Is this normal clownfish behavior?

[MySonWantedAHamster]

But swimming on its side too?

Yep, on their side too. And if you ever get an anemone hopefully you're lucky enough to convince your clowns to go within 5 feet of it.

 

[DirkDigler]

Many people take the manufactured lids off their tanks for two main reasons: first, they want to replace the stock lighting in these all-in-one tanks with a custom setup, and two, because of the current fashion for open or rimless-like tanks. There are multiple other reasons for removing a canopy, and I think many reefers enjoy DIYing and modding their setups, and so bulky canopies are often the first things to go. Unless you have a tank in an environment with very low ambient oxygen, or are keeping fiddly and difficult SPS, though, it's just a matter of choice. I keep my lids on because it really does reduce evaporation, which is a major issue in my dry climate.

Yea well as a rookie in this game this was the tank recommended and honestly kind of regret it and hoping eventually I can go bigger and it's not so much the size but the shape. The shape of this tank makes it very hard on the eyes to appreciate your livestock up close. It also limits what upgrades you can make. I had to take a Dremel to the lid to creat a port for the tunze skimmer I installed so even if I wanted to add a screen to it would be hard. I'm just trying to keep my critters alive and healthy whichever means necessary...without going poor lol.

 

[DirkDigler]

Yep, on their side too. And if you ever get an anemone hopefully you're lucky enough to convince your clowns to go within 5 feet of it.

Lol I do hear from other threads and videos that it's not as easy as. Thanks a lot. Far less stressed for sure but still watching them closely to be safe.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Yep, on their side too. And if you ever get an anemone hopefully you're lucky enough to convince your clowns to go within 5 feet of it.

Isnt that the truth lol

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Yea well as a rookie in this game this was the tank recommended and honestly kind of regret it and hoping eventually I can go bigger and it's not so much the size but the shape. The shape of this tank makes it very hard on the eyes to appreciate your livestock up close. It also limits what upgrades you can make. I had to take a Dremel to the lid to creat a port for the tunze skimmer I installed so even if I wanted to add a screen to it would be hard. I'm just trying to keep my critters alive and healthy whichever means necessary...without going poor lol.

Yea the poor hits harder then most after upgrading several times now i have finally found a spot to sit with til i finish my diy 90g tank.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

If you ever need anything let me know i will do my best to help reach out via message or something. Best of luck with all your future endeavors. Hope your able to take a deep breath soon lol

 

[DirkDigler]

Yea the poor hits harder then most after upgrading several times now i have finally found a spot to sit with til i finish my diy 90g tank.

Lol I've noticed how easy is to rack up the amount, pretty incredible we can create our own ecosystem at home. 90 gal nice that would be a sweet upgrade from my 32. Nice layout too, I'm still try figuring that out also and what the corals I have like.

 

[DirkDigler]

If you ever need anything let me know i will do my best to help reach out via message or something. Best of luck with all your future endeavors. Hope your able to take a deep breath soon lol

Thank you for all your help, this community is awesome.

 

[StatelineReefer]

As clowns go, this is not the silliest thing I've seen them do.

Clownfish gonna clownfish, all day every day.
I had a maroon that killed her anemone, intentionally.
She decided the hair algae was her best friend and home... to the point of bringing it pellets.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Yep, on their side too. And if you ever get an anemone hopefully you're lucky enough to convince your clowns to go within 5 feet of it.

My toadstool hosts my clowns. They love it

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Lol I do hear from other threads and videos that it's not as easy as. Thanks a lot. Far less stressed for sure but still watching them closely to be safe.

My clowns took over a year to notice the anemone... Many people have ideas about how to force them together but I just figured, I love my clowns and the anemone is beautiful - if it works, great, but I enjoy them separately anyway. This way, no stress on me, no stress on the clowns, and such a nice surprise when they finally figured it out

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yea well as a rookie in this game this was the tank recommended and honestly kind of regret it and hoping eventually I can go bigger and it's not so much the size but the shape. The shape of this tank makes it very hard on the eyes to appreciate your livestock up close. It also limits what upgrades you can make. I had to take a Dremel to the lid to creat a port for the tunze skimmer I installed so even if I wanted to add a screen to it would be hard. I'm just trying to keep my critters alive and healthy whichever means necessary...without going poor lol.

A cheap piece of egg crate/light diffuser from a hardware store can easily be cut to whatever shape you need, with cutouts for equipment, etc... This is what I use most of the time on my tank since in Houston, unless I want a horrendous electric bill, it's hard to keep the house temp/tank cool enough during our 8 month summers with the glass tops on (and even then, I need fans to cool the tank sometimes)

 

[killer2001]

Maintain a consistent lighting schedule. My clowns will start acting funny if I turn lights on too early. So much so that if I turn the lights on (in the room) when its sleeping time, if they wake up, they start swimming around all weird and panicky. Typically you would think turning the lights back off will settle them down but that does not work. I end up having to keep lights on if they wake else they seem too stressed out by the event.

 

[atoll]

OK am.going to be controversial...again here.
Sorry but this is not " normal behaviour" I have never had clowns exhibit these kinds of "abnormal behaviour" but then I never keep clowns without their appropriate anemone.
I belive clowns without their anemone experience some sort of psychological disturbance and even stress without a nem.
You will never find clowns in the wild without their host nem, nor will you find clowns behaving in anything like this in the wild.
I mean, after watching this video below, how could you keep clowns without a host anemone. Clowns are happiest, content and IME exhibit none of the unusual, unnatural behaviour we often see or hear about when they have a suitable nem to frolic in.

 

[DirkDigler]

My toadstool hosts my clowns. They love it

I have one but its a little frag right now lol, it's quite delicate. The smallest nuisance will cause it to retract.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Looks similar to mine when the lights are out. Mine aren't often at the surface, but they cuddle up and swim goofy like that in one verticle slice of the tank against something at lights out

 

[DirkDigler]

OK am.going to be controversial...again here.
Sorry but this is not " normal behaviour" I have never had clowns exhibit these kinds of "abnormal behaviour" but then I never keep clowns without their appropriate anemone.
I belive clowns without their anemone experience some sort of psychological disturbance and even stress without a nem.
You will never find clowns in the wild without their host nem, nor will you find clowns behaving in anything like this in the wild.
I mean, after watching this video below, how could you keep clowns without a host anemone. Clowns are happiest, content and IME exhibit none of the unusual, unnatural behaviour we often see or hear about when they have a suitable nem to frolic in.

I was told it wasn't required and clowns would find a home in just about anything. I was hoping they eventually pick one of the corals as their home. I was advised against an anemone at my local LFS for the sake of the corals.

A cheap piece of egg crate/light diffuser from a hardware store can easily be cut to whatever shape you need, with cutouts for equipment, etc... This is what I use most of the time on my tank since in Houston, unless I want a horrendous electric bill, it's hard to keep the house temp/tank cool enough during our 8 month summers with the glass tops on (and even then, I need fans to cool the tank sometimes)

My clowns took over a year to notice the anemone... Many people have ideas about how to force them together but I just figured, I love my clowns and the anemone is beautiful - if it works, great, but I enjoy them separately anyway. This way, no stress on me, no stress on the clowns, and such a nice surprise when they finally figured it out

Looks similar to mine when the lights are out. Mine aren't often at the surface, but they cuddle up and swim goofy like that in one verticle slice of the tank against something at lights out

I woke up this morning and noticed my smaller clown was stuck by my wave maker (Nero 3.0) it was vertical and couldn't move i panicked immediately and moved it with my finger. It took him a few minutes but made its way to the bigger clown at the top surface of the return current which is where they have been for the past 16 or so hours. I was asked if my clowns were breathing heavily and not sure if you can help with this since Idk if my eyes are fooling me. It seems like the bigger clown is breathing heavier than the smaller. It's hard to see because how murky the water looks.

 

[DirkDigler]

Maintain a consistent lighting schedule. My clowns will start acting funny if I turn lights on too early. So much so that if I turn the lights on (in the room) when its sleeping time, if they wake up, they start swimming around all weird and panicky. Typically you would think turning the lights back off will settle them down but that does not work. I end up having to keep lights on if they wake else they seem too stressed out by the event.

Hi I just posted this in another reply but I need clarification from experienced people as I am not really sure what heavy breathing in a fish looks like. It seems my bigger mocha is breathing heavier than the smaller but not sure. Also sorry about the water quality, I literally just did a 20% water change. My water doesn't seem to be clear since introducing livestock but I see everyone's YouTube videos with crystal clear water.

 

[DirkDigler]

As clowns go, this is not the silliest thing I've seen them do.

Clownfish gonna clownfish, all day every day.
I had a maroon that killed her anemone, intentionally.
She decided the hair algae was her best friend and home... to the point of bringing it pellets.

Hi Just keep posting this video for more insight on this matter. This morning the smaller mocha storm clown somehow was kinda sucked into the wave maker (Nero 3.0) running at 35% which doesn't appear to be that strong to hurt them yet there he was stuck there. I panicked and pretty much flicked it off the wave maker. After approx 2-4 minutes it made its way back to the bigger clown and currently. My question is the breathing for the bigger one, does it seem normal to you? Also, I'm sorry if I'm coming off needy kind of clueless and don't want to fail.

 

[DirkDigler]

If you ever need anything let me know i will do my best to help reach out via message or something. Best of luck with all your future endeavors. Hope your able to take a deep breath soon lol

Hi again,
You asked me about breathing and have posted a video for the community to provide more guidance and am doing the same with you. Is this considered heavy breathing or am I seeing things?