top of tank clown

[Arkayology]

I just got my first clown today, a false perc, and acclimated him and such. He is the only fish in a tank that has been up and cycled for about a month. Params are fine. The thing is, the fish will not leave the top of the water alone. I just like to swim in one spot in the top left corner. He isn't even that shy and will let me pet him. He eats like a pig though, so this leads me to think that it is not sick or anything. I find this odd.

I did some looking around and this seems fairly common for a clown to do this. Has anyone here experienced this and can shed some light on why this happens and if it will pass or if I need to do something for it?

 

[Michael]

hes new and feels comfortable in that position, mine is always hanging around a gonioporo and never leaves it, i had a black clown which behaved similary to yours, unless hes gasping for air hes fine, i bet he settles down in a couple of days

 

[beerboy]

My clowns are supposedly a wild caught pair and they've done this from day 1 though they swim about the whole tank I've read tank bred clowns hang about the top and eventually get out of it, with mine the male tends to go down to the middle and bottom sections with the female sometimes following, I'm not too worried about it anymore and when I find the right anenome I'm hoping that will encourage them down

 

[Arkayology]

Ya, it will be awhile before I can get a nem as my tank is new. But I look forward to getting a BTA for it. Is that really the key then? They either don't have anything to host or they just hang up top because they are more comfortable like that then anywhere else? What corals might I get to encourage it to host?

 

[beerboy]

I don't know if its the key to be honest, but I know they sleep up at the waters surface when they don't have an anenome, well thats what I've read around online.

 

[tibob32]

mine's been hanging at the top since I got him (a month) and is doing well and healthy. He's taking his time, but I seem him going around more and more

 

[landers96]

I bought a pair of juvi clowns 5 months ago, they were small. They were also the first dish in the tank. From the instant I pu them in they went to the top back right hand corner and stayed there since. I've seen them come out of that corner maybe 5 times, they are fat and healthy, just like it there I guess. I have to get on my knee's to see them, it's getting old, so I to am going to try getting a nem to see if it will coax them down.

 

[brifirst]

My yellow striped mar. pair did the same for a few weeks, put in a BTA they went right to it and have not left it.

 

[mnchartier]

My 2 B&W false perc stay at the top of the tank since I got them 3-4 months ago except when it is time to eat. They go in and out of the flow from the return, when they eat the sit in the flow of the tunze 6080 and wait for the food to come to them. I added a rose BTA a few weekes ago but nothing yet and I don't know if they ever will take to it.

 

[ddcotter]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, if you do worry, buy a few chromis to make the clown feel more comfortable.

 

[Pimps]

Seems to be common, my Onyx juvey would not leave the top of the tank for 2 weeks until I added a second clown who he'll follow wherever she goes

 

[Arkayology]

Seems to be common, my Onyx juvey would not leave the top of the tank for 2 weeks until I added a second clown who he'll follow wherever she goes

Hmm, maybe I need to get my clown a friend lol

 

[Pimps]

Hehe don't worry as long as your fish is eating and isn't getting Ich spots you should be fine. If it's any consolation, my clown pair almost never goes to the bottom of the tank, they are very happy playing in the jet stream created by the power head

 

[tibob32]

to follow up my earlier post, I just added a smaller perc to my tank. My top of tank clown kicked to other one's *** for a several minutes, then they both started swimming around together and are now hosting the RBTA I just added today. All that in about 2 hours. After witnessing this, I suggest you add a second clown, it might make a huge difference.

 

[Nj923]

My b/w clowns stayed on the bottom of my tank and never moved unless it was feeding time. Until I added 3 green chromis now my clowns are swimming everywhere between rock work and everything. Sometimes it seems like my chromis go and wake my clowns up in the morning so they can go swimming lol