New Nano Reef Problems

[skkyy1329]

I just started a 14 gallon nano reef. I have about 14 pound of live rock, 4 snails, 2 hermit crabs, and finally added two baby clownfish. They have been eating and acting great until a couple of days ago when the larger of the two started swimming along the back wall, it won't leave the area, not even to eat. The other is eating normally. I checked my pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels and they were all fine. About tow hours ago I noticed lots of white pods covering the back wall underneath the larger clownfish. Are the fish spawning or is there another explanation?

 

[brandon4291]

I'd need to know the length of time of the tank's life before we could id the pods. If it's a well established tank, those are probably spirobranchid worms and not eggs. If they are eggs and they are white then that's bad... you can search this site for pics of healthy clown eggs to see

With this information so far and the test results you are listing my only firm advice would be to do a large water change, more than half, and start with another kind of fish to test again the life support balance.
Brandon

 

[Anonymous]

I just started a 14 gallon nano reef. I have about 14 pound of live rock, 4 snails, 2 hermit crabs, and finally added two baby clownfish. They have been eating and acting great until a couple of days ago when the larger of the two started swimming along the back wall, it won't leave the area, not even to eat. The other is eating normally. I checked my pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels and they were all fine. About tow hours ago I noticed lots of white pods covering the back wall underneath the larger clownfish. Are the fish spawning or is there another explanation?

i'm assuming that by 'pods' you mean copepods, etc., and not pod shaped objects

i doubt your clowns are old enough/mature enough/settled in enough to initiate spawning-you'd have also observed pairing off behavior, and pre-nup spawning preparation activity

it could be that the larger of the two clowns IS getting a tad territorial, and begining to get a hankering for defining a territory, or is getting bullied abit by the smaller (usually the smaller gets abit bullied, there are a few tussles, and the two then bond and become an established pair)

if it's breathing is normal, and all the parameters are ok, and there's no serious fighting between the two, i'd relax and adopt a 'wait and see' attitude for now, with a nice wc as brandon suggested

do not add excessive food to try and get food to the one who lost it's appetite

sometimes fish just act abit 'off' for awhile-like all animals, including us, they have their 'bad days'

hth