RE:Ocellaris tank raised clownfish QT

[chiefifd]

RE:Ocellaris tank raised clownfish QT

I have a 10 gallon QT tank with 2 small Ocellaris tank raised clownfish. I received the clownfish from Live Aquaria 15 days ago, the smaller clown *is eating like a champ, the larger one seems to be picking at the food and spitting it out, he's not really eating. I've added Kent garlic to the flake food to entice him. Both clownfish are swimming all over the tank and look healthy.
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I have a Magnum 350 canister filter in the QT with filter sleeve and some coral rubble inside the canister filter. The ammonia & nitrites have been zero until yesterday, I tested and the ammonia was still zero but the nitrites bumped up a bit to .1 ***I didn't think I was over feeding but I know the clownfish didn't eat all the food. So I guess I might be over feeding a bit causing the slight nitrite bump up.
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Being my first saltwater tank I want to make it a success. Is it unusual for a clownfish to still be very picky eating after two weeks? I'd planned to treat the QT with PraziPro, this week but I was hoping that both the clownfish were eating well by now. Should I still treat with PraziPro as a preventive measure or wait until both clownfish are eating well?
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I have done weekly 2 gallon water changes. Last night I took apart the Magnum 350 and rinsed out the filter sleeve and put the filter back together. I'll tested the water today and rinsing the filter pad looked like it solved the .1 of nitrites.

The larger Ocellaris clownfish was still taking the the flake food and spitting it out.
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Salinity 1.025 w/refractor
Ammonia 0
Nitrites .0
Nitrates 10
Temp 78.5
All using Salifert Test Kits
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Any suggestions? I'm was midnight shift, going to bed....hoping to find some good answer here when I wake up............

 

[HumbleFish]

Hard to say what's wrong in the absence of any disease like symptoms. However, prophylactically treating with Prazipro is always a good idea IMO.

BTW, the only thing you really need to test for in QT is ammonia.

 

[Dmorty217]

+1^ are you also feeding frozen? Did you call LA and tell them the fish wasn't eating before day 14? They have great customer service. Always treat new arrivals with PP, I do two treatments and so do many others. If your new to saltwater you are moving in the right direction with he QT. I for one will always treat prophylactically for ich too, either thru Tank Transfer Method or Chloroquine Phosphate. No reason to watch all your money,time and effort go to waste because of not "seeing" ich, when it could of all been avoided with treating for it in the beginning

 

[chiefifd]

I didn't call Live Aquaria, hind sight now probably should have.

I'll start the PraziPro treatments today.

I really do want to do this right, guess thats why I'm testing a lot even in the QT tank (kinda A*** I guess).

I'll do a bit more reading here on ICH treatments, the tank transfer method is not for me I don't think. I'll treat for possible hidden IHC with something.

I've been feeding New Era marine flakes, I tried OSI spirulina and frozen mysis shrimp all with Kent garlic.

I'll keep you posted to what happens to him...

Thanks

 

[HumbleFish]

When using Prazipro - dose, 5-7 days later do a 25% WC, and then dose again. 72 hrs after that you can do another WC and run some carbon if you're planning on treating with copper or CP next.

 

[chiefifd]

Thanks for the advise, I was looking at the bottle's directions as your post came in. I'm heading to my tank now to dose. I'm running a air stone also in the tank at a slow bubble, I'll turn that off while I'm treating.

I think I'll use Seachem's Cupramine to treat for any potential ICH after the Prazipro treatments.

 

[HumbleFish]

Thanks for the advise, I was looking at the bottle's directions as your post came in. I'm heading to my tank now to dose. I'm running a air stone also in the tank at a slow bubble, I'll turn that off while I'm treating.

Why are you turning off the air stone? If any, you'll want to increase gas exchange while treating with Prazi as it can deplete the water of O2.

 

[chiefifd]

I though it might precipitate out the Prazipro out of the water using the air stone. I'm so glad there's a place to get good advise.

Your help is much appreciated.

 

[chiefifd]

Today I ran a 1/2 marathon, my first. So the Clownfish didn't get fed until early afternoon. I fed the New Era Flakes with Kent Garlic, my larger Clownfish grabbed a big flake and ate (so happy). The smaller Clownfish ate like always......super.

So after feeding I started the PraziPro treatment. We'll see how this goes.

 

[Beth]

I'm not convinced there is anything wrong with the clownfish aside from being picky. Flaked food is not exactly a fish's first choice.

How is the clown doing at this point, and have you tried offering him some other types of food (non-flakes)?

 

[chiefifd]

Yup, I tried OSI spirulina and frozen mysis shrimp all with Kent garlic & the New Era Marine Flakes.

I'll probably get some Frozen Brine & small pellet food soon.

If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks

 

[chiefifd]

Both Clownfish are swimming well, I haven't noticed any unusual movements.

 

[swhobbie1]

try pellets. it may have been used to eating that. My clowns spit out flakes too - they do not do that very often with pellets.

 

[sabo]

Try NLS pellets. Haven't had a fish yet that won't eat them.

 

[chiefifd]

I'll give them a try....
Thanks

 

[chiefifd]

Update:

The next day after I posted the larger clownfish wasn't eating, he decided to eat the flake food. I did try the NLS Marine pellets a few days later and both clowns ate them. I'm alternating feeding them flakes & pellets for now.

I started treatment with the Prazipro on 08/30 today I did the 25% WC and retreated with Prazipro. After this 5 day treatment I'm going to treat the QT tank with Cupramine. Sounds like going slow when adding the Cupramine is best for the fish over several days until the recommended dose is reached.

The two clowns are doing well, I hope to get them into their DT by the end of the month.

My DT isn't showing any diatom outbreak yet or algae on the rocks, my ammonia in the DT is zero, nitrites zero, nitrates 10 & phosphates now are up to .004. A few weeks ago the phosphates were Zero. I've keep my LED lights on for 12 hours a day, ramping up and down from about 30% to 50% power.

Phosphates must be showing up from ghost feedings, probably need to think about a small clean-up crew soon for the 90 gallon DT.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

How long has your main been cycled? Try to feed your clowns mysis as well. Why are treating with copper? Prophylactically?

 

[chiefifd]

My DT has been cycled since August 1st. Yes, treating with Prazipro & Cupramine as a Prophylactic only. Fish look healthy and are swimming well, my large clown wasn't eating for the first week or so, but he is now.

 

[chiefifd]

Thanks sabo, the NLS pellets worked very well. Both clownfish ate the pellets, now the clowns eat pellets and flakes very well. Next Monday I'll put the clowns in my DT, the first fish to go in.
Now I'm looking at a Kole Tang, but I'm kinda concerned, I hear their hard to QT, I do have a 29 gallon old tank around here to use for a QT. Then I'm reading about ich and tangs, I really don't want to deal with ich if I don't need to. I might abandon the Kole Tang in favor of something else.

 

[Deinonych]

Tang or not, at some point in time, you are going to have to deal with a new fish that has ich. Best to have a treatment plan ready for when the time comes. I would recommend that you look into Tank Transfer Method for treating all new acquisitions. It's a foolproof and highly effective way to ensure ich never enters your system.