Clownfish in intake vent

[Aliu]

Hi guys,

I've had the clownfish for about 1.5 months now. It has been doing well but I came home today to find it stuck in the intake vent. Technically it is not stuck because whenever I come near the tank, it will swim out. Once I leave though, it will go back in. It is really weird.

I'm testing my water as we speak. Can you guys give me some insight on why it is acting so weird?

Here are pictures.

 

[erk]

Seems like it is just hosting the vent. Mine hosts the heater. Once it gets big enough, it will probably host something else. You could put a screen inside the inlet to keep it from getting through.

 

[Aliu]

Seems like it is just hosting the vent. Mine hosts the heater. Once it gets big enough, it will probably host something else. You could put a screen inside the inlet to keep it from getting through.

I just finished checking my water parameters.
SG: 1.024
PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Everything seems good.

Erk are you sure it is hosting? It is in different positions on the vent. I just checked again and it looked like this.

Once I came again, it turned back up and everything was fine.

 

[Eckolancer]

First couple pics look like he's hosting but last one looks not so good. How old are your test kits? They could be false results. Maybe take a sample to local fish store have them test the water for you.

 

[Aliu]

First couple pics look like he's hosting but last one looks not so good. How old are your test kits? They could be false results. Maybe take a sample to local fish store have them test the water for you.

I'm using the API saltwater test kit. Expiration is 02/2020 so I think it's pretty accurate. I've been using it since I started curing my live rock a couple months back.

I'll definitely take some water to my lfs to have them test it. See if it is accurate or not. How much should I bring?

This is its current position. Been like that for about 3-4 mins. It changes positions a lot. For example, going into the vent or lay against the vent.

 

[Aliu]

I can tell he is breathing very rapidly. This has not happened since he came into the tank almost 2 months ago. I checked online and people say rapid breathing could be a symptom of ammonia or low ph. Although my parameters seem to be in check. I will need to check with my lfs tmrw morning. Really hope we can fix this before anything bad will happen to the fish.

 

[cmcoker]

Added anything to the tank recently?
Hard to tell, is there a white spot on his second dorsal fin, looks like maybe but could be an artifact

 

[Aliu]

Added anything to the tank recently?
Hard to tell, is there a white spot on his second dorsal fin, looks like maybe but could be an artifact

Hi Cm. nothing added recently. It's been the only addition since 7 weeks ago. No spots on any parts of the body. The white specks u see are either the Copepods on the glass or just some specks that are dirtying my glass.

I'm in the midst of doing a water change. Better be safe than sorry. Gonna do a 30% change. Save some of the water for tmrw to bring to lfs for testing.

 

[jasonandsarah]

He's good imo, when I first got my clowns(almost 3 years ago) they hosted the overflow and being captive bred they're acted really weird! Imo they didn't really have momma and Pappa to show them what to do so they're just doing what feels safe.
I still have my clowns and they act kinda "normal" now.

 

[mejiamale]

My clown did something like this, but it was against my overflow box teeth. It's would lay against it and let the water flow hold him against it. First time I thought it was dead and I reached in and he took off. Checked again after dinner there he was again. I thought in morning he will be in sump. Nope all there,got him am anemone was tank was ready. He is happy as all can be.

 

[mikesilverado8888]

I put some mesh over the overflow

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would say it is just being a young clown. Trying to find a good place to hang. Mine have taken months to decide to go into the main system and find a good home.

 

[Aliu]

Hey guys. Thanks for the advice from your experiences. After I did the 30% WC, it swam about for about 10 mins, then it went back into the same place again. Before I left for work this morning, I turned on the light and it was swimming about like nothing happened all night.

Listening to each of your stories makes me more at ease that although it seems abnormal, it should be okay!

 

[ndz98]

I think clowns can just act really weird sometimes. If I didn't know any better I'd think mine were dead all the time. I'll come home and they will be just floating at the top with no movement what so ever or laying on the sand sideways.

 

[Eckolancer]

You guys have some strange clowns. I've never seen any clowns I've owned get sucked into the overflow. I have had a pair that would swim right at the top of the water at night. Also some the would almost lay down on sand at night. But mostly they seem to take charge and rule the tank. Even at times attacking my very large regal tang. Which he just smacks them with his fin. He has recently even started hosting on of the anemones. That really ticked the clowns off.

 

[jasonandsarah]

You guys have some strange clowns. I've never seen any clowns I've owned get sucked into the overflow. I have had a pair that would swim right at the top of the water at night. Also some the would almost lay down on sand at night. But mostly they seem to take charge and rule the tank. Even at times attacking my very large regal tang. Which he just smacks them with his fin. He has recently even started hosting on of the anemones. That really ****** the clowns off.

That's funny, I've had others tell me about Regal tangs hosting anenomes. Seems like they only do it when they want to show up some clowns.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Babies in new environments are the strangest. Mine hung up by the pwerheads and top of the tank for months. Then finally ventured and eventually found a nem.

My perc still stick to the corner of my 40g towards the top with the nem literally 3 inches below them. Been waiting a month or bit less to get them to actually host. It used to host a black and white, so the nem would love to have more clowns to feed it. They look at it now and then.

 

[Ryengoth]

My captive-bred o's do goofy things like that as well. One hosted some bryopsis covered pine cone macro once. He looked like he was using it as a massage chair and perch. Be really concerned when their coloring fades. That and rapid breathing are both signs of major stress. Also, if they stop eating over 2 or 3 days you will know something is up. Mine would swim vertically and sideways against the back wall of the biocube when they were in it. Plenty of room to swim upright but I guess they felt "safer" swimming flat against the back wall, vertically. LOL

 

[Toadfish]

I'd second all the above about clowns just being weird and hosting whatever they feel like, but I'd also add a caution. He's selected a very high flow area of the tank, so there may be a couple other issues at play. You may have low oxygen levels, making him gasp and want high flow, or you may have temperature or toxicity issues. If the LFS test comes back fine, and your temperature is in the proper range, I'd just make sure there was enough surface agitation to oxygenate the water. For that matter, regardless of anything else I'd make sure there's adequate agitation period. Hopefully it's just CBW Syndrome (clownfish being weird) though.

 

[Ryengoth]

That was my thought as well. Check your alk and phos. CO2 could be an issue. You can try putting him in a breeder and put an air stone in it and see if his respiration speed drops.