Pink Skunk Chirping Like A Bird

[AJ_77]

My pair of A. perideraion was at the front glass tonight, cooperating in punishing their reflection, when the larger of the two vibrated its face from side to side, and made this amazing chirping sound! It sounded a little like a pigeon, but a sturdier sound, with descending tone. I couldn't quite believe it, until I waited and watched it do it a few more times.

Fairly loud too, it interrupted the hockey game on TV when I first heard it.

Anyone else's Pink Skunks chirp??

 

[JHardman]

If you think that is something you should hear a horny A. chrysopterus. :lol: Freaked me out the first time I heard a clownfish make a sound, but they do.

 

[AJ_77]

I've now heard that Doug Lowey's pair of Cinnamons is quite vocal as well.

Is the ability to produce sounds limited to certain species? Pretty sure I never heard the ocellaris pair doing this...

 

[jjharrisx4]

My tomato clown used to grunt at me when I was near the tank. I think it was trying to scare me off.

 

[JHardman]

I think some species are more vocal than others. My A. ocellaris do make sounds but it is pretty rare and generally when they are really worked up feeding or spawning.

 

[chicorodriguez]

what the.... chirping? grunting? do you mean they scrape the tank to make this noise, or they actually have a "voice" of sorts!?!?

 

[AJ_77]

They shake their face from side to side very quickly, more like a vibrating effect, and make the sound then. The longer the shaking, the different the sound. The longer ones are more like trilling than chirping - go figure...

I've heard this described as pre-spawning or bonding behaviour, and mine are definitely "closer" lately, and have been cleaning a section of rock surface next to their LTA. Their colour is also deeper and richer.

 

[JHardman]

what the.... chirping? grunting? do you mean they scrape the tank to make this noise, or they actually have a "voice" of sorts!?!?

They have a "voice". I have seen the same head shaking as well as nodding, and jaw snapping with these sounds. It is definitely coming from them and not something they are using.

There is a good sonogram in the Allen book from an A. chrysopterus that he recorded during a spawn. It is a chirp, chirp, chirp, grunt, which is pretty much what I hear from my A. chrysopterus.

I you have to admit they are one of the most interesting fish in the hobby.

 

[chicorodriguez]

I admit it! they are

 

[BonsaiNut]

I have heard just about every clown species make noise. This includes my A. latezonatus, who were the loudest of the bunch. Ocellaris do it infrequently, as do skunks and clarkiis. I think of it as "barking" or "clucking". They normally do it when mad (as a sign of aggression), or as a sign of frustration/passivity in front of their mate (accompanied by the standard tail twitch / body jerk motions).

 

[mobert]

I had a Cinnamon that clucked when scolding another fish. Very loud.

 

[joshy]

its common amoung several species

 

[sethd12]

the smaller of my pair of ocellaris does it every once in a while, but i havent heard any clicking or something like that. it might be because my overflows are pretty noisy going into the sumps.

 

[sunfishh]

This is unbelievable. Bump

 

[stykthyn]

I have a pair a of clark's that do it every time the lights go out, sound like tree frogs

 

[Avian]

I'll have to listen more closely to my pair.