clown not eating?

[segraves1]

I have a pair of tank raised percula clowns that I have had about a week. One is a total pig and eats anything I put in the tank (freeze dried brine shrimp, chunks of raw shrimp, shrimp pellets, etc.), swims all over, fallows my finger, and all around seems really happy...... the OTHER clown however......seems to have stopped eating......he LOOKS ok (no dull markings, no odd swimming, etc......he seems about 75% as active as the other clown......) but just won't eat.....food will float by, he looks at it, and then goes "ehhhh"leting it float by........this has been going on since last night (yesterday morning he eat a few very small pieces of raw shrimp but I have not SEEN him eat since)..... for reference, the water specs are:
temp = 78.4 degrees
salinity = ~1.022
ammonia = ~0.5ppm (tank is still cycling)
nitrate = ~0 ppm

I check everything twice a day (morning and night) and am changing out about 10% (half a gal) a day just to help buffer the ammonia while the tank cycles........

[Whoyah]

You might try a little garlic juice on the food. I know it sounds funny but it works some times. The garlic will stimulate his appetite. I just use a garlic press and squeeze a clove and catch some of the juice. You only need a few drops. Then just drip it on the food. It won't hurt anything in your tank.

[KG]

Seagraves, I'd try moving it to a QT and drop the salinity to 1.009. This will help reduce the stress and as someone else mentioned, try some garlic and / or liquid Vitamin C. Both work pretty well to stimulate the appetite. Good luck!

KG

[zoo-a-holic]

while your tank is cycling, i dont think you should change That much water. because it takes a month for a tank to build culture, and if you are taking 10% out every day, thats 70% of your water gone in a week. there is no culture that can be built in that time. Try 15% every week and if you are still worried about it, do it twice a week. This is just how I feel so if i am wrong, someone please let me know!

[segraves1]

garlic.....LOL.....now thats funny.......I'll give it a try..... I'll cut back on the water changes also........I kind of felt the daily change was too much but I just didn't want to overload the fish with ammonia (make it too hard for them).........whats the ammonia level that clowns would start getting unhappy?

[segraves1]

well now both of the clown is eating like a super pigs so guess they are both going to be ok........

[dakar]