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1sttimer
11/22/2016, 12:05 PM
Looking for some input as to how to care for them.
How long to acclimate ....I usually acclimate new arrivals for 2 hours. He'll be going in a 33 gallon but I'd like to get 2 of them and maybe some other compatible fish . I presently have zoas star polyps and clove polyps. Temp is at 79F sg is at 1.024. Ammo 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate 5. This is a Skimmerless set up.10% Water changes Are done weekly. Any input is appreciated .

1sttimer
11/22/2016, 12:14 PM
Can I buy one clown now and in a couple of weeks another? (Smaller or bigger.)

Fish Friend
11/22/2016, 01:04 PM
I acclimatised for aprox 1h, first opening the bag (if the trip was long this can case a pH swing but I don't have to deal with that so just to mention it), then I add very little water at first and allow 15min for temperature adjustment before mixing more and more water in over the next 45min.

When they are alone, they quickly turn into dominant females.
If you pick two dominant fishes, they will have to fight until one "leaves" the tank, dead or often through jumping. To pick a male, simply take a smaller individual in any group of clownfishes, as the bigger dominant fish in that group will have kept it from turning into a female. It must always be smaller that the fish you already had alone as it takes next to no time for the gender development to happen.

They love having hidingplaces and stuff that is funny to swim around. They can practice swim-patterns together and do all sorts of tactical things to make sure they can corporate in emergencies.

They perk on their favourite spots during the day and are more active in early morning and very social in the evening (in my personal experiences). I would suggest that people keep clowns alone as they are wonderful to watch but they have a strong territorial pattern. Without other fishes around, you can get the most out of the playful behaviour - with other fishes around they might end up spending all their time guarding their favourite spots.

If your clown is of the "hostile" types, it is very important to get a clown that is much smaller. With the more peaceful types, a smal difference in size with usually do the trick.

The two I keep as a real joy to watch, especially at nighttime when the dance all over the aquarium. I would never really care to add anything else to their tank, except some star polyps once the LTA gets bigger. I am afraid of them poisoning eachother as the LTA is still small.

People always say that they have clowns that just stand still and guard their favourite spots but I think they just feel less happy if they have to constantly guard themselves and their safe spots.

It is really a "pet-fish", absolutely great from the private aquarist. Enjoy :) !

Fiver
11/22/2016, 01:33 PM
Clowns are great. I'd recommend getting both at once from the same tank so they can start off fresh in your tank on equal ground. Why wait?

What else do you plan to keep? Some people would recommend getting clowns after shyer fish.

Good luck.

1sttimer
11/22/2016, 03:08 PM
Was thinking of adding some hermit crabs,turbo snails...
I also have some very small zoas ,clove polyps and star polyps.
Is this ok? I'll get 2 clowns at the same time.

Fiver
11/22/2016, 04:17 PM
Sounds like a great start.

1sttimer
11/22/2016, 05:10 PM
Do they eat blood worm?

1sttimer
11/22/2016, 08:24 PM
What else can I add to the tank that won't bother or stress the clowns?

Fiver
11/22/2016, 08:43 PM
I've never fed bloodworms to my fish, but I haven't read of anyone having problems doing so. I observe the idea that marine fish are best fed foods that come from the ocean.

Lots of fish can be kept with clowns. I have an orchid dottyback, lawnmower blenny and yellow watchman goby with my pair of clowns.

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 02:10 AM
I hear damsels can terrorise tanks much more than what one might expect. Foxface fishes can tear the clown apart (watch out for the fast fishes with pointy mouths), all fishes are still individuals but study anything you wanna mix in advance. Mandarins might die fast if they don't get food constantly so living Zooplankton is needed for fishes with fast metabolism. I know that if a yellow watchman goby moves in too near the clowns, it might result in more of the clown's "sand diving" behaviour. Some people finds this annoying as the sand-storms can cloud the water column. I suppose that depends on the currents in the individual tanks. I read about many who feed a combo of brand foods and bloodworms. It can be very easy to produce live foods yourself tho. Grab some clean PET bottles, an airpump+tubing, a fluorescent bulb and a timer and stuff it inside a bucket. Divide the bottles into some for Phytoplankton and some for Zooplankton. The Zooplankton feeds on Phytoplankton and you can feed it all to your tank.

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 02:11 AM
And btw. I love the yellow watchman as well, absolutely stunning fish.

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 02:12 AM
(and take pictures if you please, I would love to see your new fishes when you have them!)

1sttimer
11/23/2016, 05:39 AM
Was thinking of adding some sort of algae eater.
Will post plenty of pics! Thanks for all the input.

1sttimer
11/23/2016, 08:37 AM
Do I need to treat for parasites if they're healthy looking and cb?

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 12:37 PM
There is monsters in the ocean, and if a parasite is sticking out the mouth of a newly added fish in a huge expensive tank, it would be pretty upsetting to not have put in through QT and treated it :)

Any new addition will always transfer alitlle water, even from a good QT system, so you should always consider the natural immunity of the fish as well. They will do better whenever they feel content & unstressed. Balance your care for the individual fish with care for your tank, you don't want the fish to be overly confused about what you are. Trick it to think you are harmless if you can, instead of dragging it around too much, put it somewhere nice and teach it that you are food-provider if that is something you feel like. A hostile clownfish will come to great you every time you come close, as relaxed clownfish will continue what it is doing :)

I would rather suggest you keep medicine that prevents the Gus from getting to wounds and heals up wounds faster. Always keep in mind that their bodies will only work at full power when they are stress-free. A happy fish is a healthy fish, so it is up to you to make a balance between natural and aided health of your fishes.

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 12:41 PM
Uhm, the Gus?
Sorry it was meant to say fungus...
Auto correction of what I write gets to me every time :(

I meant stuff like Melafix and Pimafix. You can use that in the tank if needed, instead of the super nice copper based parasite-killing stuff, that can't be used directly in the tank.

1sttimer
11/23/2016, 02:09 PM
My lfs has a few ocelaris more or less the same size. Does it have to be a big difference in size for one to become the female?

Fish Friend
11/23/2016, 11:52 PM
In any group, one fish will already be dominant.
If you wanna avoid the chance of fighting and your LFS has 1 tank with clowns, you can pick the dominant 1 & any other fish from the hirachy. If there is separate groups to pick from, again go for 1 that is already dominant in 1 group and then any other sub-dominant fish could be paired without much risk of trouble.

I asked my LFS to order a specific variant and he was kind enough to order four so I could pick two I liked. Their size was definitely "similar" but two was slightly bigger and he had to separate one. I picked the "bigger" one he alone and the best looking of the two smaller. When I acclimatise them, they already showed different attitudes and when they were released in the tank, the big one ignored everything but her reflection.

The smaller one quickly learned to watch her back for her and started luring her to the other corner of the tank (where she emediately confronted her reflection). Here the small one looked around while letting her know he still "had her back" and discovered the LTA in a cave right near by. It had retracted while I was floating bags and turned off the powerhead.
Now the sub-dominant had to get the attention of the bigger one, so he could get closer to the anemone. She quickly saw it and they began marking out their turf.
First they both marked a corner of the anemone's cave and during the next days they made sure the tank was safe from possible monsters and clearly expanded their turf. At
Ahis stage they were completely used to a partnership of protecting eachother and the submissive fish constantly showed the bigger it was boss. They figured out that the reflections did nothing to their turf and now pretty much ignore them.

The boss still wanted everything (especially the anemone) as her own turf. By now she has basically the smaller one submit in every possible corner of the tank. In the first days she ran him down until he tired and he seemed to then semi-hypnotise her with all that clown stuff. Sometimes he just maked a tactical distraction by swimming towards the anemone and she will go to guard it and he can escape, or sometimes he will risk it and dance with her in the anemone until she'll chase him again. Now they patrol together every morning (rest more during the midday) and after patrolling the tank at evening, they systematically do clown dance in every conceivable part of their tank (they are the only ones there except the anemone).

Anything to make the hirachy turn the right way, and you'll be safe. If they don't know who is to be boss, they will have to fight.

In nature, one would leave, so this is hard for all parties when it takes place in our tanks.

They must not lock jaws, if this happens and does not pass and is replaced with a clear developing colaborative relationship, but continue as jaw-confronting battles, they both wish to be dominant and I have read people state that then you will have to separate them and find a new mate.

Sorry for the long answer, I still have 15min more before I usually go look to them in the morning time :)

I don't know if you know this but they make many sounds these fishes. Some weeks ago, the apartment upstairs had a party that was pretty noisy. That morning I actually came in to find the smaller fish with it's head actually stuck inside a rock crevice. It's body was sticking towards the open sand where it usually sleeps, very awkward looking position but I guess it worked since it slept there all night..

Fish Friend
11/24/2016, 02:13 AM
I just read through my post here and omg sorry for the typos, just ignore it and move on please!
And enjoy :)

1sttimer
11/24/2016, 06:23 AM
Thanks for the detailed answers. I'm new to saltwater tanks and even newer to clowns. I have much to learn. I went to my lfs to observe the ocellaris they have. One that is a bit bigger that the others was really harassing a smaller one. Was chasing it all over.
The smaller one was very pale though. The others in the tank were swimming around minding their own business except for one that was bullying the pale one here and there. The other small one was staying in front of the tank looking at me. I'm guessing I can get the bigger one and the smaller one that stays in front of the tank .
By bigger one I mean the one that bullies the pale one the whole time I was there.

MuShu
11/24/2016, 08:50 AM
I would not get the pale one. Pale is a sign of stress or sickness.

One thing if you are new to clowns: they do not swim like other fish, and it is normal for them to sleep floating sideways at the surface.

1sttimer
11/24/2016, 09:18 AM
If the pale one is sick, chances are the other ones might get sick too? Maybe I should look at another lfs.

Fish Friend
11/24/2016, 10:43 AM
The pale one is probably in shock now and can easily die.
It can be because it cannot find sleep in the tank.
The two others sound strong. I have had both good and bad experiences with LFS and if the look bright and fine now, no signs of starting to be worn, it sounds as if the otherwise healthy fish just did not handle the stress of being in the button of the hirachy.

I would say that you can avoid them if the others seem unhealthy as well, but, in nature they spawn huge numbers.

Some of the individuals will have genetic weaknesses and similar problems that means they would die naturally.

It is no use to look for the exact reason of why each fish die, perhaps this pale one is sick. It is dying if you ask me but it could just be the 1clownfish that was weaker than most.

I have read people say that you can leave them at the seller for a week and ask for a refund if they are getting less healthy.

I must say that I have done the opposite and bought the fishes faster to avoid them hanging out in at the LFS for a further week :)

1time I left two clowns at the LFS for a week. An anemone died in their tank and wasn't removed. The two fishes was not looking well. I tried to bring them home but they refused to eat and they were dead the next day.

I was later told that ammonia poisoning will destroy their organs and all such sad details.

Don't be too hard on the LFS because of what happens in their tanks. They are holding the livestock temporarily and they are dependant on us to come and adopt the pets we like.

My personal opinion would then be: find another if you were not actually happy with these and if you were 100% happy with them, don't leave them at the petstore - they are waiting for someone just like you to come and rehome them to somewhere much better than the waiting-tanks !

Fish Friend
11/24/2016, 10:45 AM
I now have two new and perfectly healthy fishes from same LFS but I took them home as fast as I could, so nothing bad happened to them!

1sttimer
11/24/2016, 11:34 AM
The others I was looking at in the same tank looked very active and nice bright colors.

Soluent1
11/24/2016, 01:17 PM
Pictures please.

Fish Friend
11/27/2016, 01:00 AM
Pictures endded up in other string, here :)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2611266