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My 1st Saltwater Fish

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Ryan88

So today I picked up my 1st saltwater fish. It was a Clown: True Percula. So I got him home, floated the bag for 20 min, added 2 scoops of water, then floated him the the tank for another 20 min. Put him in and now hes just swimming in like a little spot between two rocks, he keeps going in and out and thats it. Is this normal? Did I do anything wrong?

Its almost like he wants to swim, but something is holding him back, and its plain to see he's not caught or anything, Could the two powerheads be to much for him?
 
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tbone212371

It's a new enviroment to him so he needs to get used to it and he also probably is hiding in between the two rocks to feel protected....
This is very normally...
It might him him to get settled if you turn the lights off...
I found this helps alot for a most live stock...
 
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Ryan88

Alright cool, yeah i turned my lights off, i usually always do that when adding livestock. How long before he should be swimming around.
 
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tbone212371

All fish are different...
It could take no more than 5 minutes or it could take a day or two or more...
But mostly within 24 hours or less he should be swimming around..
Especially if he's hungry.. Clowns love to eat... They just can't say NO to food...
Bottomless Pits they are....
 
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Subliminal

NJRC Member
Just so's ya know, you might want to (in the future) be a little more careful introducing the fishies to their new environment.

Floating the bag will pretty much equalize the water temperature, but you've also got the content of the water to consider. Say the fish store keeps their fish at 1.020 or so and you keep your tank at 1.025. That's a pretty big difference, as far as the fish is concerned.

Usually, it's nice to give them about an hour, gradually changing their water to that of your tank.

And that's just putting aside the whole quarantining of fish, which can also be pretty important.

Anyway, sounds like he's going to be ok. I just introduced a fish yesterday, too, and that lil fella is hiding hard-core behind my rocks. ;)
 
MikeNapoli

MikeNapoli

Considering you just set your tank up two weeks ago. The tank is probably not cycled. Just a guess.

I would have been a little more patiant before putting fish in the tank.
 
MikeNapoli

MikeNapoli

Subliminal said:
Ahh, but Mike I remember when you were a newbie, too! Achilles tangs with no quarantines. ;)
Click to expand...

You are correct sir. But putting a fish, any fish, in my tank at 2 weeks never happened. That's like saying "hey fish, die in here." :p
 
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Subliminal

NJRC Member
Touche!

It's hard not to. You spend all that time researching, then assembling, then you just stare at water and wait. And you don't truly comprehend the chemistry going on yet.

Good luck, Ryan! :)
 
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danthemanj

FRAG SWAP VENDOR
My first Clown took over 3 weeks to move about in my 24 gallon nano when I first introduced him to the tank so be patient. Check you water parameters to make sure that the water quality is good and feed it sparingly. If it doesn't eat at first, give it time, don't keep putting food in the tank. Also, clowns don't swim like your usual fish, so don't get alarmed.

Good Luck
 
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chase33

I have fish that took months before they came out of hiding and began swimming around. I have a fish that I've had for over a year and rarely comes out from the rocks at all. Since cycling was mentioned, what are your water parameters?
 
jsantoli

jsantoli

I added fish about 2 hours after adding the water and the sand and the 3 fish I added that day are doing great. I also added coral within the first week and that too is doing great. But back to your clown, I did the same thing when I acclimated my first 3 fish and they were swimming around within a few hours, but for my wrasse I did the drip acclimation and he swam and ate right away. Thats the way to go in my opinion
 
blange3

blange3

jsantoli said:
I added fish about 2 hours after adding the water and the sand and the 3 fish I added that day are doing great. I also added coral within the first week and that too is doing great.
Click to expand...


And you were very lucky!

But that doesn't mean it should be done that way. Some things just don't make sense cutting corners on and acclimation is one of them. Even if the fish are OK, they were probably were stressed for sometime, the coral too.

Remember the purpose of the club and it's forum is to improve awareness of what is best for the reefs and it's inhabitants, both captive and in the wild. So be patient with some of us as we challenge you to improve your skills.
 
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Ryan88

Well I did put in Bio-Speria, and my nitrates come up and were down at 0, I've been talking to mikem and he's been helping me with this whole thing so yes my tank was ready for fish and he's doing quite well now
 
mikem

mikem

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
For everyone that didn't read his other posts, and that don't know about BIO-SPERIA. He had his mini cycle using this stuff. His Trates rose as expected and droped to 0. The cycle is over. OVERNIGHT.
 
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