Just trying to find out if this is normal

[mseferowicz]

I have 2 flase percula clowns that were added on 1/26 and have been doing great until this morning. They always sleep on the bottom right hand corner of the tank but this morning the bigger clown has barley budged from that spot. And worse yet she has lied down on the bottom a few times especially when one of the hermit crabs approaches it seems like she is sitting on the sand and falls into him? The other clown is still swimming around but has keep her company most of the time. Normally when I approach the tank both of them would swim right up and follow me around.

I did do some changes yesterday during my normal cleaning rutine. I did add a Squid wavemaker device and have moved my nano streams for better flow but there seem to be no problems last night. I also added a carbon pad on my return and that has me a little woried. I ran through my test again this morning to see if something changed but everything looks good.

I know I have read that clowns exibit strange behavior but this just does not seem right, I don't see any thing visually wrong with her but I'm starting to get woried.

Tank = 65g
Stock = Small cleaning crew and just the two clowns
Temp = 78
SG = 1.025
pH = 8.1
Alk = 3.5
Amonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5

 

[RedEyeElf]

i would say just keep a close eye on the one, maybe they are determining the pecking order, and the one is punking the other

 

[mseferowicz]

You might be right, it definatley seems like it's more of a personality issue. Now shes moving around a little bit more but everyonce in a while she goes down to the sand and sits down and falls over the hermit crabs, very strange but she seem to be ok.

 

[mseferowicz]

Well shes still doing the same thing but seems to be doing fine.

Swimming as always and eating but she continues to fall onto the crabs and follow them around very strange.

I took this shot a few minute ago..

 

[cschweitzer]

If they're old enough they may have mated or maybe she is trying to clear that area for a nesting site. Usually these are the males job, but it can be shared.

 

[d9sccr]

i have a black false perc that does this too..she lies more in the corner of the tank though

 

[GSMguy]

it looks like its hosting the crab

 

[seaduck]

looks like shes trying to get the crabs to clean her as a cleaner shrimp would do...Maybe she has some lil parasites that she wants picked off????? It looks like shes letting the crabs climb on her right?

 

[GSMguy]

probobly right seaduck

 

[Chupacabras]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9242485#post9242485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
it looks like its hosting the crab

Darn clowns, wouldn't surprise me.

 

[mseferowicz]

She never lets the crabs climb on her, she just kind of lies on them and moves with them.

d9sccr, good to hear I'm not the only one.

I really hope she is just trying to host the crab, she really has a lot of personality and I would hate to loose her.

seaduck, how would I know if she does have a parasite? There is nothing visibly wrong with her.

 

[GSMguy]

if she follows it and rubs she is hosting it

 

[petoonia]

Does she do it only when the hermits come near her corner, or does she follow them around the tank?

My clowns do a similar thing when they're trying to chase the hermits away at first I thought it was friendly behaviour, but once the female got a bit bigger she started whacking them with her tail.

 

[mseferowicz]

She doesn't follow them everywhere in the tank but she does do it in a pretty big area along the whole side of the tank and about a foot in the front of the tank. I’ve never seen here do it anywhere on the rocks just when the crabs are on the sand.

Here is my highly technical drawing of what seems like her territory which would be another good explanation as oposed to any problems

________________________________________
\___________________________________ xxxx\
/___________________________________ xxxx/
\ ___________________________________xxxx\
/ ___________________________________xxxx/
\___________________________________ xxxx\
/___________________________________ xxxx/
\ ___________________________xxxxxxxxxxxxx\
/___________________________ xxxxxxxxxxxxx/

 

[GSMguy]

She never lets the crabs climb on her, she just kind of lies on them and moves with them.


i am almsost sure she is hosting the hermit that is great

 

[Aliie]

Are you serious? Hosting a crab?
I know my clown doesn't mind the shrimp if she is in the mood to be cleaned. I've seen her knock them off rocks if they get to close.