Ocellaris Clown behavior

[skimmer247]

Tank info- 20 gallon long with a maxijet 400 for flow (also getting flow from a powerfilter running 100gph in addition to the maxi)

I have had my clown for 3 days now and he is eating well, but I am not sure if he is acting normal. During the day (lights on) he spends his time swimming along the front glass (almost like he is trying to touch his reflection) about mid-tank mostly against the current, sometimes doubling back to start at the opposite end. I know he can get past the current but everytime he does, he starts over.

At night, he goes to the surface of the tank just behind the powerhead and swims on his side., not gasping for air like I have seen some fish do, but just swimming on his side.

He is eating well... this is my first fish (added a royal gramma and he is doing fine, also eating and not bothering clown.) Is this normal behavior?

Some noob theories...

Is he pulling the finding nemo crazy royal gramma and trying to talk to his "sister" in the reflection? Should I get another either smaller or bigger ocellaris for a mate?

Should I get him something to host so he has something to do?( I say him even though he is probably too young to be sexed since he is really small)

Any good hosting corals for a 20 gallon with 130 watt sunpaq PCs? I think I read anemones (carpet or rbta) need established tanks and get too big for nanos)

Oh and my water levels are just fine.

 

[clowns101]

keep an eye on him.

 

[skimmer247]

what do I look for? What is normal behavior and what is something to be very worried about or imminent death?

 

[Reef Newb11]

Not too sure what to think about the day time activities, but as for the night time ones swimming on its side just above the powerhead, my clowns did that in my biocube for a long time until they hosted their anemone.

But clowns can host in lots of different corals, my freinds hosts in their Hammer coral and I have another freind that there clowns host in a monti cap.

The hammer coral should be good with your lighting.

 

[ian20]

I would say its normal. it just need to get fermilar with its surroundings. with that small of a tank I would pair it with a smaller clown and the one you have now will become the female. you probaly have enough light light for a BTA but I would wait until your tank has been established for over a year for now you might try a hammer coral or a leather coral some times clowns will host them.

 

[ian20]

also if you want you could just put a clay pot in there and it will host it. that's what I do for some of my pairs of clowns.

 

[tntaggie]

Looking for company. I don't think it is anything to worry about. My first clown followed his reflection everywhere in the quarantine tank...even swimming on his side to see his reflection on the bottom glass. Did the same thing in the main tank until I added another clown. Now the 2 rarely leave each other's side.

 

[1fishkeeper]

I second what everyone on here has said. Its just checking out its new house and its thinking it has a friend right there with it all the time. As for coral for it I would look into hammer coral, frogspawn, and torch coral. All of them will host a clown that is if they are large enough because some clowns can be hard on them. Best of luck