Unhappy clown

[HKfshkpr1]

I am puzzled by this medium size Maroon. She's been in my 180 gal. fish only tank for 2 months with a much smaller Maroon and others. They hang out separately near the top of the tank, next to different filter intakes. Neither is harassed by other fish.

What is strange is that she would spend most of the day swimming up and down the side glass and the front glass, like she wants to get out, almost non-stop! During feeding time when all fish would gather at the front glass she would keep doing this alone at the side glass, just ocassionally turning to grab a bite or two( never spits out food). My wife said she's an exercise freak, lol! The smaller Maroon acts normally.

Is she craving for a territory at the tank bottom that she's not strong enough to fight for? I reaaly don't think that's the case because she was doing this in the quarantine tank where she was the strongest fish...........any idea?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Are they hanging near filter intakes or returns?

How is surface agitation ? Possibly lack of o2?

 

[HKfshkpr1]

Are they hanging near filter intakes or returns?

How is surface agitation ? Possibly lack of o2?

Thanks for the answer! She's "not" hanging around at all but instead going up and down non-stop. Fish load right now is light about 35%, flow rate about 1500 gph in the 180 gal. All other fish are happy and normal, including the smaller Maroon.

 

[eatbreakfast]

If she is going up and down at the corner she may be seeing a reflection.

 

[Jmareef1022]

Have you considered an anemone? I'm pretty sure that would make them a bit happier.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Have you considered an anemone? I'm pretty sure that would make them a bit happier.

Not necessarily. I've encountered quite a few clowns that don't use an anemone when available.

 

[HKfshkpr1]

Thank you everyone! I am pretty sure anemone is not the answer because I kept Maroons and other clowns before without one. About the only logical answer is that she may be seeing a reflection. Yet it does not look like she wants to attack, just going up and down rapidly. And she does this "with or without" the tank light on. She's not aggresive and has never attacked any other fish.

Come to think of it: the very aggresive king of the tank( Yellow Tang) and other aggresive fish never do this. Wouldn't they try to attack their reflection too? I'll try to eliminate reflections but how can I do it?

 

[Jmareef1022]

I was just saying an anemone would definitely make them feel safer and at home and would probably help out in this situation. But yea sound like he's seeing reflection.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Only makes them feel at home if they use it.