new clowns in qt not eating

[Maxxingout]

So I just picked up a pair of Ocellaris clowns and a pair of firefish. I always do ttm 1st and so far this has worked great. I'm on my 2nd transfer atm. The clowns swim and act normal but will not eat. Whenever I put food in they swim towards it really fast, maybe try to eat it, then spit it out. I noticed white stringy poop on both clowns so I picked up a bottle of prazipro and added a 1/2 teaspoon for the 10g they are in. Figuring that from what I've read, doing the treatment on the 2nd and 4th transfer is preferred. I've also added a 2nd air stone for extra gas exchange. I realize that there appetite would be less with prazi if they were eating. It's going on day 5 with no eating and who knows if they even ate at the fish store? So far I've tried feeding nls pellets, Formula Flake food, pe mysis, reef frenzy, and blood worms. The firefish are eating even though less now being in a tank with the prazi.

Anyone been through this? Wondering if with the next transfer they'll start eating? I do plan on adding the prazipro on the 4th transfer. They are noticeably thinner and at some point I don't know if they'll make it.

 

[spznm]

When I see my fish with white string poop I mix their food with metro that's deworms them. If they are wild caught, some tank raised, will take a while to eat. Prazi does really impact their appetite. I think you should have waited till they ate before adding Prazi

 

[Maxxingout]

When I see my fish with white string poop I mix their food with metro that's deworms them. If they are wild caught, some tank raised, will take a while to eat. Prazi does really impact their appetite. I think you should have waited till they ate before adding Prazi

These were tank raised, only way the owner wants to buy clowns.

My reasoning on the prazipro was that the male was having stringy poop after the 2nd day I got him. Neither ate since I've brought them home. Figuring that internal parasites is what I'm dealing with and that I was moving onto the 2nd tt was the right time for the prazi. I guess I could have waited to see if they'd eventually start eating then could have tried food mixed with metro but I was taking a guess that due to the poop they were not going to start eating.

 

[julie180]

I don't have an answer for you except to keep trying different foods.
Its best to see the fish eating at the store before ever bring it home.

 

[eeyore357]

+1 for Seachem Metroplex
How big are the clowns? Mine did the same thing with NLS. I use Sustainable Aquatics Dry Hatchery Diet 1.2mm pellets and then realized that if I crush the NLS to almost a powder they would eat that too. My clowns are maybe 1"- 1 1/2"

 

[Maxxingout]

After 1 round with prazipro they are attempting to eat more. The fish are around 1 1/2-2" . They def swim towards the food like mad, then maybe nibble and go after something else. just did the 4th tt and dosed pp again. Since they haven't died yet I'm guessing they must be eating something? Will have to look into trying other food but after all I've tried it's going to be tuff.

 

[eeyore357]

Try crushing the nls pellets and see if that helps. I use a pair of spoons to crush them.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I know it's frowned upon but garlic will stimulate feeding. Might be worth a try.

But since they seem to want to eat, you just haven't found what they want. Have you tried cyclop eeze?

 

[Maxxingout]

Try crushing the nls pellets and see if that helps. I use a pair of spoons to crush them.

Good info, thanks-I will def try this today when I get home. They do seem to attempt eating the smaller bits of food unlike the firefish who go after everything.

I know it's frowned upon but garlic will stimulate feeding. Might be worth a try.

But since they seem to want to eat, you just haven't found what they want. Have you tried cyclop eeze?

I went up to the fish store yesterday to get something to add to the food for stimulation but i didn't pay attention to the Sunday hrs. will need to try and get there today. Might even try brine shrimp just for substance even though I know it's more like potato chips for the fish.

 

[Maxxingout]

Well I finished the 12 day tt on the clowns with dosing prazipro on the 2nd and forth transfer. Clowns are not dead yet but still really not eating much. Funny thing is whenever I do put food in they go nuts swimming around, nibble then spit. I really have not seen them keep the food in there mouth, female maybe once in awhile but not the male. At 13 days I'd guess they'd be gone by now if not eating. I have them in a 10 gallon qt tank and waiting a few days before dosing pp for the full 5-7 period. At this point I'm thinking they're not going to bounce back.

On a side note, with these sick clowns and researching on cause and treatment for them. Is it just me or does it seem like these tank raised clowns are not much more resilient and hardy then true clowns? Not trying to start anything but I'm amazed at the amount of white poo or brook from tank raised models. Not trying to say I want wild caught cause I'm glad I can buy farmed raised but thought they'd be hardy is all.

 

[Maxxingout]

here's a quick vid during a pe mysis feeding in qt. They still dart after stuff the same. They also swim around the same, very active, even swim towards the glass when I show up. Debating on if I should try a formalin dip?

http://vid195.photobucket.com/albums/z198/2wheelrider/Tank/20150325_171010_zps6l3ebmln.mp4

 

[Kidd Reef]

I know it's frowned upon but garlic will stimulate feeding. Might be worth a try.

But since they seem to want to eat, you just haven't found what they want. Have you tried cyclop eeze?

Care to elaborate? not Questioning you just genuinely curious as ive always seen garlic recommended for finicky eaters and even seen it touted as a miracle cure for ich by people.

 

[Deinonych]

Care to elaborate? not Questioning you just genuinely curious as ive always seen garlic recommended for finicky eaters and even seen it touted as a miracle cure for ich by people.

It's generally frowned upon when people suggest garlic as a cure for Cryptocaryon. It's generally acceptable to use as an appetite stimulant, provided it isn't used long term (can cause liver problems etc.)

 

[Kidd Reef]

It's generally frowned upon when people suggest garlic as a cure for Cryptocaryon. It's generally acceptable to use as an appetite stimulant, provided it isn't used long term (can cause liver problems etc.)

Yeah i know its snake oil in regards to treating ich. Didnt know about the long term liver problems though, Good to know, was a bit worried because i use some every once in awhile since having a bottle left over from trying to induce feeding in some finicky eaters.

 

[ThRoewer]

In the past I never had ocellaris or percula that were picky about food - all where always eating like starving pigs (and afterwards looked like pregnant pigs ).
But my current sub-adult percula pair has become extremely picky and like Hikkari pellets over anything else, even live tigger pods or other live foods.

 

[Maxxingout]

I wonder what the difference is between the Hikkari & nls pellets are? They still act like they want to attack the food but still eating like a new born child. Tomorrow I will do the full 5 day of pp. They have to start eating better or they'll never make it in the dt.

 

[ThRoewer]

Are you trying to feed them NLS Ich Shield pellets????
Most fish won't eat those after trying them once.

 

[Maxxingout]

Are you trying to feed them NLS Ich Shield pellets????
Most fish won't eat those after trying them once.

No, just the regular nls pellets. I am contemplating on adding some prazi to some frozen food. The male is still releasing white poo. I just started another round of prazipro but now will go the full 5-7 days. I know clowns can be a bit goofy but man these guys have got me wondering if over breeding (inbreeding) is not taking place. I didn't realize when I 1st bought them. When I got them home the tail had a section missing all the way up to the black coloring part. No signs of fin rot or even fraying. They since have started growing back. Just makes me wonder if this mass produced clown hatchery is pumping these out in crammed quarters with unsanitary conditions?

 

[ThRoewer]

No, just the regular nls pellets. I am contemplating on adding some prazi to some frozen food. The male is still releasing white poo. I just started another round of prazipro but now will go the full 5-7 days. I know clowns can be a bit goofy but man these guys have got me wondering if over breeding (inbreeding) is not taking place. I didn't realize when I 1st bought them. When I got them home the tail had a section missing all the way up to the black coloring part. No signs of fin rot or even fraying. They since have started growing back. Just makes me wonder if this mass produced clown hatchery is pumping these out in crammed quarters with unsanitary conditions?

The simple answer is likely "yes". If you got the breeding down you can easily raise 90 to 95% of a nest. With a full grown and well fed percula or ocellaris pair that can be up to 600 fish. You need quite a bit of space and water to keep them healthy.

Add to all that the inbreeding and cross breeding and you got a fine mess.
Anybody who plans to breed clowns is well advised to get wild ones or at least good F! generation fish from a good source that can show you the parents. The last clownfish I would breed with are the ones that come out of the big hatcheries. All the ORA clowns I've seen so far were particularly bad in regard of physical deformations.

 

[Maxxingout]

All the ORA clowns I've seen so far were particularly bad in regard of physical deformations.

and ORA is the location that these came from, figures.

They go crazy when I add food but take FOREVER to finish it. Swim around like mad when I do put food in. If they don't start showing signs of being a bit more agressive at eating they'll never make it in the DT. Not really sure what to do with these guys? I want to take them back and start over with a better pair but I know the store would not take them back.