View Full Version : clownfish very odd behavior please help
derick
10-25-2005, 4:11 PM
i just bought a pair of adult? percula clowns...( captive bred... petco)problem is these guys do not go to the bottom of the tank ever!! not even near the 50 pounds of live rock..... i have had them for 3 weeks..they eat very well i have a condy anemone and a plate coral they dont even look at them, i know the clowns wont host either...but i never had clowns swim only at the top of the tank they sleep behind the power filter...by the way its a 38 gallon tank.. all water parrameters are excellent and they are the only fish in the tank besides the plate coral cody anemone and cleaner shrimp...any ideas guys?? or do i have a pair of odd clowns??? ciao derick
FloridaBoy
10-25-2005, 7:36 PM
Good thing they are staying at the top, that condy can kill them. You need to get rid of that and replace with a bubbletip if you must have an anemone. You really don't need one actually.
derick
10-27-2005, 8:14 PM
incorrect, my condy has been in the tank for 9 months..never harmed a fish or cleaner shrimp that lives under the same rock .
FloridaBoy
10-27-2005, 8:43 PM
Will not argue with you my friend, but YOU are incorrect.
Condy's can kill your tank raised clowns.
Research this on Fenner's site, there are references there to this problem,
and I have known about it for years. Good luck.
little fish
10-30-2005, 12:56 PM
i had a condylactus in my tank for 4 years that hosted a pair of tank raised percula. to wouldn't trust its not to eat a small weak or sick fish but after 4 years and no fish loss i certainly don't worry much.
FloridaBoy
10-31-2005, 5:23 PM
Glad to hear your success, I know others who have have done this maybe it depends on the clowns, I know a fellow on another forum who has lost several tomato clowns, he just removed his condys. Again, the references on Fenner's site discourage this practice.
I wouldn't trust a Condy with any fish that didn't evolve with it. I'd worry about my other sesil or slow moving inverts to. I had a Condy that ended up being worth about $200 in the stuff it ate or stung to death. They are really neat and do very well in tanks but, as with most anems you have to more or less design your live stock selection around them. FL boy is 100% correct and you've just been lucky so far.
LordsSoilder
11-01-2005, 12:10 PM
What ever the case it sounds like there is something down there that is scaring them. Try moving some things and maybe they will find it safe to come down. otherwise I would suggest tradding them for a pair of fish that will be happy in your tank... JMO
jessie
11-03-2005, 8:48 PM
i have had my clowns for over a year and they do the same thing, but they took the capped bulkhead at the top of the tank for their home. the only time they come down is to eat. they stay in the bulkhead during the day, occasionally coming out to try to scare the tangs away. but they sleep in the top corner of the tank.
itstheantitang
11-03-2005, 8:54 PM
I may be wrong, but maybe you do not have enough oxygen in the water, and the clowns are staying towards the top where there is more oxygen.