Clownfish Not Eating

[dixaisy930]

I've had two clownfish for a week now, and I am concerned that the smaller one is not eating. It will pick a little at the Omega flakes I give them. I believe the live brine, bloodworms, and mysis might be too big for it. I've also tried frozen krill, daphia, BBS, and some small sinking pellets for SW fish. I've been trying to give him pretty small pieces, but he won't take it. He'll usually swim up and show interest, but it seems like when he figures out what it is, he doesn't want it. He has picked here and there, but it's not enough. It seems he's ingested very little. I've watched in cognito (I covered myself with macroalgae j/k) to see if anyone is picking on him, and I've never noticed anything within the week. The other one eats better - she'll eat the Omega Flakes rather regularly. Any ideas? My water perimeters are amm - 0 nitrate - 5 nitrite - 0. pH 8.2 salinity 1.023 temp 74

I also noticed the other night after I turned the tank light off, they both were "twirling" together in the corner of the aquarium, about halfway up. Then they were vertical, instead of horizontal. They had their nose pointed towards the ground. Is this normal behavior? These are my first clowns, so I'm not sure what is normal, and what is aggressive behavior. This morning when the light was back on, they were swimming normal - and I didn't notice the larger one chase the little one at all.

Oh, and another question, is shimying normal for clowns? I believe I read somewhere that it's a sign of passiveness? What is normal twitching/wigglying look like, and what would be considered abnormal?

 

[DuganBolt]

I also noticed the other night after I turned the tank light off, they both were "twirling" together in the corner of the aquarium, about halfway up. Then they were vertical, instead of horizontal.

Are there any wounds (fins ripped) on the smaller clown? And did you buy them together or seperate. I personally have never had any problems with getting clowns to eat. Mine have been more like mini hoovers then fish. In my expererience though clowns are very hardy and if he is not being picked on he should come around. Have you tried using live brine of mysis shrimp. I would say keep mixing up the food and he should come around. To answder your second question clowns have irregular swin bladders and small fins thus is the reason they swin very irregulary, and when they sleep they are allover the place boobing up and down. I would say as long as he is not breathing like a locomotive he should be alright. I hope this helped

 

[Mr.September15]

My clowns are the sexiest, they swim together and eat together. But if its not eating it might be shy did you ever try crushed flakes? They might work better.

 

[hubbard_shark]

my first fish were clowns, and i still have them now. even for a small clown, they will still eat the brine shrimp, they arent too big for them, my male was very small when i got him. id keep an eye on him, if hes picky at it, at least he's feeding. he could be shy around u as well when u watch, ive seen this with fish, and they eat later the scraps on the sandbed, etc. for them twirling, this too is very normal. every night mine will literally relax in my upper corner of my tank, nose down. its just behavior. ive read posts where ppl have had theirs rest up against heaters, pumps, flowheads, etc. its kinda of a relaxing state for them i guess, but dont worry, having them relax nose down is typically normal for clowns. good luck

 

[dixaisy930]

Thanks, I'll find out what flakes the lfs was feeding them. I also saw some flakes called "First Bites" there. They're suppose to be for shy/new fish in the aquarium. Has anyone ever heard of these? Used them? I think they have garlic added to them. Is this probably the only thing that would make them more tasty to the fish?

 

[cedyced]

I have seen that swimming behavior before in clowns. Unfortunately it was right before they were getting ready to die.. I had some a few years ago and they were doing EXACTLY what you have described. Hopefully yours will be fine..

 

[dixaisy930]

They are both interested in the new flake food I bought them. Still not sure how much the little guy is actually eating, but the bigger one is definately eating a fair amount. Neither one is showing much interest in the frozen... they don't know how good they could have it.

They go to the same spot every night when I turn off the tank light, and are in the same spot every morning when I turn on the light. Very cute....

 

[mscarpena]

I breed clownfish. What size is the small clownfish and what species are they? You may want to try to feed them some small peices of table shrimp cut up, clam, Mysid shrimp, or Cyclop-eeze. Also try Calanus Plankton or Copepods by Kordon. They are great fro small clownfish. I have some clownfish that are a little ove 1/2 an inch that eat full size brine shrimp. Please let me know where you are at and if you need further assistance.
Mark

 

[Eversurf]

What flakes did you buy?

 

[Ranger]

I thought that Clowns had a natural "shimmy" because how they usually host anemone's and kindof wiggle around in them to get that mucous stuff on them. This is coming straight from my dummy brain so I'd wait for someone else to confirm this....

 

[SkiFletch]

that "shimmy" does tend to be the way they swim even when not hosting