destructive tomato clown

[salttess]

I have a tomato clown that is about 9 or10 years old. Recently she has attacked every rock, coral, or any structure she deems too close to her anemones. I placed a cap next to her at the top of the tank. She knocked it down 5 times, breaking a little each time. So I moved it down in the tank but still on the same side as the anemone, she knocked it down some more. So I anchored it by wedging in the rocks. While I was at work she literally tore it up. There are chunks of it all on the bottom. It is still anchored. What do I do? The anemones take up the whole top of the tank.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Unless you want to sell the clown, you are going to have to learn to live with this behavior, as I don't suspect it will get any better. In addition to their annoying digging, this was another reason I sold my 12+ year old Clarkii pair. It seems the older they get the worse this type of behavior becomes.

 

[salttess]

Definitly the older she gets the worse she gets. The thing I dont understand is she has 3 rose anemones that are huge and she protects each one, jumping from one to the other. She has a mate, maybe they have eggs under there where I cant see. They seem to lay eggs every 3 weeks or so. I guess adding anything else to my tank is out now, aside for fish which she doesnt bother. Thanks....Tina

 

[1boatnut]

Toddrtrex,
Did your Clarki's always dig or just as they got older?

Reason I ask is about 2 weeks ago I bought 2 Allardi Clowns. Unfortunately 1 died. The fish has been throwing sand on some Corals,usually in the evening hours. At night,it clears out a spot in the sand in front of the tank,and when lights go out it lays down on its side to sleep.
The LFS said they would get me another Clown,but am I just asking for double trouble?
I do not plan on any anemones

salttess,is this something new that these fish are doing?

 

[DeathWish302]

Toddrtrex,
Did your Clarki's always dig or just as they got older?

Reason I ask is about 2 weeks ago I bought 2 Allardi Clowns. Unfortunately 1 died. The fish has been throwing sand on some Corals,usually in the evening hours. At night,it clears out a spot in the sand in front of the tank,and when lights go out it lays down on its side to sleep.
The LFS said they would get me another Clown,but am I just asking for double trouble?
I do not plan on any anemones

salttess,is this something new that these fish are doing?

I hate to say it, but every clown I have taken care of has started digging around 6-8months. It's a part of their natural behaviour. I find it doesn't irritate my corals too much. I consider it as a 'storm' every couple of days when my clowns get annoyed and have to 'reclaim' their housing layout. You don't have to worry about a SB becoming to laden with hydrogen sulfide when these guys are in a tank. Mine probably turn over the SB near their caves (no nems) at least once/twice a week.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Toddrtrex,
Did your Clarki's always dig or just as they got older?

Reason I ask is about 2 weeks ago I bought 2 Allardi Clowns. Unfortunately 1 died. The fish has been throwing sand on some Corals,usually in the evening hours. At night,it clears out a spot in the sand in front of the tank,and when lights go out it lays down on its side to sleep.
The LFS said they would get me another Clown,but am I just asking for double trouble?
I do not plan on any anemones

salttess,is this something new that these fish are doing?

They had always did a little digging, but for the first 10 years or so it wasn't all that bad. But, the last year or so it got really bad -- to the point where they would remove all the sand around their Haddoni, which would cause it to move.

 

[salttess]

Mine dont dig in the sand. The rose anemones are at the top of the tank, and they stay in them. This attacking anything near them has been in the last year. I just never dreamed she would actually bite chunks off. Its wedged pretty good now and she seems to swim around it and stare at it but hasnt bitten it today.