clownfish dying... don't know what I did wrong.

[Marine_fanaticz]

Hi this is my 3rd attempt at a marine tank and its not working... my new clownfish is dying.

So I have this 10g oceanspace nano

My filter is an iOS with ceramic biorings, and active carbon and wool. With an dymax iq skimmer. I also use got live rock in my tank

The tank has been running for 25days..using sea water from irwana. For the first week, I cycled the tank with a damsel then I removed the damsel cuz it's bad and cruel and all that. I also used fish food to kick start the cycle.

Tested my nitrite after the first week and it was high, did a 10%water change and left it to cycle.

today after 3 weeks, tested again. Ammonia is zero, nitrite now is zero. And nitrate is hovering just above zero. so the cycling is complete right? so today I added a my first ls, a juvenile clownfish using the proper acclamation process and now after 5 hours, it seems to be just swimming near to the surface, active, but just keeping to the surface. seems like its gonna meet the same fate as all my other past attempts.

My salinity is .22 and i use 100%distilled water from NTUC for daily evaporation top off. I don't have any metallic objects in my tank. The flow is my tank is good cuz I'm using a adequate submersible filter in my IOS, causing some waves at the surface. so what could I have possibly done wrong? ;(

[allantang]

could it be the fish you bought?

[Marine_fanaticz]

could it be the fish you bought?

Could have been. I bought it from ah beng shop... I'm not sure if it has an itch or not... Seems like there is a few white blotches on the white stipe near to the head... but most of the clownfish in that shop are like that.

[allantang]

It will be good to get healthy fish. Still a good practice to QT before releasing it to the main tank. Will save u lots n lots of heart break n work. Especially when u have fishes u love in the future swimming in your dream tank

[stevenchia]

The normal clowns is a little hard to adapt n prompt to disease. Perculars will be tougher imo.

[Marine_fanaticz]

The normal clowns is a little hard to adapt n prompt to disease. Perculars will be tougher imo.

Yes mine is a percula... but i tought clown fishes are supposed to be hardy? hmm what should I do? I'd this clownfish dies( which I think is going to)

Should I do a 10% water change, then add 2 damsels in the tank and wait till the tank matures then remove the damsels and put in clowns? But my tank has finished it's cycle with ammonia and nitrite zero and nitrate just above zero... Why is it that the water quality is still bad? What could be wrong with it? salinity is maintained at .21-.22

[james72]

I think if the fishes keep going to the surface, you might not have enough oxygen in your tank. Try supplement with a small air pump.

[epicfish]

Got top-up? Nano tank have drastic salinity change effects when evaporation kicks in. oxygenate the water, use air pump. Your live rock how big? need to give them space to swim.

Some tips here and there, I have some experience with clownfish in nano tanks most of the time its successful but i have changed to a larger tank since, some of my friends even kept them without any water changes or turbulent flow. Fishes I usually bought from iwarna or henry. Better if you get from a reefer cuz they have better adaptability, i see alot of posts giving away common clowns.

One more tip, not necessary but I'd be sure to get them in pairs, one big one small, they get aggressive at first but will normalize after awhile provided you got the same species. Reason is because, some clowns if you separate them with their tank mate, may cause further stress on one or the other. So when you buy, just get one which is already paired or if in school tank, look at the swim patterns to identify their tank mates.

[stevenchia]

can u show us ur fish picture? so we know how the situation.

[Marine_fanaticz]

ok latest update...

Woke up this morning to finds clownfish sleeping, at the surface!! srsly thought it was dead. then I switched on my led lights and it woke up and started to swim (only at the surface!)

my live rocks are at the bottom and there's plenty of space to swim...could be lack of oxygen but I doubt so because there's a flow at the surface and the water isn't still so I believe that oxygen is able to enter through the surface. And besides my one clownfish is the only livestock I have.

Will take a picture in the evening when I get back from work to show you guys. thanks a lot! really hope this fish survives.

[netviper]

What the other reefers said is right. There wasn't enough oxygen in ya newly established tank. Try the recommended method of supplying oxygen w air stone and see how it goes.

[Marine_fanaticz]

Anyways perhaps I've begun to doubt my live rock. Could it be because that my rocks are not live? Thus contributing to my clownfish behaviour

I purchases it from qian hu fish farm for my old tank... then when the tank crashed I removed them and soaked them in freshwater and then dried them in the sun for about a week... Before placing them in my new tank at the start of the cycle so all the organisms on the rock have died. now that the cycle is over I can see some organisms started growing on it and nitrifying bacteria can also grow on them right? These rocks can be live once more?

[Marine_fanaticz]

What the other reefers said is right. There wasn't enough oxygen in ya newly established tank. Try the recommended method of supplying oxygen w air stone and see how it goes.

Hmm on that case, time for me to invest in an air pump!

[jxlex]

Alternatively u can consider adding a hang on filter, serves the same purpose and gives you extra space for additional nutient exporting medium...

r,

AP

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[Marine_fanaticz]

Alternatively u can consider adding a hang on filter, serves the same purpose and gives you extra space for additional nutient exporting medium...

r,

AP

send via tapatalk

Tought about that but can't do... my tank is an ocean space with an iOS . I can't place my hob filter in the iOS cuz got many compartments blocking. must place in the side then block the display lol

[Marine_fanaticz]

Alternatively u can consider adding a hang on filter, serves the same purpose and gives you extra space for additional nutient exporting medium...

r,

AP

send via tapatalk

Tought about that but can't do... my tank is an ocean space with an iOS . I can't place my hob filter in the iOS cuz got many compartments blocking. must place in the side then block the display lol

[Marine_fanaticz]

Latest update

Came home today... My clownfish is still alive:) seems to be little more active, but still not looking so good. Hope it survives... I won't fail on it

[Marine_fanaticz]

Latest update

Came home today... My clownfish is still alive:) seems to be little more active, but still not looking so good. Hope it survives... I won't fail on it

[inwear]

Latest update

Came home today... My clownfish is still alive:) seems to be little more active, but still not looking so good. Hope it survives... I won't fail on it

Good ownership and patient. Stock up slowly and you see your result. Thumb up for you

[Marine_fanaticz]

Good ownership and patient. Stock up slowly and you see your result. Thumb up for you

Thx dude... !

[Marine_fanaticz]

Latest update!

Came back home from work today my clownfish looks super healthy, no longer staying at the surface...just fed it some frozen brine shrimp.... And did a 10%water change and you guys were right! It was because of the lack of oxygen! I addedorw power to the submersible filter causing more disturbance at the surface and its health improved tremendously. Wouldn't have done it without the help of the regulars at SRC. thx a million. gonna stock lightly and just bought a pro buffer series part A and part B to stabilise my ph.... heared good review about it

[jxlex]

Tought about that but can't do... my tank is an ocean space with an iOS . I can't place my hob filter in the iOS cuz got many compartments blocking. must place in the side then block the display lol

Haha... I disregarded aesthetics for a hob.. Haha

send via tapa

[Omoto chief xtreme]

Is your live rock cure ?

[Omoto chief xtreme]

Is your live rock cure ?

[james72]

Good job!