is this normal?

[joksta]

i just got a false purc. clown yesturday and he seems to be staying close to the top and not moving around in the tank that much is this normal ? is it because i just put him in there? plaese help so i can get this fixed.(i am going to get a new filter today because the one i have is really old) (all the water levels are perfect)
thnx
patrick

 

[joksta]

he is that only fish in my tank
i have a cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrinp
a emerald crab and four hermits
a snail
star polyps
exienia
and a mushroom in a 50 gallon

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by joksta
(all the water levels are perfect)
All of them! Wow thats great. You did mean oxygen levels too right? otherwise hanging around the top could be normal unless he is gulping for air. If he is gulping for air then I hope that you don't have any heavy dissolved orgaics at the top, but that wouldn't happen with perfect water.
Yeah this could be normal behavior, sometimes many clowns will hang around where they were first released.

 

[joksta]

i took my water to a fish place and they tested it and said it was fine
how do i know if he is gasping for air?
he doest have half of his body out of the water or anything but he is staying in the top most half of the tank

 

[joksta]

should i get a skimer

 

[joksta]

?

 

[thomas712]

What is your filteration on this tank? include powerheads.

 

[dmitry]

You should definitely get a skimmer and have power-heads for water-flow. But the Clown hanging out at the top and not swimming around too much is in and of itself not a problem. My Clowns did that for several weeks after being first added to the tank. Even now they have their corner where they chill and sleep - right near the top, almost touching the surface. Occasionally they venture out to see the rest of the tank, but the top left corner is theirs! :happyfish