clownfishs wont keep still

[swt2go]

Hello everyone...I've had my tank for almost three years now. I t houses a few soft corals, mushrooms really and a midas blenny. I recently added 5 false percula clowns. Problem is after they have acclimated to the tank, they seldom swim apart and last night and this morning they have been swimming nonstop at the corner of the tank. I am afraid they may get exausted and catch ich...or stress themselves until they get sick...any ideas or is this common to perculas clowns when first placed in tank?

 

[SPARTAN VI]

Mine behave the same. I thought it may be because there was too much current, but there are plenty of places for them to hide where there's no (or reduced) current. Every night I can find my pair of ocellaris in the same exact corner of my tank and they're almost in the direct path of the current. They don't sleep like my firefish does; he'll dart off too his nook behind his favorite rock and rest on the floor.

The only time I see the clowns settle down on the sand bed is when I stick my hand/siphon in the tank to clean or move things. They plop down on the sand bed, and I presume they're playing dead. After a few seconds or when I take my hand out, they get right back up and let their curiosity take over. Other than that, I've always seen them in constant motion.

 

[swt2go]

Thanks for replying back...Okay so maybe they're just weird...i guess I wont panic yet...do I need to get rid of some of my clowns....does anyone think they maybe crowding my tank?

 

[MrManz1691]

my mated pair is always in the top of the tank swimming in the current at night. i even tried lowering the flow there at night for them, but that didnt do much. i know with my maroon, she would sleep in my rose tip at night. i justhope this pair tales to my new rose. i sold my old setup with the maroon. i miss that fish. as for you having too many, i would say yes. imo you should have two, a male and a female.

 

[swt2go]

alright thanks for the info...as i never had clowns before...however i had a maroon for a awhile for about three years up until I went on vacation last summer and he died...I am new to clown fishes...Will return three of them to lfs and maybe exchange to a soft coral....

 

[SPARTAN VI]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11369545#post11369545 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swt2go
Thanks for replying back...Okay so maybe they're just weird...i guess I wont panic yet...do I need to get rid of some of my clowns....does anyone think they maybe crowding my tank?

Someone may scrutinize your decision in adding 5 clowns, but I presume you added them all at the same time which may improve your chances of success 'in the long run.' If a mating pair does form, the other 3 will remain juveniles until a replacement is required (ie. one clown dies or is removed).

Other RC members claim that the juveniles may attempt to oust the male. In doing so, or failure to do so, one could possibly die. Others enjoy some success in carrying more than a pair of clownfish, but I cannot provide testimony for the frequency of this success/failure. I can only speculate, provided the attitude of our fellow RC members, that success is rare and is dependent on the species of clownfish.

 

[swt2go]

Hello everyone...I have been browsing around and what does it mean when the clowns shake and quiver... I have come across this several threads but no explaination...can anyone enlightened me with this...I think maybe my clowns are exhibiting this behavior...or not?

 

[SPARTAN VI]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11369723#post11369723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swt2go
Hello everyone...I have been browsing around and what does it mean when the clowns shake and quiver... I have come across this several threads but no explaination...can anyone enlightened me with this...I think maybe my clowns are exhibiting this behavior...or not?

Mine do the same. From what I could gather, it's a display of passiveness. They're competing for dominance; one clown may chase the other around until it turns its body sideways and quivers (looks like a seizure). The dominant of the two will become female, the other will become the male.

Someone else could definitely describe this behavior better than I. In fact, I bet you can read up on it yourself in the clownfish FAQ stickied on the top of this forum.

Edit, here's the link for you: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=282136

You'll want to read the first two topics.

 

[swt2go]

I actually did add them all together at once however softie as i am...I dont want neither or one of them to die dueling for power...experienced that before with a purple tang and a yellow tang...yellow got beaten up bad...felt so bad about that...so I must return three to lfs today...