# clown fish



## Da Cloud (Nov 13, 2011)

Can anybody help me?
I just bought two clown fish and one of them likes to just chill in the sand and not move a lot
What does this mean?


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## lmb (Nov 1, 2011)

How did you acclimate them?

Did you cycle your tank prior to adding fish?

Are there any other fish in the tank?

What tank size is it?

What are your tanks parameters?


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

It means they are stressed. Can you answer lmb's questions so we can help you?

Parameters means salinity, hardness, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temp.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Just not over the shock of moving to a new tank. It'll perk up soon.


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## Da Cloud (Nov 13, 2011)

sorry, i hadnt had time to get on my computer in a while
but Im sad to say that he died in the next few days
and i have a 55 gallon long tank and there were no other fish in the tank prior to adding the two clown fish
i used test strips and it said my nitrites, nitrates, pH, ammonia, alkalinity were all ideal and i used a hydrometer and it said that my salinity was just right too
i acclimated them by placing their transport bag in my water and letting it float there for 15-20 minutes
but he still died, i guess he was either sick already when i got him from the LFS (even tho he looked fine there) or he was just too stressed


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Acclimating means slowly mixing the water a little bit at a time.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Also getting healthy stock to begin with is extremely important. Ask the employee about brookynella, if they don't know what it is... or there isn't anyone who does that is there... don't buy them. Clownfish get this parasite often, the fish don't last long with it. Signs of brook include: clamped fins, lethargic behavior, heavy breathing, and a slimey look. All clowns should be hit with at least a formalin treatment upon the arrival to the fish store.


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## mls3371971 (Apr 20, 2012)

Well, when I bought my clown he kinda hung out around the rocks for a few days just to make sure that nothing in there would try and hurt him and to get used to the flow, and his new surroundings. I would tell you to give him a couple of days. Make sure he is eating though.


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## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

The test strips are junk. You should get a real test kit or bring samples to a LFS that will test for you. 

I too just started a saltwater tank. With fresh water a few minutes floating and then moving the fish in is usually all that's needed. With saltwater the best way I've been finding to do it is float them for 20-30 minutes. Then in a container put the fish and the water it came in and add a some of the water from your tank. Not more then a quarter of the amount the fish came in. Then give it 3-5 minutes. Then add another of the same amount of water from your tank to the container. Then wait another 3-5 minutes. For me I usually after that transport the fish into the tank. You can probably do another round of adding water but I sometimes worry about how long it sits in the container although I guess it's no worse then a bag. So far I've added 3 fish and they've all transferred just fine with this method. I do it with snails and other critters too. I had a problem with a couple shrimp dying but I think it was the stock because they came from the same store and tank but a shrimp from another store was just fine.

Good luck with yours.


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

THe best way to acclimate new additions is via the drip method. You siphon water in through airline tubing, but you slow it to a fast (or slow) drip with a knot in it, depending on the container volume and the sensitivity of whatever you're acclimating.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you look at the first post, it says 2011 at the end of the date. This is an old post.


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## jlpropst00 (Jun 12, 2011)

Old yes, but the person who revived it is the person who started it so that's ok...right? Just sayin'.


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