3 months OC clowns still near top

[AdamNC]

Anyone else with this issue? I bought my clowns June 1st and they still 3 months later never go past the first few inches down. No other fish in the tank, only a blood shrimp, a few blue leg hermits, a zebra striped hermit, various snails and a RBTA at the bottom of the tank. Other then that, Softies, SPS, LPS and zoas. They eat, swim well and get excited when I come near the tank. I feed them a combination of flake food, brine and mysis shrimp.

 

[addictedreefer]

Captive need?

 

[FishN00b83]

yeah I've had my pair for a couple years now. they rarely leave the feeding ring on the right side of the tank. if they do leave, they swim to the other overflow column and immediately swim back lol

 

[AdamNC]

Captive need?

As far as I know they are Ora bred.

 

[addictedreefer]

As far as I know they are Ora bred.

IME, captive bred clowns often display that behavior. They have been raised in tanks without any structure and therefore often gather at the top of the aquarium begging for food.

 

[AdamNC]

At the LFS they were all in a 40gallon breeder size tank, I think it's 36x12 and were hanging out in BTAs. I should have bought the BTA they were hanging out in but didn't want to get the BTA yet as the tank was only about 4 months old. Now that I have a BTA in a 7 month old tank, which is doing fine, they completely ignore it. I was hoping by getting the BTA it might entice them to explore the tank more and come down to it.

 

[geckoejon]

At the LFS they were all in a 40gallon breeder size tank, I think it's 36x12 and were hanging out in BTAs. I should have bought the BTA they were hanging out in but didn't want to get the BTA yet as the tank was only about 4 months old. Now that I have a BTA in a 7 month old tank, which is doing fine, they completely ignore it. I was hoping by getting the BTA it might entice them to explore the tank more and come down to it.

They were being hosted by bta's when you got them, you have a bta in the tank, and they won't go near it? That's strange....

I would toss in a small skunk or clarki clown, let it nuzzle with the bta until the other clowns show interest, then take it out. Worked for me

 

[AdamNC]

I don't even think they see the BTA at the bottom of the tank tbh. They're up at the top constantly and the BTA is at the bottom near the sand on a piece of rock. I'd move the BTA up but he seems comfortable where he is and I don't want him roaming anymore.

 

[syngraves]

clowns can have weird behavior. my pair rarely leave the left front corner of my tank. every now and then theyll venture around the tank to check things out if the other fish are making a commotion then they get right back to their spot. they even dug a small hole that they rest in at night.

and for acouple of weeks they were hosting my hammer coral which is near by that corner. the coral would get irritated and close up so i guess the clowns lost interest.