Fish slowing down with age?

[Silly clownfish]

My ocellaris clown is 21 years old. Tank raised, about 6 months old when I got her. It has been the only clown in the tank all of that time, so a female. Over the last few months I have noticed her spending more time sitting at the bottom of the tank, right up front. As soon as I w.ak near the tank she gets active - begging on food, etc. Roght now with the lights dimmed down to moonlight for the night, I see her cruising the rockwork. No signs of illness or distress.

I know that 21 years is not exceptional for a clownfish, but has anyone else noticed this kind of behavior in an older fish?

About a year ago I lost a flame hawk that the clown had spent over 18 years with to jumping. I have since gotten another flame hawk, while they don't fight, they are not buddies either. Pretty much ignore each other. I know it is silly, but could it be because her long time companion is gone? Changed tank dynamic maybe making her find a new place for her resting time?

No signs of disease, and no one else has changed behavior noticeably.

Kim

 

[ThRoewer]

The problem might be that the fish is kept as a single individual. Clownfish are highly social and need a partner of their kind for their emotional wellbeing.

As for the age, the study linked below shows that A. percula can live for 30 years, possibly more. A. ocellaris should be in the same range.

An extraordinary life span estimate for the clown anemonefish Amphiprion percula

Mortality is associated with social rank in the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula)

 

[Silly clownfish]

I agree that 21 is not that old for a clownfish of any species (or I expect for many species we keep). But I know a lot of humans who get more sedentary in middle age.

It has been a single individual clownfish since I go it and this is a behavior change in the last few months. Loneliness about losing her flame hawk friend after so many years was definitely one of my thoughts. If anything, I noticed the behavior after adding the replacement hawk.

After her being the only clown for so long, I have not wanted to add another for fear of them fighting. I would hate to lose her to something preventable after so long. Or disrupt the peaceful nature of my tank. I suspect they would quickly become best friends, but I am afraid they would decide that a big section of the tank is theirs and keep everyone else out.

 

[Silly clownfish]

I agree that 21 is not that old for a clownfish of any species (or I expect for many species we keep). But I know a lot of humans who get more sedentary in middle age.

It has been a single individual clownfish since I go it and this is a behavior change in the last few months. Loneliness about losing her flame hawk friend after so many years was definitely one of my thoughts. If anything, I noticed the behavior after adding the replacement hawk.

After her being the only clown for so long, I have not wanted to add another for fear of them fighting. I would hate to lose her to something preventable after so long. Or disrupt the peaceful nature of my tank. I suspect they would quickly become best friends, but I am afraid they would decide that a big section of the tank is theirs and keep everyone else out.

 

[ThRoewer]

I agree that 21 is not that old for a clownfish of any species (or I expect for many species we keep). But I know a lot of humans who get more sedentary in middle age.

It has been a single individual clownfish since I go it and this is a behavior change in the last few months. Loneliness about losing her flame hawk friend after so many years was definitely one of my thoughts. If anything, I noticed the behavior after adding the replacement hawk.

After her being the only clown for so long, I have not wanted to add another for fear of them fighting. I would hate to lose her to something preventable after so long. Or disrupt the peaceful nature of my tank. I suspect they would quickly become best friends, but I am afraid they would decide that a big section of the tank is theirs and keep everyone else out.

I have percula pairs (a total of 5) in almost all of my tanks (most of them 40B) and they are usually more aggressive than ocellaris, yet they are rarely getting into conflict with other fish unless they get attacked first.
So I would think that adding a little one won't disturb the balance of your tank or endanger your current ocellaris.

I could also imagine that your fish kind of formed a bond with the flame hawk and kind of fell into a depression when it was gone.

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