New clownfish swimming sideways at the surface

MarSch · Feb 16, 2021

I got 2 new clowns about 10 days ago and put them in QT. There is no medication in the tank.
One of them has been swimming sideways at the surface ever since. The other one seems fine. Both of them are eating very small amounts.
Stomach does not appear to be distended.
I asked the guy at the LFS and he does not think it is anything to be concerned about - just settling in to the new tank. He says they will probably be better when I put them in the display tank with other fish and rock, etc.
Video attached.

Any advice or ideas? Should I be concerned?

hds4216 · Feb 16, 2021

Very strange. Maybe a swim bladder issue or something? Just a guess as I'm not entirely sure.

MarSch · Feb 16, 2021

hds4216 said:
Very strange. Maybe a swim bladder issue or something? Just a guess as I'm not entirely sure.

Yeah I did consider swim bladder issues. But I would think, if so, that it would be down to poor water quality or rapidly changing water chemistry.
I've done sizable water changes and kept things pretty much stable since I got them, so I'd think the water is very clean and stable. And the other clown seems fine.

Jekyl · Feb 16, 2021

Are you sure it has issues? Mine are almost 2 years old and sleep every night sideways on top of the water. Spend most of the day behind a HoB still at top of water mostly sideways.

dedragon · Feb 16, 2021

that looks like an issue. the one below looks like it is also trying to bully it. Are there any places for this little guy to hide in rocks, pvc etc

MarSch · Feb 16, 2021

dedragon said:
that looks like an issue. the one below looks like it is also trying to bully it. Are there any places for this little guy to hide in rocks, pvc etc

Actually, if anything, the sideways guy is the bully. When there is food and the other one swims too close, her gets chased away by sideways guy (even though sideways guy does not seem especially interested in actually eating much of the food!).
Yes, there are plenty hiding places in the tank for both of them, but sideways guy never swims low enough to hide in them.

MarSch · Feb 16, 2021

Jekyl said:
Are you sure it has issues? Mine are almost 2 years old and sleep every night sideways on top of the water. Spend most of the day behind a HoB still at top of water mostly sideways.

Yeah I've had clowns before that slept sideways at the top of the tank. But this is more pronounced, and more constant - never swimming down in the tank, always completely horizontal.

MarSch · Feb 16, 2021

*Bump*
Anyone else seen this behavior before and have some insights for me? Thanks

RaymondNoodles · Mar 16, 2022

MarSch said:
*Bump*
Anyone else seen this behavior before and have some insights for me? Thanks

How did your sideways swimmer end up? I added a clownfish yesterday and it has been swimming horizontally near the surface ever since. It's only been 12 hours so I'm not that concerned yet, just wondering what ever happened with your situation.

SlugSnorter · Mar 16, 2022

MarSch said:
Yeah I did consider swim bladder issues. But I would think, if so, that it would be down to poor water quality or rapidly changing water chemistry.
I've done sizable water changes and kept things pretty much stable since I got them, so I'd think the water is very clean and stable. And the other clown seems fine.

do you test the water, use rodi water, and make sure the salinity is fine?

Unitylover · Mar 16, 2022

is he constantly swimming like this, even in the water column? if only on the surface, seems like clowns being clowns

MarSch · Mar 16, 2022

Mine is often still sideways but not too much. Seems happy, but still stays up in corner, only occasionally coming out into the water column.

Unitylover · Mar 16, 2022

MarSch said:
Mine is often still sideways but not too much. Seems happy, but still stays up in corner, only occasionally coming out into the water column.

prob clowns being clowns

SlugSnorter · Mar 17, 2022

Unitylover said:
prob clowns being clowns

sideways at the surface is weird even for clowns

Dburr1014 · Mar 17, 2022

Are the getting O2, I see no water ripples. I would assume the bubbles are from an Airstone.
My clowns used to sleep at the surface until they met my anenome.

Resz · Mar 23, 2022

Mine is 10 days in QT, and I do notice that the smaller one also swims side ways near the surface of the water sometimes. But when it starts to swim in the middle to the bottom of the water column, it does not do that and swims normally. It also sleeps at the bottom of the tank next to a pipe. I am also unsure if that is alright, I feel like I am overthinking it.

Unitylover · Mar 23, 2022

Resz said:
Mine is 10 days in QT, and I do notice that the smaller one also swims side ways near the surface of the water sometimes. But when it starts to swim in the middle to the bottom of the water column, it does not do that and swims normally. It also sleeps at the bottom of the tank next to a pipe. I am also unsure if that is alright, I feel like I am overthinking it.

thats right

Domavista · Jun 7, 2022

I had my clownfish for over a year. They always sleep sideways together at the top of the tank. I don’t know how they do it but you would think they were dying or something.

Unitylover · Jun 8, 2022

my clown swims sideways on the surface sometimes when shes hosting my thermometer

sleepy12 · Oct 25, 2022

MarSch said:
I got 2 new clowns about 10 days ago and put them in QT. There is no medication in the tank.
One of them has been swimming sideways at the surface ever since. The other one seems fine. Both of them are eating very small amounts.
Stomach does not appear to be distended.
I asked the guy at the LFS and he does not think it is anything to be concerned about - just settling in to the new tank. He says they will probably be better when I put them in the display tank with other fish and rock, etc.
Video attached.

Any advice or ideas? Should I be concerned?

mine does the same what did you do