Clownfish laying down

[Mizu]

I could have sworn my two clowns were swimming together and I turned by back for a few seconds to get food, I looked again and after I fed I noticed I was missing a fish. I looked around and saw the smaller of the two laying down like this someone please help, he looks like he's slightly moving his head occasionally.


I just went to take a vid and he started swimming, now he's back with the female. I'm sorry I'm freaking out

 

[Jekyl]

Video won't play. Can you please try posting via YouTube?

#fishmedic

 

[Mizu]

Here's another vid, I think I just saw the female smack him omg

He missed the entire feeding session, should I feed again? Will that help with aggression? This is a 32 gallon tank with just them in it

 

[Jekyl]

Pics are blurry so I don't want to speculate. Can you explain your quarantine procedure? Also getting prepared for a hospital tank might be a good idea.

 

[Rjukan]

Definitely clean the glass before pics or vids too, otherwise it's hard to tell if dots or cloudiness are on the fish.

 

[Mizu]

 

[Mizu]

Definitely clean the glass before pics or vids too, otherwise it's hard to tell if dots or cloudiness are on the fish.

Sorry its really difficult to clean the corner he is laying in

 

[Mizu]

Pics are blurry so I don't want to speculate. Can you explain your quarantine procedure? Also getting prepared for a hospital tank might be a good idea.

These are my first/only two fish, I didn't quarantine them

 

[Mizu]

I dont think its anything disease related, the more I observe it seems like its aggression

 

[Jekyl]

Are both fish still eating? I see signs of aggression but that isn't abnormal for clowns.

 

[Jekyl]

Putting the aggressor in an acclimation box for a couple weeks if things progress might be best course of action.

 

[Mizu]

I can try feeding again now, I was just shocked I never really saw signs of them getting aggressive like this before

 

[Mizu]

Oh no you're right... The bigger fish didnt even hit him, as soon as I put food in the tank the smaller fish ran back to the corner and is hiding again

 

[Mizu]

Hes not eating at all, but he ate fine the first 3 days I had him...

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Here's another vid, I think I just saw the female smack him omg

He missed the entire feeding session, should I feed again? Will that help with aggression? This is a 32 gallon tank with just them in it

White clowns are really difficult to diagnose, some issues just don't show up well with them. Not eating is a serious symptom though. I saw the other clown strike this one, you need to stop that, with a tank divider perhaps.

 

[Mizu]

Yeah it just started now, they were fine before this, ill go get the acclimation box.

I clean my tank a few hours ago and after cleaning it I did make the lights "brighter" (more white to see the fish since I have no corals). I read that someone's clown stopped eating when lighting changed so I just turned the white spectrum down to 30% and added in blue and I noticed the aggression cooled down a bit. not sure if lighting can affect this but we'll find out

 

[MnFish1]

White clowns are really difficult to diagnose, some issues just don't show up well with them. Not eating is a serious symptom though. I saw the other clown strike this one, you need to stop that, with a tank divider perhaps.

Yeah it just started now, they were fine before this, ill go get the acclimation box.

I clean my tank a few hours ago and after cleaning it I did make the lights "brighter" (more white to see the fish since I have no corals). I read that someone's clown stopped eating when lighting changed so I just turned the white spectrum down to 30% and added in blue and I noticed the aggression cooled down a bit. not sure if lighting can affect this but we'll find out

This behavior - as far as I'm aware - the threat and lip hitting/locking - your changes may have instilled some kind of 'new territory' instinct? If this has continued - agree - separated

 

[Mizu]

So just an update - the male went back to eating last night and everything seems back to normal. I checked both of their bodies and their fins seem fine/I don't see any marks or blood so I don't think they're actually fighting.

The two theories I have are

1. While cleaning I accidentally bumped into a rock near their territory and slightly moved it. I put it back but it might be at a different rotation

2. I noticed as soon as I dimmed the lights they started to calm down, not sure if the lights were too bright and made the female "insecure"