Clown fish not eating

[imhyder]

Hi guys,

Need expert advise, I have a pair of clown fish that I bought about 6 days ago.

I am new to the hobby and it’s a new tank.

I have only just added live stock for the first time and regularly check my parameters which are all looking good.

Currently in the tank I have two clown fish, 3 tiny turbo snails and 3 hermit crabs it’s a 100L Red Sea tank with Java rocks and live sand.

One of the clowns isn’t eating since yesterday day or eating too little, I also noticed a black spot on it and when I try to feed it just ignores the food and if it does take anything in the mouth would just spit out.
While the other one is just rushing towards food and will only ignore if it’s full.

Behaviours wise I haven’t noticed anything unusual it’s pretty active and fast breathing seems normal too so just unsure if I should be concerned.

The main thing that got me worried was not eating and this black spot.

Please advise what should id

Thank you

 

[Lavey29]

Did you properly cycle the tank before adding fish? Rock is the primary source for your beneficial bacteria to colonize. Why did you wait to add rock? We're these an established pair or clowns that were properly QT before adding to the tank?

 

[LaloJ]

You mention that the tank parameters are fine, but what numbers do you have there?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys,

Need expert advise, I have a pair of clown fish that I bought about 6 days ago.

I am new to the hobby and it’s a new tank.

I have only just added live stock for the first time and regularly check my parameters which are all looking good.

Currently in the tank I have two clown fish, 3 tiny turbo snails and 3 hermit crabs it’s a 100L Red Sea tank with Java rocks and live sand.

One of the clowns isn’t eating since yesterday day or eating too little, I also noticed a black spot on it and when I try to feed it just ignores the food and if it does take anything in the mouth would just spit out.
While the other one is just rushing towards food and will only ignore if it’s full.

Behaviours wise I haven’t noticed anything unusual it’s pretty active and fast breathing seems normal too so just unsure if I should be concerned.

The main thing that got me worried was not eating and this black spot.

Please advise what should id

Thank you

Black spot looks like hyper-melanization but dont see where you have anything that would sting it, but may also be pigment. By any chance, is there intimidation from other clown? Often this can be the case.
Is fish breathing normal or rapid?

 

[imhyder]

Did you properly cycle the tank before adding fish? Rock is the primary source for your beneficial bacteria to colonize. Why did you wait to add rock? We're these an established pair or clowns that were properly QT before adding to the tank?

Hi

So the tank has cycled perfectly from my understanding, I even had huge population of copepods.

The rock was added at the same time as sand and water when the tank was first set up but its java rock and not real live rock.

I am not too sure on quarantine as I only acclimated them in and added to the tank I assume the store would have done that and I don’t have a quarantine tank either

 

[imhyder]

Black spot looks like hyper-melanization but dont see where you have anything that would sting it, but may also be pigment. By any chance, is there intimidation from other clown? Often this can be the case.
Is fish breathing normal or rapid?

This is actually the bigger one of the two and if anything I have notice this one picking in the small one at time but nothing too serious. Breathing and behaviour looks very normal

 

[imhyder]

You mention that the tank parameters are fine, but what numbers do you have there?

So the parameters are:

Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.0
Nitrate 0-5
Nitrite 0 ppm
Ammonia 0ppm

Temp 25c

 

[Solo McReefer]

Maybe she had a snack when you weren't looking

And spoiled her appetite

 

[imhyder]

Maybe she had a snack when you weren't looking

And spoiled her appetite

I genuinely hope so but unlikely and the main cause of concern is that black spot and loss of appetite but strange since the behaviour seems very normal or maybe it’s just too early to show on its behaviour I don’t know man just concerned for my little friends

 

[vetteguy53081]

I genuinely hope so but unlikely and the main cause of concern is that black spot and loss of appetite but strange since the behaviour seems very normal or maybe it’s just too early to show on its behaviour I don’t know man just concerned for my little friends

I dont see this as a water parameter issue as other would too not be eating and inverts would be sluggish. I still suspect intimidation as clowns especially will be on their best behavior in your presence until you walk away.
How are you testing water?

 

[imhyder]

I dont see this as a water parameter issue as other would too not be eating and inverts would be sluggish. I still suspect intimidation as clowns especially will be on their best behavior in your presence until you walk away.
How are you testing water?

Hey so I am using an API marine test kit, hydrometer and refractometer to test the water.

I have also noticed whitish poop from this particular clown fish and i tried to feed the mysis starting yesterday but it hasn’t seen it eating much

One other thing I have noticed is increased aggression towards the smaller clown fish.

 

[imhyder]

Is there like a fish vet or someone on this forum who would know what to do ??

Please help if you guys have any leads

Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey so I am using an API marine test kit, hydrometer and refractometer to test the water.

I have also noticed whitish poop from this particular clown fish and i tried to feed the mysis starting yesterday but it hasn’t seen it eating much

One other thing I have noticed is increased aggression towards the smaller clown fish.

As previously suspected, aggression/intimidation which would cause a fish to not eat. The white feces may be due to excess mucus in the stomach lining which often occurs from feeding mysis or brine shrimp exclusively. Try other foods such as LRS fish frenzy, TDO small pellets and plankton. Is intimidation a possibility? . . . next time you feed, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.
Review the video and see if this is the case

 

[imhyder]

As previously suspected, aggression/intimidation which would cause a fish to not eat. The white feces may be due to excess mucus in the stomach lining which often occurs from feeding mysis or brine shrimp exclusively. Try other foods such as LRS fish frenzy, TDO small pellets and plankton. Is intimidation a possibility? . . . next time you feed, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.
Review the video and see if this is the case

See that’s the thing the aggressor is the bigger one who is not eating the smaller is the one getting bullied it is eating just fine.

The other thing is initially I was feeding them small pallet food which both were eating but than for the past 2-3 days the bigger one just stopped eating the pallets and would spit out even if it did eat one or two so I did a bit of research online and though I should try feeding them mysis and only started them feeding my sis from yesterday so the one eats fine just like it was eating pallets but the bigger one who is the aggressor is only eating the tiniest of particles if any and also has been increasingly aggressive toward the smaller one.

I’ll try getting the other foods you mentioned tomorrow as everything in Sydney is closed at this hour.

I’ll try walking away too to see if it helps.

Will post update tomorrow

 

[vetteguy53081]

See that’s the thing the aggressor is the bigger one who is not eating the smaller is the one getting bullied it is eating just fine.

The other thing is initially I was feeding them small pallet food which both were eating but than for the past 2-3 days the bigger one just stopped eating the pallets and would spit out even if it did eat one or two so I did a bit of research online and though I should try feeding them mysis and only started them feeding my sis from yesterday so the one eats fine just like it was eating pallets but the bigger one who is the aggressor is only eating the tiniest of particles if any and also has been increasingly aggressive toward the smaller one.

I’ll try getting the other foods you mentioned tomorrow as everything in Sydney is closed at this hour.

I’ll try walking away too to see if it helps.

Will post update tomorrow

Any heavy breathing or loss of color?
May be mucus starting to build

 

[imhyder]

Any heavy breathing or loss of color?
May be mucus starting to build

Neither so no heavy breathing yet and no loss in color, it’s looks completely healthy and still active too but has been more aggressive towards the small one.

Just doesn’t eat and has two black spots one on the fin and the other close to the tail and the poop has been white blob like.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Neither so no heavy breathing yet and no loss in color, it’s looks completely healthy and still active too but has been more aggressive towards the small one.

Just doesn’t eat and has two black spots one on the fin and the other close to the tail and the poop has been white blob like.

The black dots are hyper-melanization which are likely stings from an anemone or euphyllia coral and may shake the fish up a little but no harmful effects