Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

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ProudSoonersFan

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Hi, I have a 13.5 gallon Fluval nano aquarium with two black and white clownfish. I feed them the PE mysis frozen shrimp. I've had them for over a year now but for some reason in the past week or two when the male touches the shrimp in the water he swims very erratically for a few seconds and then snaps out of it and eats normally afterwards. The female does just fine. I thought at first it was because the shrimp was thawed in RODI water so I put some of the shrimp in some saltwater but he still does it. Does anyone know what may be going on? Thanks!


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It might be some type of 'submission' behavior, or it might be something wrong with your tank.

How are your parameters?

What temperature is the shrimp when he gets it? Warm, cool cold?
 
Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

mann1139 said:
It might be some type of 'submission' behavior, or it might be something wrong with your tank.



How are your parameters?



What temperature is the shrimp when he gets it? Warm, cool cold?
Click to expand...



Hi, thanks for the response. I suppose it could be submission but he looks like he's in distress when it happens. Maybe it's similar to when we get a brain freeze. I tried to take a video this morning but he didn't do it.

It's cold because I keep the thawed shrimp in the refrigerator. You think that's what it is? Maybe I should try getting some aquarium water and putting the shrimp in that then feed. That's a good idea.


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When I thaw frozen food, I give it ten minutes in a shot glass full of tank or do water, whichever is more convenient.

This also lets you get rid of the 'source's that doesn't get eaten.
 
Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

Well, I thought it was just when I would feed them but it's happened a few times now not associated with food. It happened last night when I started to siphon water for a WC right at the moment the tube made contact with the water. Then this morning it happened again when I turned on the lights. I was finally able to capture it on video when I fed a moment ago. Here's the video. Any ideas what's going on?

https://youtu.be/KrAYH9-ED3A


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Whoa! That is some serious motion.

If you have a QT, I would get the fish into it, and see if it is related to the tank or the fish.

I would also look for any discolorations on the fish.
 
Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

Planetmacro said:
WOW! I've never seen a fish do that. Looks like it's having a seizure if that's even possible in a fish.
Click to expand...



I know. I'm still having this issue. I'm thinking about changing food. When I had these two in the 55 gallon aquarium I sold, I didn't see this happen. I moved them both to the nano aquarium a few months ago and this still happens with the frozen shrimp. I've tried using saltwater to thaw them in as well as heating up the water before feeding. I have no idea what's going on. Any ideas?


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Silly question, but have you tried feeding them something else? Perhaps a pellet? Would be good to know if this is a general "food problem" a "frozen food problem" or a "this particular food problem". Although I suspect it is going to be the first.

Another question: how much do you look at your tank when you aren't feeding it? Is it possible he does this sometimes when he is not being fed? If you wave your hand over the top of the tank, as if you were feeding it, does he do it?
 
I have a maroon clown that clamps its fins and starts to shimmy right after I feed her. I have 8 maroon clownfish all in the same water and all get the same feed and the rest are fine. I've tried warming up the food, feeding only flake food etc. Nothing works. The strange behavior lasts about an hour. Had her for over 6 months. Very odd. Also she is WC.
 
I thought I would post an update on this. My male clownfish does this even without food. I've seen it happen when changing the lights to blue. And just a moment ago, I saw it happen without anything going on. I just happened to see it. It appears like he's having a seizure. There seems to be no specific cause that I can see. When he snaps out of it, he seems to shake it off and go back to swimming around.


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Hmm my guess would be that it’s a submissive behavior and that possibly your power head is contributing to make it look even more erratic then usual. If he does it consistently with every feeding I would try turning off the power head during the next meal to see if it makes a difference.
 
Kept clowns for more than 25 years.....never seen that.
Very very interesting......I mean we have all seen a waggle, but that....insane!
 
Uncle99 said:
Kept clowns for more than 25 years.....never seen that.
Very very interesting......I mean we have all seen a waggle, but that....insane!
Click to expand...



I know, tell me about it. I feel sorry for the little guy. He's apprehensive about eating food and he's learned the risk of going bonkers. But, once he snaps out of it, he eats fine. It surprised me when changing the lights to blue that he did it too, so it's not all good related.


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I have seen this with baby clownfish at or shortly after metamorphosis from larva to juvenile when feeding them brine shrimp larva. Most actually died of it. It seems to be a seizure or shock. At least with the baby clowns it was due to nutritional deficits. I would try to feed more variety.
 
I agree with ThRoewer that it is most likely a seizure. Variety in food may help. Frozen is actually poor nutritionally for clown fish. I would use a mixture of good flakes. I know that long term frozen food only for brood pair will give deformed, high mortality larves. For clown fish best to stick with high quality dry food with occasional frozen. The key in term of nutrition in fish is variety IMO. Most high quality dry food use a wide variety of raw ingredients.


Seizure can happen with stress, increase in stimulation, excitement and a variety of situation which result in stimulation to the brain.
 
OrionN said:
I agree with ThRoewer that it is most likely a seizure. Variety in food may help. Frozen is actually poor nutritionally for clown fish. I would use a mixture of good flakes. I know that long term frozen food only for brood pair will give deformed, high mortality larves. For clown fish best to stick with high quality dry food with occasional frozen. The key in term of nutrition in fish is variety IMO. Most high quality dry food use a wide variety of raw ingredients.


Seizure can happen with stress, increase in stimulation, excitement and a variety of situation which result in stimulation to the brain.
Click to expand...

Interestingly, my Regal Angels seem to know that flakes are good for them - all of them gulp them down like crazy. Though I suspect they would take bread if I would feed it to them... they are about the least picky eaters I have.
 
That's classified as a "tumbler" if some animals are born with that ability into adulthood. Hopefully you can breed it and have future ((( Tumbler Clownfish ))) into the market.
You'll get a very high price for each fish if they are sold.
 
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