True Percula Clown Question

[silvia]

Hi guys!

I just got a pair of true percula clown in my tank, it's almost 2 days, both of them seems don't really like their new home, and the female is even worst, sometime she scratch her body in the sand bed too. they eat, but they only swim toward the current which in front of the tank, and never explor anywhere around the rock. I test all the water, all the parameter are fine and stable, the only other live stock in there is a small spotted mandarin, cleaner shrimp, and a couple hermit crab.
i already gave some flake with garlic source to them, they ate them all, but it didn't seems help much.
I have another question, do they sleep at all, or they just keep swimming in the middle of the tank over night?

I'm still a beginning, and i would really appreciate if anyone could give me some advice. thank you so much

 

[jwtrojan44]

They sound rather normal for clowns. Given that they've only been in the tank for a couple days, they likely have not settled in yet, so be patient. The fact that they're eating is good. Often times clowns don't swim the entire area of the tank, but tend to stay close to one spot, likely instinctual as in the wild they don't stray far from their host anemones. The "scratching" in the sand is also characteristic and mine do it frequently. They are odd little fish so you'll need to get used to their quirky behavior. As long as they eat and aren't showing signs of distress or illness, they're okay.

 

[silvia]

thanks for your reply, actually i don't have an anemones for them, i'm still a beginner, so i rather stay away from this wonderful creature. but i heard people said, these clown fish should be fine without one right? or are there any other soft coral that i can provide them as a host instead of anemone? i only got a couple mushroom and Xeina in my tank now.

thank you

 

[gobyfan]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Silvia:
<strong>thanks for your reply, actually i don't have an anemones for them, i'm still a beginner, so i rather stay away from this wonderful creature. but i heard people said, these clown fish should be fine without one right? or are there any other soft coral that i can provide them as a host instead of anemone? i only got a couple mushroom and Xeina in my tank now.

thank you</strong><hr></blockquote>


My clowns love my Hawaian Feather Duster as a host!
They are intresting, Inexpensive and easy cretures to keep!

GF

 

[silvia]

Hi JohnD,

Thank you so much for your reply, sometime i felt that here is more reliable than my LFS. you know what, i already order the book from BN, will pick it up tonight and do some serious reading, i should do this before i get them. and i will try to get the formula 1 that you suggest and see does she take it or not! But i doubt that will work, i don't know what's wrong with her, i just don't want to waste a such amazing fish. John, would a purple tip anemone help the situation here? i can just get one right the way, i don't really care about the anemone, just don't want to lose the clown.

 

[silvia]

Hi guys, i really need some help here, my female(bigger) clown is not eating this morning, the male ate all the food, i feed prime reef frozen/flake(1 drop garlic extreme) together. any suggestion?

 

[JohnD]

Silvia,

Here are 3 points for you:

1. Try Ocean Nutrition's frozen Formula 1. It is designed for clownfishes. I would try feeding it to them both with and without the garlic. Experiment a little and see what they like. My false perc and tomato clown (not in the same tank) both love it. Of course, they love all of the Ocean Nutrition foods. (I do not work for Ocean Nutrition.)

2. Do yourself a big favor and get Joyce Wilkerson's Clownfishes. While she wrote it for breeders, it has a lot of good background information on all of the species, their host anemonies, you name it. I got mine from half.com for about $20, but most of the online aquariums stores carry her book.

3. While a mandarin is a great looking fish, it is not for a beginner. It needs a 100+ gallon tank established for a year with plenty of pods. While some board members have a mandarin in somewhat smaller tanks and are able to feed them frozen food, most mandarins require their natural food. Without it, they slowly starve to death. Do a search on this board and you will find many posts.

Do the mandarin a favor and take him/her back to where you purchased him/her for your money back or a store credit. Use the credit to get Wilkerson's book.

In closing, you are on the right track. Ask questions of this board and read, read, read.

[ April 08, 2002: Message edited by: JohnD ]</p>

 

[silvia]

Hi guys, my female clown fish really need some help from you guys, these pair of true percula clown, i bought it about 3 days ago, the male is doing fine, but the female, some how got into a fight with the male on the first night, and she got a tiny white spot/scare on her forehead, today it became a little hole, and she is still not eating. do you guys think this is some kind of infection, i already feed her food with garlic extreme, but she is not taking it. what else can i do to save her? pls any suggestion would be appreciate! i don't want to lose her

 

[Krusk]

hi

if your clown a scratching to liverock or live sand

that mean she/he are irritating (possiple of ICH attack)

if they are swimming into the water current, 2 posibility

1. they having health broblem
2. they working out

if they swimming in the the water current for a short period of time, they working out
they swimming into the current all the time, that indicate problem

fish do need to sleep, they will find death spot to rest(spot have least water flow)

good luck

 

[squeezix]

My Percula Clown, Bozo, Floated on the top of the tank for almost 5 days. He looked like a dying or injured fiash, except for the fact that he took food, tons of it, and his respiration was perfect. No laboured breathing, just acting odd at the top of the tank. It took 2 weeks for him to acclimate, but he is very happy now, and very active. Clowns are odd fish, hence their name. The strange behavior has a lot to do with thier popularity. Don't pay as much attention to his bizarre behavior as you do to his health, brightness, respiration and feeding. If those four points are lacking, that is cause for concern.

(from a newbie)

 

[JohnD]

Silvia,

How is the female? I just got back to the board and wanted to check up on her.

If she is still not eating, try feeding her some live blood worms or brine shrimp. Soak either in some selcon for a good half hour (or more) before feeding the percs. I haven't met a fish yet that doesn't love live food.