Done with store bought clowns.

[dismienguy]

I've been trying to get another pair of healthy clowns from the Stores around my area (south sac). Had my 3rd pair gone from brooklynella or something today. It caused the clown's skin to flake up white like what humans would get when they are sunburned.

Checked my parameters and everything seems in checked. The first time I had clowns and they died from ich I purged and ran my main tank fishless for months to starve out the ich. Later I've gone out and bought an extra tank (15gal) and set up a hospital tank. Bought em and the clowns did not even survive the Hospital tank process (two months ago) And this last time after waiting and deciding to try once more with The display tank about to 8months it's been changed and I was more experienced now and took everything slowly and cautiously from when I upgraded from 15gal to 20gal. The two Bangaii Cardinals (holding fish for a friend) are doing fine, the Mandarin is doing fine and eating well from the pod culture I have.Bought a pair of regular occ clowns acclimated them then Bam two days later the little one died and then today the bigger one.

I love the hobby but it's frustrating. What am I doing wrong? Am I unknowingly buying sick fish from my LFS? I like the stores (aqua Workz and Exotic aquarium) I hope it's not the case.

Idk I just need some help. It sucks watching a fishes' life slowly drift away before you take it out and dispose it or coming home and having your niece run to you crying about dead nemo.

But Yea I really don't know, I think I'm just a bad hobbyist.

 

[toky916]

It's the stores, I get mine locally when Saltwaternooby has them sometimes

 

[Sleepy22]

Whoa really?? I have bought clowns from aquaworkz, aqua depot, and your reef before and all have done great with straight intro to the display after 5hr acclimation.....u have 2 ask how long they have had them and also make sure they eat and that there isnt any sick fish that are on the
same filtration system as the clowns u buy....there are way too many factors 2 cause of death....dont give up!! They have tons of personality

 

[dismienguy]

Idk I think I just have bad luck. Maybe after a while of letting my tank mature a bit more then find myself a breeder or buy them online. Try my luck. Otherwise I think in just gna take it easy and do a invert and coral only tabk

 

[Saltwaternooby]

Thanks toly, my clowns havent bred in a while. So unfortunately i have none.

Yours doing good.

 

[79chopperdr]

Hang in there, clowns are very cool. I have 6 from Anthony, they have formed three pairs that bicker and squabble all day and occupy three zones of the tank. When the lights go out all 6 head into the same hammer colony. Very funny to watch like true siblings

 

[miracles38]

Make sure they are captive bred

 

[reef80]

Try Twins in Stockton if you don't mind the drive...make sure you purchase the clowns in his anenome tank by his register or where he also keeps his invertebrates....then for sure there's no copper and hypo salinity and the clowns acclimate better to reef tanks. Sometimes lfs mask the parasite by running low levels of cooper or a low salinity and then boom...it shows up our reef tank... Good luck and don't give up.

 

[Brieninsac]

Even though I'm new to the hobby, so far I'm having better luck buying from LFS's. I think the key is to closely observe any prospective fish and don't be afraid to walk away if the one your interested in doesn't seem quite right.

 

[jthao]

If you're going to buy them from the store, then make sure you have a proper qt set up, or else you're just playing Russian roulette.
If you don't have qt set up, then just buy them off another member. Every pair of clowns I've ever sold were all healthy and captive for many months/years before I sold it. Both pairs I got from Anthony are doing great, even the little ones I got from him, which were only eating powder when I got them, that's how small they were. Unfortunately, I had a "friend", MNC, hold them for me along with all my zoas and lps and an ati dimmable light he borrowed, and now has refused to return any of them to me, and has completely ignored me and is keeping all my corals, clownfishes, and light. And he's doing all this to me after I gave him his whole entire 120g set up for free! So idk how the clowns are atm. And if I could get them back, they're Picassos btw, I'll sell them to You for cheap. But this story is for another day. Heh

 

[rockryno]

Just bought a pair of tank raised clowns from yourreef yesterday. Acclimated for a couple hours and threw them in the display. Eating and swimming well. Fingers crossed. YourReef has a bunch more.

 

[simbarocks43]

Check out twins aquarium in stockton if bought clowns from them before some really nice clowns at affordable prices not kidding some off the best clowns I've seen

 

[Evster]

Not sure if I've just been lucky or what, but I don't even have any kind of qt setup. I float the fish for 45-hour and drip acclimate. I've never had any problems with fish (aside from wrasse jumping out)
I've had about 7 clowns now, 4 currently, and they are just fine.
My tank is only a 40g, so maybe less to go wrong? Lol.