One clown not eating

[reefguy24]

Hi,

24ga JBJ nano. Cycled few weeks ago.

nitrates 10ppm
nitrites 0ppm
ph 8.0
ammonia 0ppm
salinity 1.023 (high)

Got two clowns and a purple fish. Both clowns were purchased at the same time, from the same tank in the same LFS. They both were the same size. They both are 3/4" long...juveniles.

I have not seen any signs of fighting for dominance.....but one clown is refusing to eat (the smaller one). The other one is getting fat.

The purple fish and the fat clown hang out together like they are buddies. The other clown kinda hangs out by himself in the corner when it's feeding time.


All 3 fish do not fight.



Now that I think of it.....is there a possibility that these two fish are siblings and they don't want to inbreed? Should I get another clown?

Any ideas on what's going on here? How do I get the smaller clown to eat the pellets? He used to eat the pellets all the time.

 

[smtank]

It makes no real difference if they are siblings, it takes multiple generations of inbreeding to see an issue. You may not even be into raising the fry, it's a daunting task.

It sounds like the smaller clown is sick. Clowns can take several days to begin to eat enthusiastically during acclimation, if after 4-5 days and the clown is not eating and hugging the corner there is probably an issue.

Try different foods (mysid, cyclopeeze) but do not over feed the tank in an attempt to get one fish to eat.

 

[reefguy24]

It makes no real difference if they are siblings, it takes multiple generations of inbreeding to see an issue. You may not even be into raising the fry, it's a daunting task.

It sounds like the smaller clown is sick. Clowns can take several days to begin to eat enthusiastically during acclimation, if after 4-5 days and the clown is not eating and hugging the corner there is probably an issue.

Try different foods (mysid, cyclopeeze) but do not over feed the tank in an attempt to get one fish to eat.

I have had both clowns for almost 3 weeks now. In the beginning they ate like race horses.

Then one of them started hanging out in the corner of the tank all by himself. Swimming normally, just being a loner.

Now he's not eating.

 

[reefguy24]

bump

Anyone have any other ideas? Perhaps I should switch food brands?

After monitoring this situation for a few days, here is an update:

When I come to the front of my tank, both clowns and the purple fish swim excitedly in front of me.

Then I get out my food pellet jar and everyone starts doing the happy dance.

As soon as I start dropping 3-4 pellets in the water (very small pellets...about the size of a fish hamburger from McDonalds (the .99 ones), if one were to exist) the clown who isn't eating immediately goes to the back of the tank, while the other clown and his purple fish buddy hang out and feed to their hearts content.

It's almost as if the clown has paired up with the purple fish.....they are thick as thieves.


Could this just be a dominance thing? I can't figure out how to get food in front of the mouth of the clown who won't eat.

Is there a chance he's eating food or "material" off the live rock and that's how he's surviving?


thank you

 

[smtank]

Definitely try another food like a frozen: Rods Foods, anything mysid, cyclopeeze....