Fish Behavior

[Lmdw121]

My clownfish is acting strange. She is almost playing dead and seems to not like the hermit crabs where they were. She was kind of nesting behind a rock but hasn't in a few days. She lays on her side and plays dead, curls up and even flipped the hermit crab over! Not sure if she has laid eggs in the spot where the hermit crabs were, but it's almost like she is protecting that area. Now that the hermit crabs left that area, she is back to swimming around. Any opinions on this?

 

[Crabs McJones]

My clownfish is acting strange. She is almost playing dead and seems to not like the hermit crabs where they were. She was kind of nesting behind a rock but hasn't in a few days. She lays on her side and plays dead, curls up and even flipped the hermit crab over! Not sure if she has laid eggs in the spot where the hermit crabs were, but it's almost like she is protecting that area. Now that the hermit crabs left that area, she is back to swimming around. Any opinions on this?

Do you have any pictures so we can rule out a couple options?

 

[Lmdw121]

Do you have any pictures so we can rule out a couple options?

 

[Lmdw121]

Do you have any pictures so we can rule out a couple options?

 

[Crabs McJones]

What are your water parameters? Could also be a swim bladder issue. @Humblefish Any insight on this?

 

[Humblefish]

Is she fanning the sand with her tail in that corner of the tank?

I say “she” because it looks to be the larger of the two clownfish. Is that an accurate observation?

 

[Lmdw121]

Is she fanning the sand with her tail in that corner of the tank?

I say “she” because it looks to be the larger of the two clownfish. Is that an accurate observation?

Is she fanning the sand with her tail in that corner of the tank?

I say “she” because it looks to be the larger of the two clownfish. Is that an accurate observation?

She was fanning a different spot but not any more. She is just being real territorial in the corner spot now. Yesterday she bit my hand when I was cleaning the inside glass near that area. She is bigger than the other one. We were told it was a female.

 

[Humblefish]

She was fanning a different spot but not any more. She is just being real territorial in the corner spot now. Yesterday she bit my hand when I was cleaning the inside glass near that area. She is bigger than the other one. We were told it was a female.

Is she still eating normally?

 

[Lmdw121]

Is she still eating normally?

Yes she does- she never ate much anyway, and is picky about her food. She prefers frozen shrimp.

 

[Humblefish]

Yes she does- she never ate much anyway, and is picky about her food. She prefers frozen shrimp.

How is she looking today? This is a situation where unless you are seeing some other physical or behavorial symptoms, I think I would wait & see. Clownfish do weird things sometimes.

 

[Lmdw121]

How is she looking today? This is a situation where unless you are seeing some other physical or behavorial symptoms, I think I would wait & see. Clownfish do weird things sometimes.

She is good today. Thanks for checking
Nobody has been in her territory so I think that's why she is more relaxed.

 

[cracker]

Is she fanning the sand with her tail in that corner of the tank?

I say “she” because it looks to be the larger of the two clownfish. Is that an accurate observation?

Humblefish , You ask if she is fanning the sand. What does this behavior mean?

 

[Deinonych]

Humblefish , You ask if she is fanning the sand. What does this behavior mean?

Nesting behavior. Mine does it when she is about to lay eggs.

 

[Humblefish]

Nesting behavior. Mine does it when she is about to lay eggs.

+1

 

[cracker]

Thanks ! My female is doing the fan thing & was hoping
Also, Thanks to Lmdw121 for the side question !

 

[Lmdw121]

Thanks ! My female is doing the fan thing & was hoping
Also, Thanks to Lmdw121 for the side question !

Let me know how yours turns out. My clownfish is quite the character!

 

[curiouser]

My only clown has been in my reef tank for 2 years and was very active swimming all over the tank. 2 months ago for a week she spent most of her time on her side just below the surface and she hardly moved, except to eat and seemed to consume her usual amount. Parameters were good and the other fish and the corals looked unchanged. I don't know the cause of her transient activity change. After that week she resumed her usual behavior. Nothing was added to the tank before or during that unusual week.