Help my depressed clown!

[dawnpar]

Call me crazy but I have a very sad clown on my hands. I am fairly new to saltwater and have a 20 gallon. Only fish are my clown and I had a domino damsel who passed away last night (seemed 100% perfect before bed). They were best best friends! They swam together and never fought. Now the clown is just not swimming the tank like he did with the domino. His color is good and I don't believe there is anything wrong. I want to get another friend for him. Can you guys give me some suggestions for a peaceful addition? I don't want something that will cause a threat obviously. I only have hermits and a snail other than the clown. Thank you!! :fish1:

 

[ThRoewer]

I would add another clown of his species to make a pair.

Though first I would look into what caused the death of the domino. Fish don't just die out of the blue, especially not something hardy as a domino damsel. You may have a problem with your tank or a unrecognized disease/parasite/predator.

 

[dawnpar]

Thanks! I am keeping an eye on that. Nothing I can see/tell so far. Numbers all look good, temp is good. I am stumped and sad.

I am thinking about a clown pair. I would like to have more than 2 fish. Would a third wheel of another type of fish create a problem?

 

[ThRoewer]

Depends on the other fish. Something like a bottom dwelling goby would for sure be fine. Many other fish should work too as long as they aren't anemone picking fish or known egg thieves and not fish that like to pick fights.

Though even pairs of dottybacks or damsels (both known troublemakers) worked for me with clownfish pairs in similar sized tanks.

Best is to run possible candidates by here before actually buying and adding them.

BTW, what clownfish species do you have?

 

[dawnpar]

We were so excited when we got him/her that we never asked. I don't think we even realized at the time that there were different species! Here is a not so great pic from a few weeks ago. Thinking Ocellaris

 

[ThRoewer]

It's an Amphiprion ocellaris

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Most likely you have a parasite or toxic chemical that killed your damsel and is now trying to take down your clown. Be cautious.

 

[Cparcaut]

Most likely you have a parasite or toxic chemical that killed your damsel and is now trying to take down your clown. Be cautious.

I agree with ^. If a young fish dies then likely something is wrong with the tank, adding another fish to try to cheer yours up may just cause the new fish to become sick also. I would exhaust other options before adding fish.