Clown Fish and Skunk Shrimp

[Moodhia]

Hi all I recently added a skunk shrimp to my tank and now my clownish are huddled in a corner and have refused to move. Any thoughts if this was a bad idea adding the shrimp? I would hate to lose them from stress. I only have two clowns and the shrimp in my reef tank. I have other inverts snails etc...

 

[lmm1967]

What size tank, how big are the shrimp & clownfish, how long have you had the clownfish?

 

[Moodhia]

Tank is 30g, I have had the clowns a week, and the shrimp for a day. He is much bigger that the clowns

 

[lmm1967]

Yeah, more than likely his size has them freaked out.

Are you testing your water? Are you sure you don't have an ammonia spike happening?

Are the clowns breathing heavier than normal or seem to be "gasping" for breath?

 

[CJD18]

I think you will be fine, mine is about three inch's and chases smaller fish to clean them or hangs on the side of my large sailfin cleaning him!!

 

[Moodhia]

Yeah, more than likely his size has them freaked out.

Are you testing your water? Are you sure you don't have an ammonia spike happening?

Are the clowns breathing heavier than normal or seem to be "gasping" for breath?

They were huddled near my heater and pump, I moved those and they left the corner and seemed happy swimming around then the shrimp came up from his cave and the freaked out and went to a new corner
now he has them held hostage in that corner since he keeps reaching out trying to clean them.
I test my water daily and my levels are great.
They do seem to be in a scare/breathing harder than usual when he is under them
My gut tells me to take him back and maybe get a smaller one or not have a skunk shrimp.

 

[Tanster2]

Never heard of a cleaner shrimp attacking any fish whatsoever, so they're probably just scared of their new tank mate. Clowns do strange things and act silly. That's why we call em clown fish!. I would give it some time before you take him back unless they actually seem to be in any danger.

 

[Moodhia]

Never heard of a cleaner shrimp attacking any fish whatsoever, so they're probably just scared of their new tank mate. Clowns do strange things and act silly. That's why we call em clown fish!. I would give it some time before you take him back unless they actually seem to be in any danger.

Thanks I will give it a few more days before taking him back

 

[Moodhia]

ph 8.2
carbonates 9dKH
phosphate 0ppm
nitrate 40ppm

And my clowns died. I think it was stress, what do you guys think?

 

[Tanster2]

I'd say any nitrates higher than 20ppm starts to become stressful to fish. 40 could definitely do some damage after a while. Do you do regular water changes?

 

[Tanster2]

This is a question I should've asked too. How old is your tank?

 

[lmm1967]

I don't agree that Nitrate levels are detrimental to fish - at least not clownfish.

I've run over 100ppm nitrates for an extended period of time with zero negative affect on fish or inverts - most corals don't like it - but fish are fine with it.

 

[lmm1967]

ph 8.2
carbonates 9dKH
phosphate 0ppm
nitrate 40ppm

And my clowns died. I think it was stress, what do you guys think?

It's hard to say - most clowns are pretty tough and don't really get stressed out unless something faster than them is bothering them all the time. Your chemistry seems fine for fish.

Were they eating? Any signs of any parasites at all? cloudy eyes?

 

[Tanster2]

Ah well I personally freak out when mine get over 15. I think 40ppm is an indicator that something is off in the system. A 30 gallon with 2 clowns and a few inverts shouldn't see any nitrates if there are semi regular water changes.

 

[Moodhia]

This is a question I should've asked too. How old is your tank?

3 months old

 

[Moodhia]

It's hard to say - most clowns are pretty tough and don't really get stressed out unless something faster than them is bothering them all the time. Your chemistry seems fine for fish.

Were they eating? Any signs of any parasites at all? cloudy eyes?

No parasites no cloudy eyes, they were fine until I introduced the shrimp then they started huddling. They were eating better it seemed before I got the shrimp

 

[Moodhia]

Ah well I personally freak out when mine get over 15. I think 40ppm is an indicator that something is off in the system. A 30 gallon with 2 clowns and a few inverts shouldn't see any nitrates if there are semi regular water changes.

I do a water change monthly. Do I need to make it more frequent ?

 

[CJD18]

I think Ammonia would do it real quick compared to other lvls

 

[Tanster2]

I do a 5 gallon change on my 30g every week. I would suggest more frequently than every month.