First Clowns and a few questions

[Ruskin]

Hi,

I just picked up these little guys last night and have them sitting in the quarantine tank after a quick freshwater dip. Not only are they our first clowns they're also the first SW fish i've had. They'll be going in my 24g Nano after thier quarantine period. I havent really been in to take too many photo's, I figured Id give them a bit of a break. Here's a quick one from this morning:

There is only two(reflection) and the bottom isnt as messy as it seems, its the styrofoam underneath the tank.

So, my real reason for posting, other then just to share a quick pic... I tried feeding them this morning and they wernet having any of it. I tried some flake, and frozen formula 1 and some frozen brine. They noticed the food but didnt take to it(they were eating frozen brine @ the LFS) so after a minute or so I scooped the food back out. Should I be worried yet or just keep trying with what I have? Will they eventually take the food, just perhaps the big move yesterday was too much for them for now?

Other then not eating they seem fine, they swin all over the tank and have hosted a plastic bowl I added for security quickly. They do occasionally nip at eachother but never enough to have one dash across the tank, they both stay in the bowl even during the nipping. Establishing dominance perhaps?

Like i said these are my first clowns, so I thought I better get some second opinions and some ideas from those of you with experience.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[GSMguy]

try frozen cyclopeze to get them eating its great stuff

 

[cschweitzer]

mysis with selcon and garlic has always worked for me.

What method did you use for FW dip? It may have stressed them out.

 

[Ruskin]

I thought the dip may have over stressed them as well. I used some RO water and matched the temp and ph as best I could. I also added a few drops of methylene blue. The dip didnt last long as the little guys looked stressed and even attempted to jump out so i quickly got them out and into the QT. I guess i should have mentioned that in my earlier post.

Where would I get Mysis?LFS or grocery store?

 

[GSMguy]

Pyscine Energetics (sp?) mysis shrimp are the best ive found and many LFS sell them
Selcon and Garlic too

 

[cschweitzer]

PE's are really good; they're fat and big...if not, there are many substitutes to that brand that will work. Any good LFS will sell mysis of some brand or another.

 

[Ovuel]

Ruskin,

I just want you to know that I am in the same boat you are. I just brought home my first clown fish a few days ago as well. He wouldn't eat at all for about the first 24 hours. Late into the second evening I got him to eat some formula one flakes. Last night and this morning I fed him a mix of Cycops, Squid, Mysis and Krill. I just got hom today and he mowed down formula one flakes again. I wouldn't be too worried just yet if they aren't eating. If you get to the third day and still nothing, then I would start to get concerned.

Just a tip that I think is correct. Brine is something that really should only be used as a treat so you might not want to include it as one of the staples of their diet. I did some research, including tips from a lot of the helpful people here and have heard lots of great things about Rods Food. I do plan to try it once my payload runs out, but for the time being I just tried to get as many of the same ingredients as Rods Food has.

Finally congrats you have two great looking clowns. The fact that they are "hosting" together alerady is going to make your life much simpler in the long run.

Good Luck,

-Rob

 

[Ruskin]

Thanks Rob I appreciate that. It nice to know that we arnt alone in these kind of things. I'll try again later tonight and then if by the weekend nothing i'll have to start looking for cyclopeeze and/or mysis. I'll try not to give them brine shrimp too much, but it would be nice to see them eat something. Got any pics of yours?

Oh well, i'll keep everyone updated with how they do.

Thanks for the info on mysis aswell fellas.

Matt

 

[Ovuel]

 

[RTKBA308]

I just got one too . Only one, a Clakii(SP). I just got him tonight, acclimated it and he is now the first fish in my tank. He seems a little stressed. Kinda staying in one place, not swimming around much.

The food that is mentioned, is it normally at LFS? How much should I get? How much food do they go through?

 

[Ovuel]

I just posted my full "Clown Adventure" here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1073107

As far as fod is concerned, I would definately recommend geting at least some kind of flake for days you are runing late. For frozen foods I bought the 100G frozen packages of everything except the Mysis Shrimp. For the Mysis I bought the 200G frozen package.

From my first mix of one cube from each tray I can tell you that I got 4 feedings per one cube. That is while feeding only one fish, and mixing 4 cubes together. I would assume you could probably get about 2 feedings per frozen cube if you used them one at a time.

Be sure you get some kind of selcon or cyclopeze to mix in with whatever frozen foods you are feeding. Some people have recommended dipping your flakes in the same stuff before you feed those as well. As I mention the flakes are a quicky feed for me, so I bought the Formula One Flakes with added Garlic and make sure I only feed flakes once a day this way I don't worry about dipping.

Everybody you ask is going to have a different routine, but I have found this pretty convenient for my lifestyle and so far my fish seem to enjoy it.

Almost any LFS that sells SW fish is going to carry frozen mysis, some form of Formula One (pellets, flakes or frozen), and some form of Cyclopeze/Selcon. I can tell you that I brought home a sample of the formula one small pellets and my Juvy Tomato wasn't very fond of them. I honestly think it had more to do with texture then anything.

As you get the chance look at some of the beautifully colored clowns that people on this forum have and go to the LFS and compare them with the colors of the clowns they have there. I have found that even display tanks in all my LFS don't hold a candle to the coloring of the clowns of some of the people who frequent this forum have. I "bugged" a lot of vforum vets to find out what and how they feed their clowns, and that is how I came up with my system. Again though everybody is going to do things in a way that works best for them. Good luck.

-Rob

 

[RTKBA308]

Kool, thanks for the info..

I was going to ask what was better pellets, flakes or frozen. But, from what you said, I'll try the frozen and flakes, instead of the pellets.

 

[Ruskin]

Still no luck with feeding. Today they took some food and spat it back out. Guess they didnt like it. I'll be going to pickup some mysis this afternoon. How exactly do you guys soak it in the selcon? Would you thaw it in some tank water then remove and soak then feed? Also, with the garlic, you crush it(with one of those utensils that turns it into tiny squares-no idea what its called) and then mix it in with the food? I appreciate the help.

RTKBA308- I've tried the flakes, but my two arnt digging them. Maybe yours will. Good luck, i hope she eats!

 

[Ovuel]

Ruskin,

If worse comes to worse you can always call/visit your LFS and find out what they have been feeding them while they were there. Even if you have to buy a small container of cheap crap at least they will be eating something until you can ween them off.

I really would imagine they would eat sooner or later. I have had FW fish go as long as 8 days without eating after newly purchased. After that though the one I'm refering to ate fine. I'm not saying waiting 8 days is safe, but a couple can be normal. Just curious what are you offering so far?

 

[Ruskin]

Good idea with calling the LFS i will try that if all else fails.

So far its been brine shrimp the morning after i got them. I know its a treat, but it was something I thought would help get them started. That night I tried some frozen formula1... they looked at it but didnt eat any.. or even pick at it.

Today i've tried forumla 1 flakes so far. They pick but then spit it right back out. And its not spit and chew spit and chew. It's small pieces that they are just spitting out completely. They are moving after small flakes floating in the water column but once they get them the spit em out again.

On my way over to the LFS in an hour or so. I called and they have both mysis and cyclopeeze. I may just pick them both up and some selcon. The fish seem interested in eating, just not what they have been offered so far. Atleast i hope thats what it is.

 

[Ruskin]

Well, i just made another attempt. This time with the mysis selcon garlic combo and they each had one very small bite. I guess that's a good thing? They ate, but it wasnt alot at all. Could they just not be ready for food yet? Are they maybe still stressed? I guess I'm happy they ate something but just figured that they would pig out.

 

[Ovuel]

Well if it makes you feel any better, my Tomato hasn't eaten a thing since all of the drama last night. I put flakes in for him, he swims to them, but then doesn't bother. Now I know he likes them, because he pigged out on them two days in a row. I honestly think it is all just stress related. I can't imagine the fish would starve themselves to death when food is being offered. Keep us up to date.

-Rob

 

[RTKBA308]

Well, with my clown.....

I had no choice but to go to Petsmart, all they had was pellet food.

I put a tiny bit in the tank and he would eat as the pellets fell. He would not eat it from the surface or once it hit the sand. He is pretty fast, but dumb. Out of seven pellets, hewould only get three as they fell.

Is there a better way to feed?

 

[Ovuel]

Ruskin,

I just want to be sure, because I think you already said once before. You don't have anything else in the tank besides these two clowns right now? What have you got for a cleaning crew?

RTK,

I don't worry about what the clown doesn't eat. I know that most of the food that makes it to the bottom is going to get sucked up by the Scooter Blenny (Scooter Dragonet) or one of the two Pepperment Shrimp or one of the 4 Nassarius (SP?) snails that are in there. The only thing I could maybe suggest would be to try to drop in 2 at a time. Chances are though his success rate isn't going to be 100%.

 

[RTKBA308]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9506629#post9506629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ovuel
Ruskin,

I just want to be sure, because I think you already said once before. You don't have anything else in the tank besides these two clowns right now? What have you got for a cleaning crew?

RTK,

I don't worry about what the clown doesn't eat. I know that most of the food that makes it to the bottom is going to get sucked up by the Scooter Blenny (Scooter Dragonet) or one of the two Pepperment Shrimp or one of the 4 Nassarius (SP?) snails that are in there. The only thing I could maybe suggest would be to try to drop in 2 at a time. Chances are though his success rate isn't going to be 100%.

I'll have to get a Blenny, Scooter Blenny? I have two cleaner shrimp, that have tried to eat whatever food hit the sand, but the clown went after them:mad2: . Now, they just stay under rock work .