Clownfish acting strangely

[foxrun]

After double checking my water params, I've confirmed my nitrates are below 5, so I went ahead and picked up a clownfish yesterday to join my green chromis in the QT tank.

Watching them today, they seem to be getting along just fine, no issues between the two. However, when I added some flakes, the chromis started chomping down right away, but the clownfish didn't even flinch - it just kept circling around the top of the tank, occasionally breaking the surface with its top fin. It's just going round and round in circles. I'm not seeing any rapid gill movement or other signs of disease.

Anyone have any idea what might be going on? Is this just initial stress from the tank transfer?

What can I do to help, or should I just let it settle in on its own? I've already done a 20% water change, hoping that might help things out.

[dune9x]

After double checking my water params, I've confirmed my nitrates are below 5, so I went ahead and picked up a clownfish yesterday to join my green chromis in the QT tank.

Watching them today, they seem to be getting along just fine, no issues between the two. However, when I added some flakes, the chromis started chomping down right away, but the clownfish didn't even flinch - it just kept circling around the top of the tank, occasionally breaking the surface with its top fin. It's just going round and round in circles. I'm not seeing any rapid gill movement or other signs of disease.

Anyone have any idea what might be going on? Is this just initial stress from the tank transfer?

What can I do to help, or should I just let it settle in on its own? I've already done a 20% water change, hoping that might help things out.

I'd leave it be for now. It's probably just initial stress from the move. I've had fish do that before, just circling around the top after a transfer. The fact that it's not showing any other signs of disease is a good sign.

I think you did the right thing with the water change, that should help settle it down a bit. Just keep an eye on it for now and make sure it starts eating soon. The chromis are probably just more comfortable in the tank since they were there first, so that's why they're eating straight away.

[foxrun]

Yeah I had a feeling that might be the case, thanks for the confirmation though, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

[zenoxa]

I've had similar experiences with my clownfish, they never seemed too interested in flakes initially. I found that switching to mysis shrimp made a huge difference, they just love 'em.

[rusticore]

Foxrun, can you please share your water test results.

[foxrun]

I've had similar experiences with my clownfish, they never seemed too interested in flakes initially. I found that switching to mysis shrimp made a huge difference, they just love 'em.

I had a similar experience with my first clownfish in the main tank - it started eating flakes the day after introduction. I'm gonna try feeding the QT tank clownfish some frozen mysis shrimp now, see if that does the trick.

[foxrun]

Still no luck with the clownfish eating, I just tried feeding it but it didn't seem interested. The green chromis, on the other hand, is a completely different story - it's a greedy eater and will happily come to the top of the water to feed directly from the pipette.

I'm pretty sure the clownfish managed to get a few tiny pieces of food, its mouth was moving as if it was eating when I added the food to the tank, but I didn't actually see it eat any of the larger pieces. I'm starting to get a bit concerned that it's not eating properly, really hope it starts soon.

I'm going to check all the water params now to make sure everything is okay.

[zeno9]

My clownfish generally take to flake food without issue. That being said, I did have one that refused, and it turned out to be a case of internal infection. Keep an eye on the fish's droppings - if they're long and stringy, like a cotton thread, it could indicate a problem. If the fish isn't eating by mid-week, I'd be inclined to think it's unwell, and it might be wise to isolate it to prevent any potential infection spreading to the chromis.

[foxrun]

My personal experience with a clownfish that refused to eat was due to an internal infection. I'd keep an eye on the faeces - if you notice a long, thin, stringy appearance, that's a red flag. If it's still not eating by Wednesday, I'd be concerned it's more than just stress.

If that's the case, I'd recommend quarantining the fish ASAP to prevent any potential infection spreading to the chromis. As for treatment, I used a broad-spectrum antibiotic, but I'd advise you to consult with a fish expert or a trusted pet store for guidance on the best course of action.

[zeno9]

It's been a week and no food intake, I think that's more than just nerves about new surroundings.

My one with an infection didn't make it, unfortunately it infected my other clown too, but luckily that one recovered on its own as it was eating well beforehand.

If yours doesn't eat, then sickness is a possibility. No visible signs of infection or parasites, I'd treat for internal parasites and bacterial infections in QT, and try different food - flake, freeze-dried, fresh.