Clown laying down on the job

[Sisterlimonpot]

I recently purchased two tank raised juvenile ocellaris clowns for my 125, right now they are on their 3rd day of hyposalinity. Both are eating and swimming with no problems, they look extremely healthy.

However 1 of the clowns seem to swim to the sand bed and lay right where the glass and the sand meat, almost leaning over at a 45 degree angle, resting up against the glass. His entire body stops moving, he just lays there, after about 2-3 seconds he gets back up and swims around, this goes on over and over again until I get in front of the tank and when he sees me he starts to get excited and swims around (thinking I'm going to feed him)

I tested the water this afternoon, amm 0, nitrites 0, PH 8.2, and nitrates are at 20.

Neither fish were showing signs of ich, the hypo is just a precaution for the other fish I have in the 125 (which are ich free).

Any ideas as to what this behavior is?

 

[MRHERITAGE1]

Clowns laying on thier sides

Clowns laying on thier sides

I just bought two maroon baby clowns and they are doing the same exact thing if anyone knows please post a response

 

[Pickupman66]

What is the salinity of your Hypo? is it measured with a Zero calibrated Refractometer?

 

[RBU1]

I would check the salinity, but not with a 0 calibrated refractometer. You always want to calibrate a meter with a solution as close to possible as what you are testing. Some people say to use distilled water, but the research shows using a standard is the better way to calibrate.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I just bought a new one about 3 weeks ago that was calibrated by the factory (I know) And all I did was ensure 0 with distilled. the salinity is right between 1.009 and 1.010.


I almost think that if these weren't tank raised then natural selection would have weeded this one out. But because it was cared for in a safe controlled environment, it was allowed to make it to this stage.

 

[birddog486]

I've seen groups of aquacultured clowns (as in close to 100 fish) do this if they don't have something they feel comfy hosting in. It didn't seem to bother them as much as it bothers me seeing a bunch of little ones laying on there sides on the bottom in a corner

 

[Dano999]

Mine lays down occasionally in the torch coral which it uses as its host. It looks like it's sleeping.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

That's funny, yours is doing the same exact thing. So I take it that I have nothing to worry about???

 

[Ohiomom]

When I had two small clowns before they had determined dominance/sex the one that stayed male used to do that. I think it was his way of saying I give up and staying out of the way of being picked on. Once the "female" became dominant they paired up and were together. I would wait and see if all else looks good.

 

[Ostentum]

My semi snowflakes do that at night when sleeping. One lays in the anemone and the other lays down in a crevous on a rock. Its kinda funny walking by the tank in the middle of the night and seeing them completely still laying down on a rock.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

When I had two small clowns before they had determined dominance/sex the one that stayed male used to do that. I think it was his way of saying I give up and staying out of the way of being picked on. Once the "female" became dominant they paired up and were together. I would wait and see if all else looks good.

That makes sense because the other clown is starting to become the larger of the 2. Once they get transferred into the main tank, I'm hoping that they take to my frogspawn because I no longer want anemones in the tank.

My semi snowflakes do that at night when sleeping. One lays in the anemone and the other lays down in a crevous on a rock. Its kinda funny walking by the tank in the middle of the night and seeing them completely still laying down on a rock.

It is a bit discerning to walk by and see him laying in the sand not sure if he's alive or just taking a load off.