Why is my clown fish not eating?

[lastmanstanding]

Just bought a clown fish and have been in the newly cycled tank for about 4 days.

but, it doesnt seems to be eating when i feed it with flakes food or mysis shrimp...

furthermore, it always stay at the top of my power head...

what is happening?

the clown is is very small... less than 1 inch i think...

help!

[giantbicycle]

Please provide us with your water quality .paramaters ..YOu sure your tank is fully cycled??? 4 days is way too short....

[lastmanstanding]

ya, i am sure that it is fully cycled...

ammonia 0

nitrite 0

nitrate 5

is all these enough?

[swordtail]

It seems the tank cycle is not yet started that’s why your ammonia still zero.

It takes at least 3 to 6 weeks for the tank cycle to complete.

[lastmanstanding]

oh.... but my ammonia peak for quite a while, then nitrite....

after that, ammonia 0....

after a few days, nitrite 0...

then nitrate increase...

I have changed water to bring the nitrate down...

So is is cycled?

[JustinK]

If you have measured and experienced a ammonia peak, followed by nitrite and nitrate peak, and if your essential parameters are as they should be, most prob your tank is cycled. Some people do have tanks that cycle really fast. By the way, how long is your cycling period?

Back to your question on your clown. less than an inch? make sure your food is small enough to be bite size for your clown. My small percula doesn't really take mysis, only take the really small pieces. Try to mesh up your flakes and mysis and maybe soak it with garlic to encourage it to eat. You can also try frozen brine, smaller, easier for the small fella.

Clowns seem to have a tendency to stay at the top when 1st introduced to a tank, it should start to move about after a while. Just my own observation.

[lastmanstanding]

If you have measured and experienced a ammonia peak, followed by nitrite and nitrate peak, and if your essential parameters are as they should be, most prob your tank is cycled. Some people do have tanks that cycle really fast. By the way, how long is your cycling period?

Back to your question on your clown. less than an inch? make sure your food is small enough to be bite size for your clown. My small percula doesn't really take mysis, only take the really small pieces. Try to mesh up your flakes and mysis and maybe soak it with garlic to encourage it to eat. You can also try frozen brine, smaller, easier for the small fella.

Clowns seem to have a tendency to stay at the top when 1st introduced to a tank, it should start to move about after a while. Just my own observation.

oh... smaller bite size...

I notice that it will take a bite of the food at first, before splitting it out....

Is it that the food is too big for the clown fish?

[moxa]

i hv kept a few commom clown in my 2 ft.

yes they do eat small food.

i feed them with Nutrafin slow skinking morsels. i even crushes the food into smaller bites before feeding them.

now they are big so no need to crushe the food now

[hammy]

cycled for 4 days ?? is that possible ??

how big is ur tank and u use a lot of cure live rock to cycle ??

[JustinK]

cycled for 4 days ?? is that possible ??

how big is ur tank and u use a lot of cure live rock to cycle ??

I think he means the clown has been in his cycled tank for 4 days.

[Jun Hong]

cycled for 4 days ?? is that possible ??

how big is ur tank and u use a lot of cure live rock to cycle ??

You guys please read his first post carefully. He wrote his has kept the crown fish for 4 days NOT his tank is cycled for 4 days.

[Plenum]

U could try soaking the food in garlic first. They really like it. Or try brine shrimp.

[lastmanstanding]

You guys please read his first post carefully. He wrote his has kept the crown fish for 4 days NOT his tank is cycled for 4 days.

YUP... the clown is in the tank for 4 days....

whats the diff between brine and mysis shrimp? I thought the mysis shrimp is better.... but both seems to be the same size to me....

[Melvyn Tan]

You guys please read his first post carefully. He wrote his has kept the crown fish for 4 days NOT his tank is cycled for 4 days.

Yeah read carefully !! IMO the newly cycled tank - the environment maybe too "new" for the baby clown, perhaps it needs a companion?