Clownfish odd behavior

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 18, 2024

Try to explain this best way possible, fairly certain there is no sign of disease or anything else. They swim fine, eat as normal but this behavior just started and a little odd. Female will "perch" lay against or on the rock pictured.

Question is....Normal clownfish behavior or breeding habit? Just recently started. These have been a pair for about 3 1/2 years. All other signs are normal, no real concern just a little odd.

tzabor10 · May 19, 2024

They would like an anemone. Possibly several. That is normal clownfish stuff. They are territorial, aggressive, always adjusting the hierarchy, and changing sexes.

Dom · May 19, 2024

Normal behavior for fish that want a host and don't have one. As @tzabor10 mentioned; Anemones will make them happy.

But BEFORE you do that, tell us how old the tank is along with the kind of lighting you have and your water chemistry numbers. Also, post a full tank shot.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

Yeah, I've been thinking about that as well. Tank is matured enough I feel. Wasn't a cause for alarm I was just curious.

tzabor10 · May 19, 2024

Dom said:
Normal behavior for fish that want a host and don't have one. As @tzabor10 mentioned; Anemones will make them happy.

But BEFORE you do that, tell us how old the tank is along with the kind of lighting you have and your water chemistry numbers. Also, post a full tank shot.

What @Dom said. And peppermint anemones are usually inexpensive compared to others, just not as flashy. If I had to do it all over, clownfish would not be in my tank.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

Dom said:
Normal behavior for fish that want a host and don't have one. As @tzabor10 mentioned; Anemones will make them happy.

But BEFORE you do that, tell us how old the tank is along with the kind of lighting you have and your water chemistry numbers. Also, post a full tank shot.

Tank itself is a little of over 3 years old. Being a fowlr tank don't chase numbers parameters I get track of is salinity, Ph, tempature and nitrates. Yeah let me get back to the house and I can certainly supply a picture.

Lighting is just some cheap corallife light but getting ready to setup a t5 fixture that I purchased few months ago.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

tzabor10 said:
What @Dom said. And peppermint anemones are usually inexpensive compared to others, just not as flashy. If I had to do it all over, clownfish would not be in my tank.

Interesting! Out of curiosity why? As someone who didn't have a aquarium background coming into the hobby clownfish was the go-to beginner fish based off everything I read. So naturally I gravitated to them.

Dom · May 19, 2024

tzabor10 said:
What @Dom said. And peppermint anemones are usually inexpensive compared to others, just not as flashy. If I had to do it all over, clownfish would not be in my tank.

Actually, I would have just ONE with an Anemone. When you have more than one in a tank, I find they can get obnoxious to tank mates.

I have a pair that are so obnoxious, I had to set them up in their own tank.

Dom · May 19, 2024

SaltyЯeeferNC said:
Tank itself is a little of over 3 years old. Being a fowlr tank don't chase numbers parameters I get track of is salinity, Ph, tempature and nitrates. Yeah let me get back to the house and I can certainly supply a picture.

Lighting is just some cheap corallife light but getting ready to setup a t5 fixture that I purchased few months ago.

Definitely sounds like you have done your homework. And I agree with your view on FOWLR tank numbers.

Full tank shots provide a lot of information, so, at your convenience...

I like T5s. If the light you have isn't new, you may want to consider getting new T5 bulbs for the fixture.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

Dom said:
Actually, I would have just ONE with an Anemone. When you have more than one in a tank, I find they can get obnoxious to tank mates.

I have a pair that are so obnoxious, I had to set them up in their own tank.

This! They do get a little obnoxious especially while I'm trying to clean the tank.

As far as the T5 fixture yes it's older (2 bulb) not sure of the manufacturing date but it's also a coralife t5 fixture. Picked it up cheap on Facebook marketplace. Still works great just need to purchase bulbs meant to grow coral. End goal is to transition into a softie tank and maybe further down the road small mixed reef. Wallet allowed of course. Once I finish the "honeydo" list down in the basement plans for a much larger system at some point.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

@Dom Here's a few shots of the tank. 30 gallon. Do have some hair algea i'm dealing with at the moment.

tzabor10 · May 19, 2024

SaltyЯeeferNC said:
Interesting! Out of curiosity why? As someone who didn't have an aquarium background coming into the hobby clownfish was the go-to beginner fish based off everything I read. So naturally I gravitated to them.

Clownfish are mean. My current one bit me for the first 5 years. Not to mention the fighting with tank mates. But it’s been 7 years.

Dom · May 19, 2024

SaltyЯeeferNC said:
@Dom Here's a few shots of the tank. 30 gallon. Do have some hair algea i'm dealing with at the moment.

This appears to be a fairly new tank. Based on the pictures, you seem to be on track. GHA is a common issue in newer tanks.

You sometimes hear people talk about the "ugly stage" which comes around early in the life of a reef tank. I believe you are at the beginning of this stage.

I wouldn't add an Anemone to this tank yet.

SaltyЯeeferNC · May 19, 2024

Dom said:
This appears to be a fairly new tank. Based on the pictures, you seem to be on track. GHA is a common issue in newer tanks.

You sometimes hear people talk about the "ugly stage" which comes around early in the life of a reef tank. I believe you are at the beginning of this stage.

I wouldn't add an Anemone to this tank yet.

It's little over 3 years old just added few more chunks of dry rock to the system few weeks ago.