This Clownfish is Driving me Crazy

[griss]

Many years ago, I bought a pair of Clarkii clowns from my local Petco. A year ago, I added an LTA. Prior to adding the nem, I created a deeper sand area so it could anchor its foot in the deeper sand area. The female clown took up residence in the nem and all was good.

Last September the female clown passed and the other clown took up residence in the LTA. Recently, the clown has been flinging the sand around the nem's foot all over the tank, knocking frags over and (now) this week has been even knocking rocks off my aquascape. We're not talking tiny rocks either, some are softball size.

When I got home last night, the clown had moved all the rock that was around the nem away and had bare glass on the bottom of the tank where the nem was. As a result, the nem had moved deeper into my aquascape.

Also I believe, due to the sand bed being disturbed recently, I'm now having a cyano problem again.

In all my years keeping reefs and anemones/clowns, I've never seen one do such dramatic rearranging of rocks and sand. Yes, I've seen them move smaller rocks and stir a little sand, but nothing like this. At least a couple times a day the tank is a big cloud of stirred up sand.

Anyone else dealt with this? I'm thinking it might be time to trade/sell the clown and get a more docile species (Pink Skunk maybe) of clown.

 

[Timfish]

I've run into a couple over the years that have very specific ideas on how their tank is supposed to be decorated. And yeah, it's surprising how big a rock they can move when they've set their mind on clearing a space. Only two options is give in or get rid of it.

 

[Dustin07]

Hmm, I had a pretty large rock that was knocked over for the second time last night, I wasn't sure what it could have been but now I'm starting to wonder if it was one of my clowns

My female is nice to me, and sometimes a little aggressive towards other fish. My male likes to try to bite me when I'm cleaning the tank. Both ignore my nem and try to host on my larger zoas or frogspawn and now since I've started target feeding, I'm noticing the male really looking inside the zoas for food, so if he gets too aggressive in there....

I don't know of a solution but I'd be tempted to rehome/trade....
curious to see how this works out for you...

 

[griss]

I’ve about had it with this stupid Clown. I had a nice bed of sand on the back right of the tank for the anemone with minimal rock work. It stayed put with the old clown. But, this other clown keeps knocking rocks down and driving the anemone deeper (to the left) into the reef structure. This is what I came home to tonight. The anemone used to be in the back right corner

 

[griss]

Well, this might be interesting. I was trying to catch her to put her in the fuge. She dove into the anemone which closed up. I tried to reach in with my fingertips to scoop her out and she went deeper into the anemones mouth. Will the nem eat her or will she be able to get out. This should be interesting.

 

[griss]

Oh, and between the post with the picture above and this post, she stirred up so much freaking sand the skimmer was going ape poop crazy.

 

[griss]

Nem has stung/killed stonies from my KP live rock.

 

[T Diddy]

I was afraid of that. That’s why I’ve refused to put anemones in my tank. As much as I’d like to have one, they’re just too dangerous.

 

[griss]

Honestly, and I hate to sound callous, if the nem eats her, I’m okay with it. She’s been wreaking havoc with my tank. Now, with her aggressively moving the anemone further into the reef structure, she’s causing it to kill corals.

Before when the (old) dominant clown resided in the nem. She was a model tank mate. When she died and this one became the alpha, she’s been nothing but a nightmare.

FWIW, I’ve never had an issue with nems eating fish…including carpets that are supposedly infamous for doing so.

 

[T Diddy]

I wasn’t concerned so much about the fish …i it just hate the fact that they sting/ kill your other invertebrates that could take months to recover

 

[griss]

I wasn’t concerned so much about the fish …i it just hate the fact that they sting/ kill your other invertebrates that could take months to recover

Misunderstood your post.

I’ve not had issues with them moving and stinging corals either. I realize I’m the exception (not the rule) where that is concerned.

 

[griss]

Oh, and she’s out, was cruising the tank before lights out

 

[T Diddy]

I figured

 

[Frags2Frogs]

Well, this might be interesting. I was trying to catch her to put her in the fuge. She dove into the anemone which closed up. I tried to reach in with my fingertips to scoop her out and she went deeper into the anemones mouth. Will the nem eat her or will she be able to get out. This should be interesting.

That’s hilarious I see this all the time I’ve 100% had larger haddoni eat the clowns that tried to seek refuge in the mouth not sure on LTA they’re not that aggressive of eaters but who knows anything can happen

 

[Frags2Frogs]

Also sometimes when I have a clown pair that is trying to lay eggs or an over territorial female they will move their stuff around untill they make a spot they feel is good enough for a batch of eggs even seen it with just one female clown

 

[griss]

Also sometimes when I have a clown pair that is trying to lay eggs or an over territorial female they will move their stuff around untill they make a spot they feel is good enough for a batch of eggs even seen it with just one female clown

This is a solitary male that turned female after the dominant clown died is September. Since she became dominant, she’s definitely become territorial. I just need to get he out and trade her in. Then, maybe I can get the Pink Skunks I’ve always wanted.

 

[Frags2Frogs]

Oh man catching a singular clown is difficult :,) and yeah honestly those are really nice the pink skunks I’ve seen maroon ones and they were insane!

 

[griss]

Had a Maroon years ago that drew blood every time I stuck my hand in the tank. This Clarkii is actually well behave with the exception of her need to rearrange the tank constantly.

 

[Hong Kong]

In my first tank this bicolor fish (sorry I was never good in Latin names maybe few of them I know) this fish constantly creating hole to hide and moving small and even big frags of coralls as in the begining I used normal bottom small natural coral frags see picture not sand at all.
When i use stick and push some back to hole he came angry you can see how react is funny. His hole on back side.
As this photo is screenshot on tv have also video if someone want can post it. Recorded especially this behaviour.

The other fish Fox was even nice: came to top of water lie on the back and left me to scratch him with finger as small cat.

One interesting details how I was crazy in 1997 when I worked in China in front of all restaurants even if i dont like their food
was so many aquariums with live fishes...than I came to one shop and see they have big sacks of crashed original corals placed
in big plastic tanks as filtration.
Purchased 2 bags of corals (mean each 6 kg ) see photos my bottom - bring them from China and in Rome on airport custom asked me:
What is this? I say: Its beach sand bigger size for aquarium. Ok but who is bringing this from China for aquarium we dont have
this in our sea? I say NO.
Next time I was worked in Algeria 2004 and on the beach near town Oran 30 km versus Morocco was miracle so nice crashed shells, corals, rocks...again few bags on airport. of course I washed properly but without any bleach. Many nice small animals pop out in few months.
Not 1 parasite or issues.

See fox came here and i can scratch his back. Also recorded for memories. WIll take part videos for you guys.

 

[griss]