Chopper Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I have a biocube 29 which is about 1 1/2 years old. 30lbs of liverock with a few softies. All the water parameters are good and I'm very much on top of water changes. I only have a firefish, (about a year) and have had my clown ocellaris for about a year.as well. He has always been a pig when it comes to food and has been doing great.have been feeding him mysiys shrimp, pellets and occasionally cycylopeez. He loves all of them.Last week I got another ocellaris which is much smaller and they seem to get along just fine. About two days ago I noticed my bigger one (the one I have had for a year) started to go under this rock and hide and stopped eating. When a piece of food floats by him he checks it out but seems disintersted in it. What could that be? I do not see anything wrong with him on the outside! it all looks normal. Breathing seems normail. I did quarantine the new one and it has been doing great. I have no idea what the older one got is? Can it be that they are spawing? Could the female not wanting to eat before laying egg? Seems to me a little fast for eggs since I just introduced the new little one a week ago. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 You have any pictures of the clown? I know he's hiding but any pictures would help. Also, did you QT the small clown before putting him in the tank? My bet is you've introduced something into your tank from the new clown and it has infected the old clown. What were the interactions like with the new and old clown when you put them together? Friendly? Adversarial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 You have any pictures of the clown? I know he's hiding but any pictures would help. Also, did you QT the small clown before putting him in the tank? My bet is you've introduced something into your tank from the new clown and it has infected the old clown. What were the interactions like with the new and old clown when you put them together? Friendly? Adversarial? Here are twp pictures. Not very good ones. One was taken with flash (hence the bright eyes) and one without. I did quarantine but perhaps something did get introduced. The interactions were friendly and have been ever since. The ususal twitch and dance but only a few times and they have been friendly ever simce. Here is a short link to a video. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 If it's only been a couple days and you don't see any physical symptoms of illness I wouldn't panic yet. Probably everyone just figuring out their new territory. Continue to be consistent with feeding, maintenance, and don't hover. Everything should return to normal in a couple days. It would take weeks for a well fed fish to starve to death so IMHO this is completely normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Well said... I'd give it a couple of days before panicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I am by no means an expert on anything reefing, I post a bunch of help topics myself. Not even sure if I have credibility but I'll throw my 2 cents out for whatever it's worth. I feel your second clown might have been put into the tank to fast forcing the two to meet and stressing them out or at least your original out. Call it cliche if you want but my one must have in my tank when deciding to have saltwater were clowns and an anemone. I love the relationship. I researched and researched and chatted and observed long before I even bought a tank. I have ocellaris clowns (3 actually which is rare. Usually 1, 2, or even numbers). Ocellaris, from my findings and experience, be it short, are they are somewhat territorial, not overly, but very hierarchical. Here's how I went about it. I bought my first and only for a time being and waited 3-4 weeks. I let him/her feel the tank out. I made sure he/she was old/large enough that the next fish I get would not only be smaller/younger but would want to fall into the male role forcing the original clown to be the female. I bought the second and third clown together at a very young/small age. I quarantined them in a separate tank for 4 weeks (roughly enough time for one to be the male and the other female). It happened. Be it not a huge noticeable size difference in the short amount of time. But still noticeable. I fed once to twice daily which aided in the growth and switch of one to a female. Once I noticed the change I somewhat quickly acclimated them to the main tank. I didn't just throw them in tho. I put them in a large floating breeder and let the original, large female scope them out and the duo scope her out. I left them in there for a few days. With feeding and such. Maybe 2-3 days. The original female was always hovering around the breeder and not in an aggressive, Fast swim hit with the nose type of way. I deemed them all aquainted and let them loose. Now three months later I have the large original female. A middle one ( assumably the larger of the duo) and a small one. Unsure of the middles sex but I would guess it went male being almost a third smaller than the original. I might try separating them. Letting your original gain comfortability and dominance of the tank back. See if he starts eating again then slowly introduce them. They looked very similar in size in the video which would cause conflict of two females or two males and which would switch. Stressing one or both out. Sorry for being long winded. Not sure if it helps or if what I did was common practice but it worked like a charm. Just my experience. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thank you for all your opinions. I will keep watching him and keep you all posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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