New Snowflake Clowns

[krzyphsygy]

I just got a pair of Snowflake clowns and I am trying to get them to eat. They were a pair in my LFS that they had in the back for 6 months that they were trying to mate. They are super fat and look very healthy. They were all alone in the tank with no other fish. I purchased them yesterday and they will not eat yet. I have tried twice.

I know I need to have patience. I am just very anxious and nervous considering the price if you know what I mean.

My experience with tank raised clowns is that they hang out by the side of the tank most of the time.

Any words of encouragement?

 

[Rippinfrags]

Your fine, my a. Percula didn't eat for the first five days. I would continue to try and feed them as normal and they should start to pick at the food. In no time at all they will get there appetite back. Good luck!

 

[Mavrk]

Try smaller food. But I wouldn't worry for another couple days. Maybe ask your LFS what they were feeding.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Try smaller food. But I wouldn't worry for another couple days. Maybe ask your LFS what they were feeding.

They were on an auto feeder with pellets. But the pellets just go right to the bottom and they both arent interested. Tried again tonight, its been 48hrs, they get right up to it and turn away. I feed mysis soaked in garlic extreme.

Maybe I will take the garlic out and just do brine or mysis.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Are you feeding the same type of pellet as the fish store?

Usually garlic will get them to eat so that is odd. Brine would be a good idea though to get them started.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Tried live brine today and nothing...would not eat...they approach it and get right in front of it and turn away. This is freaking crazy....I will never buy tank raised clowns again. These fish were not cheap, biggest live purchase I have ever made. They just bounce up and down by the glass and do nothing.

Its like there stupid or something, inbread fish. Totally frustrated. I feel like I am fouling my water now with the uneaten food that disappeared into the rock work.....ugh.

 

[Mavrk]

Tank raised are usually easier to get eating. They are just acclimating to the new environment. I am surprised that live baby brine shrimp didn't work. Have you tried New Life Spectrum? It comes in a .5 mm size that has always worked for me when trying to get fish to eat store bought food (bbs is usually the first thing picky eaters will go for though).

Don't worry, clowns are pigs and will start eating soon enough. BTW, do you have any pictures?

 

[Mavrk]

I had another thought. Have you tried cyclopeeze? That is another one I use to entice eating.

What size tank are they in? Are they in a QT or display tank? How old is the tank? What are the parameters? Any other inhabitants?

 

[krzyphsygy]

Tank Perameters are are
amo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phos 0
PH 8.1
Temp 78

Tank Size is a 125 gallon, 125 lbs of Live Rock, Ati 80 watt 6bulb, SRO XP2000 cone.

Tank is 3-4 weeks old. 3 Chromis are the only other inhabitants.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Let me add the Rock was in 2 brute trash cans for 6 months with flow. I ghost feed the rock every 3 days.

 

[crooks]

Tank Perameters are are
amo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phos 0
PH 8.1
Temp 78

Tank Size is a 125 gallon, 125 lbs of Live Rock, Ati 80 watt 6bulb, SRO XP2000 cone.

Tank is 3-4 weeks old. 3 Chromis are the only other inhabitants.

Those are picassos

 

[seamonkey84]

Yep, definitely picasso perculas which usually cost more than snowflakes. Have you seen them picking up any pods or other fauna from your rocks? Some times in a large tank that lightly stocked with fish, they will just eat the other little critters. Was the tank they were in Before fairly bare like most breeding setups are? If so they may just be in some shock to the new environment and again, plenty of bugs to eat. Don't worry unless it's been over a week and you see weight loss, I use to only feed every other day, sometimes just twice a week.
But, if your noticing rapid breathing, gills swelling, excess mucus/brown discoloration around gills and head, then it may end up being Marine velvet or Brooklynella (aka clownfish disease) which can happen if your other fish weren't quarantined! Do a search on marine velvet and clownfish disease to see what I mean.

 

[dc]

When I got my baby percs I shaved frozen cubes to get them to eat with a microplane. Good luck, they're beautiful.

 

[local anti]

As others did, I was going to say that those are not snowflakes. Still nice clowns. Have you tried rods food? Mine love it..

 

[Stopsignhank]

Updates?

 

[krzyphsygy]

I followed one of the posts in this thread because Brooklynella seemed possible, but there are no signs of that or ich. They are healthy fish.

The big one is taking very small bits now, maybe 2-3 a feeding if that. The small one is not eating. He is maybe taking one piece of food in and then spitting it out. The chromis in the tank are eating the same food and just destroying it.

They are still hanging by the side of the tank also, not swimming in the water column or anything. I can see the little one getting a little weak. They are a pair and the big one kinda nudges the little one up to the surface sometimes. When I go to the glass they totally approach me like they are hungary but they wont hit the food.

Cyclopeez is my next purchase, maybe rods food. I have a Candy Stripe Hog fish in QT right now. Picked him up yesterday and he is already eating very well. Just ticks me off.

Yes they are Picasso's...sorry for that.

 

[seamonkey84]

Good to hear that ones nibbling. More than likely is just culture shock so to speak, being alone in a barren breeding tank (assuming) to a community tank is a huge adjustment. At the same time the chromis are hopefully going to end up acting as dither fish to entice them to be more active later. The habit of them hanging out in one spot is natural, they tend to find objects/caves to be hostes of.

 

[krzyphsygy]

I had another thought. Have you tried cyclopeeze? That is another one I use to entice eating.

What size tank are they in? Are they in a QT or display tank? How old is the tank? What are the parameters? Any other inhabitants?

Thanks Mavrk, I took your advice and got some cyclop eez today and both clowns totally got into it. They even started swimming in the water column to get at it. It worked they were totally eating. Still shy towards mysis but baby steps I guess.

Its was nice to see, here we are on day 7 I think...was really losing hope. This looks like it might be the begining.
I wonder how nutritious the cyclops is though? Its getting them ready for mysis I hope

 

[Mavrk]

Glad to hear about the fish eating. Cyclopeeze is very nutritous stuff and they will be fine on that for as long as it takes to transition to what you want to feed. It has a really high amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. It is also great for bringing out the color. Actually, mysis and cyclopeeze compliment each other well.

 

[rhyerob]

+ on Picasso clowns.