Clownfish Concerns

KHow

KHow

Member
Lately, my two clowns have been acting weird. They hide all of the time. It started with just the smaller if the two. He would just hang out at the surface in a corner, on his side. Then he just hangs out there pointing down. Now, they both stay behind the live rock on the bottom. They are alive, no signs of outward illness but stay super secluded. They don't even come out to eat. They have been the lemonpeel angel for a long time. We removed the puffer and added a lyre tail anthias. They did fine with him, but now something has changed. Any thoughts?
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Clowns, will pick a spot and thats where they spend most of there time. I have a pair you would think is a single bc all you ever see is the female. The male stays up top, by the heater. She doesn't venture far either tho. They both do eat however
 
KHow

KHow

Member
I can't see any. The bigger of the two is always in her little LR cavern. They can get food behind there, we feed cyclops so it's like a teeny tiny shrimp snowstorm swirling around.
 
KHow

KHow

Member
Well, no eggs for my clowns. They are both sort of together, behind my live rock.. There is a small suction cup from a powerhead laying back there face up....I knew it was missing but I was not sure where the heck it went. I wonder if one of my clowns is hosting that thing?! It's like a quarter inch across! They have never acted like this in eight months. Sort of a bummer that they want to keep hidden. Any thoughts on them possibly hosting an anemone if add one, and if I do, what kind should I get?
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Before you can consider an anemone you need to make sure your tank will meet anemone requirements. They need very high water quality in a mature tank and intense lighting. With out that (especially the lighting) they will shrink and eventually die.
Even if you can meet those requirements there is no guarantee the fish will move into the anemone.
Bubble tip anemones are a good choice for most clown fish. Neither clownfish or anemones need each other in captivity.
 
KHow

KHow

Member
Gotcha. Planning on upgrading my lighting and I keep the water quality nice with very regular changes the tank has been running well since January 2, 2015.
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Once you upgrade your lighting a nem would be a good option even if the clowns don't take to it they are beautiful all on their own.
I have a 40b I am getting ready. I am getting the new Kessil fixture so I can have anemones and SPS. Probably only going to put a pair of clowns in that tank.
 
KHow

KHow

Member
My LFS has some LED strip that is fully programable and I think I can retrofit it into my current hood. Ocean something.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Kessils are very good lights. Leds are good but u want to make sure there made for sw and have enough lumes for what u what to keep. I was just looking at leds online and my head was ready to explode lol
 
KHow

KHow

Member
Ok, I isolated my small clown, presumably the male. He has been just laying on the gravel behind a rock. His breathing seemed rapid as well. Once I scooped him and placed him a small, hanging isolation beaker, he seems like he is all perked up. But, it looks like the very tips of his dorsal and caudal fins are white. Any thoughts?
 
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