Did my clownfish make a new friend?

[Rookie1]

I noticed my clownfish last night getting pretty buddy buddy with one of the hermits in our tank. It was hovering around him for well over an hour. Is he being a bully? Making a new friend? He needs a host? Or just being a clown?? It's pretty funny to watch.

 

Oh, and should I be concerned about the slightly wrinkly looking skin towards the back of his head??

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SunWyrm]

Too cute. Wouldn't be worried at all.

[charnelhouse]

Thinks it's an anemone

[Rookie1]

Everyone is confused in my tank. My sexy shrimp think the zoas are an anemone. And now this???

[Mariaface]

I'd be a little worried about that tiny wrinkle, as it could be the start of 'lateral line'. It happened to my super tiny clowns when I went on break and they weren't fed by roommates or anyone. Took months to reverse it. Make sure you're feeding a high quality pellet (I opt for Omega One, NLS, etc). If the fish is small, it helps to feed tiny amounts multiple times a day instead of all at once. And keep in mind that its stomach is only the size of its eye - the better quality the ingredients, the more nutrition the little guy gets.

 

Selcon, Vita-Chem, etc are nice additives to soak the pellets in for an extra kick of nutrients.

[Rookie1]

I'd be a little worried about that tiny wrinkle, as it could be the start of 'lateral line'. It happened to my super tiny clowns when I went on break and they weren't fed by roommates or anyone. Took months to reverse it. Make sure you're feeding a high quality pellet (I opt for Omega One, NLS, etc). If the fish is small, it helps to feed tiny amounts multiple times a day instead of all at once. And keep in mind that its stomach is only the size of its eye - the better quality the ingredients, the more nutrition the little guy gets.

 

Selcon, Vita-Chem, etc are nice additives to soak the pellets in for an extra kick of nutrients.

 

Oh no!! I googled the photos and it does sort of look like the start of that.

 

So far I've been feeding cobalt flakes (recommended by the LFS) and Formula One pellets. He eats the flakes easily. The pellets are borderline too large. He can get some of them down but some he spits out (I assume they are too large). I also got some frozen mysis but they are a bit too big for him as well (I assume because he'll spit them back out).

 

Hopefully these are good foods. He will eat almost as often as I throw in food and he seems to be swimming around and making friends. It's my first fish but to me he looks pretty darn happy.

 

Should I add or change anything in his diet??

[Mariaface]

 

Oh no!! I googled the photos and it does sort of look like the start of that.

 

So far I've been feeding cobalt flakes (recommended by the LFS) and Formula One pellets. He eats the flakes easily. The pellets are borderline too large. He can get some of them down but some he spits out (I assume they are too large). I also got some frozen mysis but they are a bit too big for him as well (I assume because he'll spit them back out).

 

Hopefully these are good foods. He will eat almost as often as I throw in food and he seems to be swimming around and making friends. It's my first fish but to me he looks pretty darn happy.

 

Should I add or change anything in his diet??

 

 

I trust pellets over flake, especially for smaller fish, so try to look into 'micro pellets'. You'll want a .5mm size, like the Omega One 'super color micro pellets' or the NLS Grow micro pellets. Do make sure they say 'micro', because 'small' can still mean 1mm to 1.5mm and it'll be too large. I think Hikari also makes micro pellets? You need to make sure the first two or three ingredients are some kind of meat/protein source. I love Omega One because they use crazy awesome ingredients and you can see it on the label. Treat it kind of like.. picking out cat food.

 

I'd pick up some Selcon and a vitamin/amino acid supplement to soak pellets in before feeding.

 

For mine, I picked up disposable 1oz plastic containers on ebay, either shot glasses or those 'graduated medicine cups' from medical supply stores (I prefer the graduated because I also use them for phytoplankton/zooplankton/coral food. Add a drop of Selcon, a drop of the vitamins, and drop the pellets onto the liquid. A minute later or so, they'll be ready to feed. I use plastic pipettes to suck the pellets up and put them right in front of the clown (if you need to add tank water to suck up pellets, that's fine).

 

EDIT: Keep in mind that he's not going to say no to more food! Feed him two or three times a day, just a few pellets at a time until you can tell where his stomach is.

[Rookie1]

Next time I'm in the LFS I'll grab some of that stuff and make sure he's getting all his nutrients. I hope the little guy isn't sick though.

[SunWyrm]

Or this amazing goodness: http://www.larrysreefservices.com/

[smeagol108]

Definitely lrs nano food. It will be perfect

[Tamberav]

I chop the mysis up for my tiny fish, works great!

 

 

Oh no!! I googled the photos and it does sort of look like the start of that.

 

So far I've been feeding cobalt flakes (recommended by the LFS) and Formula One pellets. He eats the flakes easily. The pellets are borderline too large. He can get some of them down but some he spits out (I assume they are too large). I also got some frozen mysis but they are a bit too big for him as well (I assume because he'll spit them back out).

 

Hopefully these are good foods. He will eat almost as often as I throw in food and he seems to be swimming around and making friends. It's my first fish but to me he looks pretty darn happy.

 

Should I add or change anything in his diet??

[Rookie1]

I was able to find some omega one micro pellets over the weekend. They are a big smaller than the formula one small pellets. The clownfish seems to like them plenty!! I didn't see any selcon at the couple stores I went to but I'll check the better stores this week. Hopefully the little guy doesn't turn out to be sick. He sure acts happy and eats plenty.

[Mariaface]

Good luck!

[Rookie1]

Good luck!

 

Thanks. I appreciate the help.

 

I looked at the LRS site, there is an LFS that carries it so I'll likely grab some of that as well. I've going to have about 6 or 7 different foods for this little guy. He's spoiled!!

[jamescstein]

 

I've going to have about 6 or 7 different foods for this little guy. He's spoiled!!

 

That right there is probably the best defense against lateral line. Well fed with a good variety of food.

[Rookie1]

I did a little reading around on the interwebs, which I take with a grain of salt, and saw one source recommended not running carbon if lateral line is being treated.

 

Would anyone recommend removing my carbon for a while or should I not worry about that??

[Mariaface]

Don't remove carbon. The reasoning behind that is that carbon will filter out nutrients in the water column that could be used by the fish, but you need to focus on feeding the fish (it will ingest nutrients much better through its digestive system than through its slimed skin or its gills). To combat 'sterile water', you can add a vitamin supplement to the water column once a week or so. Or, you know: Feed more.

[Rookie1]

Don't remove carbon. The reasoning behind that is that carbon will filter out nutrients in the water column that could be used by the fish, but you need to focus on feeding the fish (it will ingest nutrients much better through its digestive system than through its slimed skin or its gills). To combat 'sterile water', you can add a vitamin supplement to the water column once a week or so. Or, you know: Feed more.

 

So I pretty much just need to focus on keeping him full of all the high quality food I've been picking up..... That's simple enough.

 

Thank you!!!

[Mariaface]

 

So I pretty much just need to focus on keeping him full of all the high quality food I've been picking up..... That's simple enough.

 

Thank you!!!

 

 

That's the plan! HLLE is basically a fish absorbing its own skin (skin at first, anyway) for nutrients. So long as he gets a healthy surplus, he'll be able to rebuild that layer and grow fat and happy before you know it

 

I was so happy when those lines finally disappeared on mine.

[Rookie1]

 

 

That's the plan! HLLE is basically a fish absorbing its own skin (skin at first, anyway) for nutrients. So long as he gets a healthy surplus, he'll be able to rebuild that layer and grow fat and happy before you know it

 

I was so happy when those lines finally disappeared on mine.

 

All the digging around on the internet and I couldn't even find that little nugget of information. You're a gem!!! It's so hard to tell what it looks like on the little guy since he doesn't hold still much and even in a photo he's so small. I'll just keep giving him plenty of good food and see what shakes out.

[bjolly]

is he still obsessed with the hermit? that is so cute.

[NYfishies]

Everyone is confused in my tank. My sexy shrimp think the zoas are an anemone. And now this???

 

Your Sexy Shrimp will eat those very zoa's if they get hungry. Beware.

[Rookie1]

He still plays with the hermit for at least an hour every evening. Never bother him but stay by his side. And only that hermit, the other doesn't interest him.

 

And I've been keeping a keen eye on the sexy shrimp. They actually hang out in my very small zoa colony. I was freaking out for a few days thinking they were nibbling on them. After watching very closely it doesn't look like they are there to eat em but just have somewhere to hang out.

 

Anytime I feed the fish I make sure an extra couple pellet or flakes land nearby and they will usually go snatch them up. Hopefully that'll keep em full.

[Rookie1]

Grabbed some new photos for folks to peek at this guys wrinkles, or whatever it is. Here are a few, more can be seen at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fear-mn

 

He still seems to be very happy and eats like a horse. I've been feeding a little bit 2-3 times a day. He is usually in the water column swimming all over. I have however noticed white stringy poo on 2 occasions. Not really sure what to make of it all.

 

Thoughts on how he is doing would be great. Thanks everyone!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mariaface]

White stringy poo means parasites. Try treating the tank with PraziPro (read the instructions, especially the lack of chemical filtration during treatment, and the warning that small/sensitive filter feeders can be harmed by the product - but lots of us use it in the display without issue).

 

Parasites will certainly eat his food for him and cause the malnutrition, so try getting rid of those as quickly as you can.