Clowns won't eat

Brief description of the problem.
A picture(s) will also help.
PARAMETERS (important)
Temperature:76
PH: 8.2 although it is difficult to read
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .50
Nitrate: 80
Salinity: .025
dKH/KH/Alkalinity: 18
Magnesium: unknown
Calcium: 500
Phosphate: 0
Test kits you own:API saltwater and reef kit
Liquid or Strips: liquid
Brand Name:API
Are they Expired?: no clue recently purchased though


Tank size? 55 gal
Estimated total system? 56 gal

Reef, fish only or, freshwater? fish only

Current inhabitants? What and how many? 2 O. clowns, pepperment shrimp, and skunk cleaner
Clean up crew? 5 ish turbo snails, 4 hermits, 5 ish cerith snails

How long has your tank been set-up? 1.2 months or so

Substrate.
Type?carib sea live sand pacific black rock
Depth? 2-3"

Live rock?4 lbs purchased live, 60 lbs purchased as bas rock
How much?
Did you recently add some?no

Filtration.
Type? fluval 305
Protein skimmer? no
Do you wet or dry skim? N/A
Maintenance schedule for filtration? clean filter weekly
Drilled tank/hang on back overflow?N/A
Sump/refugium. What's in it and how much?N/A
Macro? What kind?N/A

Lighting.
Lighting type?Standard aquarium light that came with tank
Age of bulbs?1.2 months

Feeding
What?New life spectrum salt H20 flakes plus garlic, and more recently tetra marine saltwater flakes
How much?small pinch
How often?twice a day

Water change schedule.
How much?4-5 gallons
How often?weekly
What salt brand?instant ocean
Water source?tap

Additives/supplements used? using carbon and phos-x in filter

Do you have a ground probe?no
What kind of flow does your tank have? just from the fluval 305 filter positioned near top of water for maximum turbulance



Yesterday I purchased 2 O. clowns. the fish I have had for a month prior to getting them was a 3 stripe damsel to cycle the tank. before purchasing the clowns I asked to see them eat at the LFS and they ate very aggressivly. Upon bringing them home they started world war 3 with the damsel to the point that this morning I returned the damsel to the LFS as I assummed if I didn't I would come home to dead clowns. Ever since then they will not eat. I asked the LFS exactly what food they used to feed them (tetra marine flake) and tried that to no avail.

Is it possible the damsel attacking them would temporarly make them lose their appetite?

I greatly apreciate all the help in advance.

 

ok I'm too noob to figure out how to edit title, but they won't "eat" lol

 

I know when I bought my clown the guy told me that it's not unusual for clowns to hide or not eat for several days when just added to the tank. The new environment is scary, plus, the damsel attacks could have really stressed them out. My advice is to keep watching them and see if you notice any other signs of sickness, otherwise I think they will adjust to the new environment after some time.

I hope all goes well!

 

I do need to re set up my aquascape as it got trashed this mornign with me being in a hurry to catch the damsel before work. Can I assume I should just leave it ugly until the clowns are eating happily?

also how long should I let it go before getting very concerned.

 

I am very impressed you caught your damsel! Good job! For now I would leave your tank a mess, IMO. I know my fish get pretty stressed out when I'm messing around with their habitat, so if they are already stressed it might not be a good idea.

I think I read online that fish can go 1-2 weeks without eating, but I'm not positive. I would definitely research that. But if they appear sick by not swimming, gasping, etc. I would get worried.

Keep us posted!

 

they look like normal clowns to me, although I assume swimming around randomly and appearing to court the other with a siezure like shake is normal for a clown pair.

 

Haha yeah. My clown doesn't have a mate but still just shimmies around all day long. Cute, huh?! Enjoy them!

 

That's because you're not able to. I fixed it and you can ask a moderator if you ever need to edit a thread title again.

 

I agree damsels can be very aggressive and territorial and returning the fish to your lfs is IMO a good move.

I would be concerned with your alkalinity level of 18dKH. This seems very high. I would check your test kits expiry and then get a second opinion either from a different test kit or get your LFS to test it.

 

Well it may stem to me being able to read the PH test kit. I have a liquid test that that I can't tell if it is reading 7.8 or 8.2, also I have a leave in the tank PH strip that looks like it is reading 7.6

From my understanding it it would seem to be impossible to have PH that low with dKH that high. I have been using reef buffer rom seachem and it states on the bottle will raise PH to 8.3 without fear of overdosing. I may be colerblind, but it seems the liquid test is probably reading 8.2 and teh cheapo hang in the tnak model just sucks.