Ocelaris Clowns Hidding?

[ZCCRX]

I've had a pair of young captive bread perc's for two months now and they love to hide in the back of the tank, (up around the power heads and the bio-wheels). They look great and have always eaten well.

In the evening they occasionally explore a little and come towards the front, but then they just go right back. It's almost as though they are afraid of the live rock. Will these guys ever come out for good? I would hate to get rid of them.

 

[reefnetworth]

first thing is get rid of the bio-wheels. they are a (NO-3) Nitrate factory just waiting to unleash.
kinda sounds like they need an Anemone to call home. and/or maybe to much flow.

 

[Slakker]

They don't need an anemone, and I guarantee it's not too much flow. I would just say that they've chosen to "host" that area of your tank. Perhaps in time they'll move somewhere else, but clowns tend to have a pretty small area in a tank that they frequent a lot (they'll defend a pretty big territory, but don't use all of it.)

 

[RobNJ]

yeah my false percs have a 8"x8" section behind the rockwork where they live, they only venture out about an hour after lights on.

 

[ZCCRX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10997202#post10997202 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnetworth
first thing is get rid of the bio-wheels. they are a (NO-3) Nitrate factory just waiting to unleash.
kinda sounds like they need an Anemone to call home. and/or maybe to much flow.

I was thinking about getting a bubble tip anemone anyway, so maybe that will work. As far as bio-wheels being a nitrate factory, can you tell me why? I'm kinda new at this. I thought that the whole point of them was to reduce nitrates. BTW my tank is a little over three months old and my nitrates are <10.

 

[ZCCRX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10998318#post10998318 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RobNJ
yeah my false percs have a 8"x8" section behind the rockwork where they live, they only venture out about an hour after lights on.

How long have you had yours?

 

[RobNJ]

almost 3 years, they were in my smaller 40g tank before i upgraded to my 120

 

[ZCCRX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10997219#post10997219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Slakker
They don't need an anemone, and I guarantee it's not too much flow. I would just say that they've chosen to "host" that area of your tank. Perhaps in time they'll move somewhere else, but clowns tend to have a pretty small area in a tank that they frequent a lot (they'll defend a pretty big territory, but don't use all of it.)

Yea it's def not a flow issue. I tried aiming two power heads at the upper back of the tank for a week and they still stayed up there, vigerously fighting the current. I finally felt sorry for the little guys and moved the powerheads away. Do you think I should just wait them out, or trade them in for another pair?