A Beginner Needs Some Help

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT color=#ff40ff size=6#ed_cl#I recently purchased a clown fish and he seems to be acting weird. He stays in the same area and seems to hold his head higher then the rest of his body and constantly moves his fins but doesnot move. I just want to make sure this is not a sign of some kind of sickness. If you could let me know ASAP i would apperciate it!! #ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/3.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

Can you give us some more details about your tank setup? What species of clown is it that you have? This is actually somewhat normal behavior for some clown species.

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It is only a 10 gal tank, with some live rock and I also have a royal gamma in there. The tank has cycled. It was bred in a tank and it is a pecuilar clown.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#sorry i mean a percula clown....i have issues with spelling...lol#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Reef_Angel]

Is he eating and everything? Also, do you have a coral that he's hanging around when he does this? Clowns like to host with many different types of coral. Our clown just loves any coral that has long polyp extensions. When we got him, he had a toadstool leather that he loved to lounge in. Lately he's been trying out just about every coral in our tank. So far he likes to rub himself on our Pagoda Cup, our soft pink colt, green star polyps, frog spawn... to name a few. When we first got him though, he'd kind of hang around one coral seemingly checking it out to see if he should go in or not. Now he swims around the tank and brushes over all his favorites as if to say, "This is mine, and this one's mine, they're all mine mine mine!" I hope that your clown is doing something similar. The funny thing is, the sebae is usually a good host for a clown, but Baxter will have nothing to do with it. Let us know how things turn out with him!

Let us know how yours is doing. He may just be adapting to his new life in your tank. Watch him for any signs of ich/parasites, but if he's eating and everything, he should be ok. Is he a true perc or falce perc (tank raised)? If you don't have anything he can host with, maybe he 'd like that and be a little more lively.
Good luck! .......Angel

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Sad/4.gif"#ed_cl#I am not sure if he is eating. When i put his food in the tank he doesn't seem to go right after it, but i don't sit and watch for any length of time to see if he eats after i leave. I am very worried! If he is sick of has a parasite how would i know? I do not have a reef tank so he seems to just hang out on the side of the tank near the heater. Once and a while he swims around but it is seldom. He is tank raised, do you think i need to get another clown so he has some company? Ahh i just don't know what to do! Thanks for helping me out i really apperciate it, this is my first time with a tank and i just want it to go well!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Reef_Angel]

Welcome to your first learning experience in reefing! It gets better...I promise!How long has your tank been running? Did you cycle the tank and test the water? How long has he actually been in your tank? You mentioned that he's tank raised. Was he in a tank with a bunch of other percs and was he active in their tank? Don't forget to add some snails so you have a cleaning crew. A sea cucumber is also excellent for keeping a cleaner house!
We just bought our daughter 2 tank raised percs also, and they didn't do much at first either. They hung around the mid to upper part of the tank for 3 days. Her fish were swimming sickly by the second evening. Her tests told the story...to many fish right away and nothing to handle all the ammonia and nitrates. They're moving around more now and they are healthy, but to keep them that way she has to really take care of her water and not overfeed! The mistake she made when she bought her fish was she put in 3 fish. The rule of thumb is generally one at a time which is what you've done. Do you have a test kit to monitor your water quality? You haven't seen him actually eat, but is he still healthy looking and not getting thin? If you see food building up on the sand bed, cut back your feedings he will pick at food left in the tank. Be careful not to overfeed the tank so your water quality is clear and healthy for your fish. Check him over paying close attention to any marks or white spots on his fins/body that may be signs of ich/parasites. I know it seems like a lot of things to keep an eye on, but hang in there. We're always here to help you with any problems. We all started out the same way....new to the hobby. Hopefully there's nothing wrong at all and he's just adjusting to his new home.
Generally we wouldn't recommend adding a second perc, but if he was in a tank with quite a few percs, he just may be lonely. If he was alone in a tank, adding another perc may not be a good idea. Percs are best added together in a pair so one doesn't dominate and pick on the other perc. You haven't had him long though, so if he was in a tank with multiple percs in it you could put in another one but make sure it's smaller or about the same size of your 1st perc. The other option is to put in a different type of fish that isn't aggressive. As long as your water tests are where they need to be, everything will be fine. Keep us up to date on your new friend. I hope you didn't get a sick fish from your LFS, but that can happen. Give him more time to adjust and keep taking care of him the way you are. We're happy to help! Welcome aboard also, we're glad to have you as a new member! .......Angel

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Now he seems to be just laying on the sand. My friend has a tank and he thinks that it might be sick, but the perc is not showing any white spots and i honestly can not tell if he is getting skinny. It could just be my imagination, but where his back meets his fin seems to be getting darker. #ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Thinking/2.gif"#ed_cl#I just can't seem to figure out what is wrong. Could he be jealous because i added another fish to the tank? I got a royal gamma and put her in around the time he seemed to be acting odd. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I also have another question..... How do you know when the tank has been competely cycled?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Reef_Angel]

It doesn't sound like your little fish is going to make it. Laying in the sand is not a good sign at all. If he hasn't already died, he won't make it to much longer. To know if your tank cycled properly, the only way to really tell is by using your test kit and seeing where all your parameters are at where they need to be. Have you done any water changes yet? You might want to do a water change, but test first.and see where your water is at now. Do you have a picture that you share with us. Share your test results with the board an maybe we can get an idea where your system is actually at . I'm sorry, but without knowing what the tests are, and we troubleshoot further. It just may be as simple as the fish may have been sick when you got it. That happens to all of us, gut hang in there. Stay in touch with us on how things are going.

[Steffyrose]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ok thanks! I will keep you updated.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#