too much flow for clownfish?

[codydemmel4]

I have 2 clownfish in my 55 gallon, I have a maxpsect at 100% going all day everyday on the top of the right side of my tank.

All the one clownfish does is swim at the very bottom right corner underneath the powerhead and it looks like it is struggling to swim. I am wondering if this is a sign that it is going to die or maybe I have the pump too high? I think the pump is fine because the other clownfish is swimming fine and the SPS love it. Anything I can do for the clownfish to maybe try to get it back to full health? I do not have another tank, but I could put it in a big bucket with an air stone for a couple days if maybe that would help? Big bucket, I mean a 5g home depot bucket that I usually use for water changes. I can put some live rock from my main display in there. What do you guys suggest?

 

[codydemmel4]

also I do not have an extra heater, I live in DC so the temp of the bucket may go down to 70. is that too cold?

 

[Hudzon]

even a Maxpsect gyre 130 @ 100% in a 55 is a lot of flow, but the clown may be hosting the powerhead or it may be the area of the tank with the least flow or an eddy.

As long as you have enough rockwork and corals it should be able to find some current breaks, I would not remove me him to a bucket.

 

[codydemmel4]

he just swims there in the bottom right and is breathing really hard. yeah it is a 130, and I have it pointing up a lot to get a ton of surface break because I love the way it makes the tank look with leds.

I also just fed the tank and he did not eat anything, I turned off the powerhead and he just swam to the top real slow and didnt eat anything when the other clownfish ate a ton. he was eating before, this is the first day I noticed he didnt eat anything and noticed he just swims in that one spot

 

[phenom5]

What's the ambient temp in your house? If you don't have a way to heat the water, I would think that would be worse than the strong flow. IMO clowns can handle the strong flow of an SPS tank.

I am guessing you don't have a sump for him.

 

[codydemmel4]

What's the ambient temp in your house? If you don't have a way to heat the water, I would think that would be worse than the strong flow. IMO clowns can handle the strong flow of an SPS tank.

I am guessing you don't have a sump for him.

no i dont have a sump, just a hob skimmer that isnt even working properly )ro bh-90) it is producing so many microbubbles and overflowing the collection up in 10-30 seconds no matter how wide open I make the skimmer.

But the temp in my apartment is usually 72. tank temp is 76-78

 

[Brieninsac]

too much flow for clownfish?

My new clownfish swim under my power jet too. I don't think they're stressed, just like the low flow area.

 

[Greaser84]

Is he getting picked on at all?

 

[phenom5]

I would say the lower temp would be worse for the clown.

Can you temporarily reduce the flow? Should not be a problem for the SPS to reduce the flow for a few days to see how the clown reacts.

 

[codydemmel4]

No he isnt getting picked on at all. I guess I could reduce the flow for a few days, what would you suggest reducing it to, like 50% or what?

 

[phenom5]

I would reduce it to 50% for 3 or 4 days. See if he is reacting favorably to the reduced flow.