GCReef Onyx Clowns in the main display (day one, hour one)....

[kkiel02]

Dont let it weigh you down things will start perking up for you pretty soon I'm sure.

[Kristy]

Oh man!... I'm so sorry to hear it. Such cool little fishies!

[DrMark]

Very sorry you lost one....
It is amazing to me that as soon as they go somewhere as singles or pairs how fast the black develops vs. when that are still with the group...
mark

[Mr Cob]

Thanks everyone.

Dr Mark....within a week their black had dramatically increased...was very cool to watch. I'll definitely be getting another one from you to pair up with the one that is left. She seems to be doing very well now and is eating like a champ. I still have the plastic container in the display right next to the BTA...and she swims back and forth between it and the BTA.

I guess my nano is not the best place for them....maybe because I have too many hydroids and aiptasia in there....or because my parameters fluctuate....I'm not sure. Just wish I would have caught it before the little one starting showing bad signs.

[OrionN]

Just as Mark said, as soon as mine got put into a tank of their own, the color up drastically. My three Onyx does not leave the Magnifica at this time, not even 1.5 inches. food float by just float by unless it is within an inch or so of the anemone, then it got gobble up. Otherwise, the clowns just ignored it. The only three fish in this tank is the three clowns. All three of mine is very similar in marking and color. One have not completely form the second bar yet. They are all black from first to third bar.

[Third Coast Tropical]

Rob....I wouldnt lose too much faith in that small biocube. I have kept fish in 5 gallon systems in variable conditions, mainly high salinities, with only a heater and aeration....no filtration. Only water changes. And no loses at that size or bigger. Clowns are amazingly tough and able to handle quite a bit. Now, I know that doesn't explain your loss, but I don't think you should blame the system entirely. Lots of things could have been happening. I lost one of mine last week in a 29 gal system when everything appeared great. Still baffled about it.

I'll pass on what one of my mentors at UTMSI told me when I first started working there several years ago when I walked in and found a very nice, and very large red drum on the floor. I felt horrible. It wasn't my fault. I just happened to be the first one that walked in that morning, but after I told him about it,he told me, "Lindsay, fish die" That was it. Fish die. And he was right. Sometimes you can explain it, or figure it out, sometimes youre left in bewilderment. I have seen alot of fish die. No fun. Even had to euthanize some intentionally for research. No fun. I am sorry you lost your fish. There will be other fish though. So, with that said...good luck and dont lose faith in the small system....they are good for lots and the fish are capable of living in there until a larger size.

[Mr Cob]

Lindsay, thx for the comments....that encourages me, as you may know I also recently lost a large Kole tang and shortly after that a quad of Square Anthias all in my main display....the quad fought and they all died....go figure. The Kole I lost to Ich and now this clown. Starting to get a bit expensive.

Prior to this, I can't remember losing a fish in the last 2 years.

So...update: I'm embarrassed to say that the one clown that I thought was doing well is now showing the same signs as the last one. She was laying in the plastic container (in the main display) this evening....occasionally swimming.....Sooooo I did a large water change on the BioCube and then acclimated her back into it...otherwise I'm worried the flow will scoop her away in the MD. I'm sure I stressed her even more with switching back and forth and I'm kind of upset at myself for not having a clear game plan and sticking to it. Seems I keep reacting to problems and my reactions are not proving to change anything but only bring the fish closer to death.

So...with the update now out there...

"Fish Die"

[aquasport24]

How are other fishes doing in the big tank?

[Europhyllia]

Poor Rob. Poor little clown :(

Maybe for the time being suspend your routine of thawing and refreezing your frozen food so that more of the nutrients are preserved and are available to assist the fish in getting better?

This must be devastating. I hope the little clown pulls through!

[Mr Cob]

Giau the other fish are perfect and fat and healthy.....they have all been with me from 1-3 years. I have only had random problems with the new fish.

-Large Kole Tang (did great for about 3 months then the Yellow Tang and Purple Tang of equal size started challenging her)
-Anthias Quad (did horrible from the beginning, I had a female challenge the male and he did not give in so they fought and fought...split into two pairs and then all of them died in the first week)
-Onyx Clowns (did great the first week, eating and everything, then I lost the first one a day ago and now the other one is on the way out...I have no idea on these guys....they both have been eating Mini Mysis regularly)

....I can only chalk it up as being bad luck. Perhaps I could have prevented the 2nd clown that is showing bad signs by never trying to add her to the MD in the first place as she was fine in the BioCube, but I freaked when the first one died. Dumb move on my part.