimation... Recent moving, introduction to a new setting.Isolation, feeding of medicated foods (Protozoacide and Anthelminthic), and/or administration of anti-protozoal and deworming agents to the water possibly. Epsom Salt.

 

[brand]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisart.htm

 

[eazy al]

I got a picasso from San Francisco it was shipped around the holidays on a Thursday to be delivered on friday , it never made on friday FedEx F up and left the package behind so it stayed and extra day.got the package on Saturday around 12:47 pm I was surprised both were still alive very, very stressed out it would not eat nothing at all then it stayed on top on a dark erea kept the lights of I feed Azoo 9 in 1 , golden pearl,
new life spectrum h2o flakes, new life spectrum Thera A+ w/extra garlic , cyclopeez, bride shrimp w/sperilina and I even try live shrimp n nothing it would not touch it .A member here kool dude, (akma) recommend ova nutrimar it's prone eggs it started eating it very slow it didn't eat. For 8 days now the picasso is good

 

[eazy al]

^^^^What he said also qt hit him up with some pratzipro .