Annoying Maroons

[xanthurum]

I have had my pair of GSM Clowns for about 2 years now...I tried unsuccessfully a few times to keep a BTA and recently got a purple LTA. I have noticed the times when an anemone was present in the tank my clowns, particularly the female sweeps sand everywhere. This only happens when there is an anemone cuz I went 6 months without one and never saw them do it. Is this behavior going to pass when they get used having the anemone or will it continue...my tank looks like crap with all the debris floating around.

 

[timrandlerv10]

mine do it all the time--she's cleaning the sand away from the nem.

when my bta was up on the rocks, it never happened, now that he's down by the sand...

 

[xanthurum]

Is there any way she will ease up or stop when she is satisfied with the sand around the anemone...or is ot like most women and she will never be satisfied. JK ladies don't kill me.

Why is it you never hear of other clowns doing this...

 

[Cheebs]

There's a good chance sh'ell ease up (mine did) but it'll still happen every once and awhile.

 

[xanthurum]

Thanks...I can deal with the occasional sweeping which to my female is at least once an hour. Right now she is doing it about every 20 seconds which is really trying my patience.

 

[this is me]

I used to have a pair. When it was not hosting it was fine. But when I got a RBTA for them, they started to wag their tail and create a sand storm and a hole every day. They did it for awhile without any spawning.
I traded them into the LFS.

 

[pad]

Mine do it without an anemone present. I think it makes them feel good about nesting behavior.

 

[Lmecher]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14097098#post14097098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Eddie Cruz
Is there any way she will ease up or stop when she is satisfied with the sand around the anemone...or is ot like most women and she will never be satisfied. JK ladies don't kill me.

Why is it you never hear of other clowns doing this...

Better watch it buddy, you're on thin ice

You sound just like my husband lol

 

[Zaita]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14097098#post14097098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Eddie Cruz
Why is it you never hear of other clowns doing this...

You always hear of this behaviour. It's very typical of clownfish cleaning the tank/their home. Even without a nem present once they settle down again the behaviour will resume.

Your best bet is to buy a white tile, place it about 1/2" under the sand so once she has brushed all the sand off it she'll be content.

Just be thankful it's only a lil bit of sand. Clownfish will also move corals, frags and rocks if they dislike their placing relative to their home.

 

[xanthurum]

She has moved lots of my corals also and it's more than just a little sand. My tank is 280 gallons and I have lots of open sand so my Tangs can have plenty of swimming room. I have about 4 inches of sand thoughout and more in some areas less in others. Of course the anemone is where the most open sand is. I would say she has made a crater for the anemone by moving at least 20 pounds of sand. I have noticed she seems to be chilling out a little bit, I guess she is satisfied with the crater she made.