Unhappy fish?

My cycle finished, my CUC is installed, and all my numbers looked good. My LFS confirmed the numbers yesterday, and I brought home two spunky little clownfish (fancy percula) to start off my tank. When I put them in, they started off lower in the tank, and even explored a bit, but after about half an hour went to the top rear and stayed there. Going with the default assumption of low oxygenation, I angled the installed pump (~240gph) and my Koralia 2 (600 gph) toward the surface. It's been almost a full day and they're still there. They are eating fine (both flake food and brine shrimp).

Should I be worried?

 

Some questions:

- What type of tank, FO, FOWLR or Reef & how large?
- what type of filtration is on the tank?
- How long was your cycle & did you have all test done at the LFS?
- What is your salinity & temp at?

 

I tested myself using API's saltwater master kit until we suspected the cycle was complete, then had LFS confirm. Temperature runs about 78F, sg is 1.021. Filtration includes a mechanical filter and nitrate trap- tank specs and contents are listed in my sig

 

since its only been a day , and theyre eating fine , and all seems good with your tank , i think it could be just them getting accustomed to their new home. clowns can be weird , and it could be they feel safe where they are now. i think youre all good salty

 

Thanks for the info, how long did your cycle last? I would invest in a skimmer instead of the filter. Look into the AquaC Remora's for HOB ones.

Sounds like the params are ok, the clowns may still be adjusting to the new tank. My clowns would normally remain in the back-right corner when I first got them, it took about a week or so for them to explore fully.

Keep us updated & watch them for heavy breathing or erratic behavior.

 

+1 on getting used to tank... I bought two more clowns on Wed. and they are still in the back top corner (opposite overflow side) occasionally venturing further out into the tank. I know they are exploring because the other day one of them was stuck in the overflow side of the tank (not in my pvc thankfully).

 

Hope that the clowns have acclimated by now. I still haven't seen your water parameters in detail. How long did you let the tank cycle? Life rock or base rock? Life sand? These are all things that you must consider when cycling a tank. I, myself cycled for about 4 months. Just to make sure that all parameters were in check. But some people start adding livestock after one month. All depends. Also what about your CUC?

 

FYI my clowns are now roaming free throughout the tank so I just wanted to confirm the other posts on getting used to the tank. I got them last Wed. so it's been 5 days. I only have three fish right now and all are clowns due to losing everything in the transfer to my new tank so I'm slowly adding things to it. Your clowns should start moving around more soon!

 

No, this is typical behavior for some clowns until they adjust.

 

It's been two days. The clowns continue to be active and eating, but they're also still at the top rear of the tank, less than an inch from the surface. Also, they're now swimming on their sides, with their bellies against the back of the tank. They occasionally chase a flake down toward the bottom, and when they do, they don't appear to be gasping or making any other sign I recognize as low oxygen, but this new swimming-with-one-fin-out-of-the-water is worrisome. I can't find anything referencing this sort of behavior, or what it might mean.