percs lying on their side

flamehawk · Aug 5, 2003

Percs lying on their side when resting. Is this normal? Both my percs are now doing it. When posting on disease forum was instructed to medicate. Now I'm wondering if it's mormal behavior and how many people with percs experience such behavior? Otherwise eating and doing ok.HMMMMM.....

col · Aug 5, 2003

Medicate for what?
Is there a treatment for "clown lying on side" syndrome?

moopiespoo · Aug 5, 2003

In my expierience ( sp) they lay down to sleep, as long as they are eating and active I see no reason for concern.

flamehawk · Aug 6, 2003

A very well respected author in the hobbiest world over at the disease post, suggested that perhaps it had internal bacteria infection. When originally purchased 1 month ago, only one of the percs was exhibiting this behavior. I thought it was more to do w/ bouancy problem and suspected swim bladder. Noticed yesterday that they are both now lying on there side when resting. Otherwise they are ok, eating well and swimming around when light is on. I am again medicating with furacyn and will go to marycyn2 for 7 days at first day dosage if it doesn't clear up. If after all of this treatment they are still doing it then I guess it's normal. I just never saw this behavior before and thus have been inclined to agree w/ the diagnosis.
I can be convinced differently if enough people have observed this behavior and it has not caused shortened life span.

crazy8 · Aug 6, 2003

I have had mine for well over 1 month and I think he likes to lie on his side to sleep. Once the lights go on, he is fine so I would think that is just his resting mood. All of my other fish hide in the rocks at night to sleep while this guy lies at the top of the water next to my canister filter return (stretches half the tank).
I think he likes the waterflow. The part that amazes me is that I have never seen him actually "resting" Even the blue damsel hides in the rocks and rests but the clown always sleeps at the top of the water
I would stop wasting medicine and let them be. Seems normal to me and my fish eats like a pig and loves to play in all of my powerheads. If only I would get him an anenome (but I have read too many negative posts on them)

saltwaterdave · Aug 6, 2003

This is why it is important to QT your fish. I would urge you to set up a QT tank. I QT all my fish for at least 6 weeks.I can't afford any disease to enter my showtank.

flamehawk · Aug 6, 2003

saltwaterdave- If you've read my posts over the years, you would recognize that I am a strong advocate of always Q'ing fish. The 2 percs are currently in a 10g Q tank and will not come out until we figure this out. I had an emperor angel in a 30g Q tank for 4 months before moving him into display tank! All is good.
Back to topic at hand....normal behavior or not??

horus · Aug 7, 2003

my two percs do the same at night also... both of them lay on their side right next to eachother. Nothing wrong with either of them, completely normal during the day, and they eat like pigs.

flamehawk · Aug 7, 2003

Completely on side means in my case flat/horizontal/looking rather dead. Also do it during the day although not as often. Strange swimming behavior on one also.....things that make you go hmmmmm.....

crazy8 · Aug 7, 2003

Now, I will say that mine NEVER lays on it's side when the lights on the tank are on. My lights are set to go off around 8:30 or so (timer) and any time after that my perc is sideways on the top of the tank. But during the day he is always swimming upright and lower in the water (still up high though) He also tends to play with the powerheads and is very active especially at feeding time.
From the extra description you gave about daytime behavior, I too would be worried. At first you said they were normal during the day.
You also mentioned one had strange swimming behavior? More specific please. I know my perc tends to fight the current, but you can almost tell he is playing.
Just my experience. From what I have read here and on that other thread, it seems rather normal at night, but not during the day. I would definitely leave QT'd for a while longer, but they may just not be used to your lighting schedule yet.
Good luck.

flamehawk · Aug 7, 2003

Thanks....I'm w/ you on the swimming erratic part....I can say that one swims more upright then the other.

mommafish · Aug 8, 2003

I am curious about this as well, I received to Clarkii Clowns yesterday from swf which I have in qt.
They were both covered in what I would describe as a white slime - stringy, not salty like ich. I medicated them with furacyn and this morning neither one has the white, and the larger one is eating and swimming, but the smaller one keeps laying on his side and deep fast breathing if anyone comes near to look at him.
If you go to the other side of the room, he swims and plays with the other clown, but immediately goes into "dying"mode if you come near. Any suggestions?
ammonia is at 0, nit at 0, sp grav is good.

dockery07 · Aug 8, 2003

I have one that does the dead thing. I have an green open brain he uses as a home and lays in it. Looking very dead

killafins · Aug 8, 2003

when i have the lights out my tomatoes will be resting on the sand substrate and occasionally they tilt to one side but i think that's from sleepign and the currect making them move a bit. i'm sure you have no problem unless they are having trouble swimming or it happens when they are swimming.

mommafish · Aug 8, 2003

Update - both of my clowns are now swimming great and eating good and no more white film. I'm very relieved as before I treated with the furacyn, the small clown was at death's door and I thought there was no way he could make it.

mommafish · Aug 9, 2003

I've got another question - my clowns are now doing great and swimming all over, but when I went to clean the front of the tank they both ran and played dead till I finished. It's real cute, but how long will it take for them to trust me, or will they ever?

steven the fish · Aug 9, 2003

Are you clowns tank raised, i was told that tank raised clowns were more human resonsive.

killafins · Aug 9, 2003

It all depends on how much time you spend with your tank... I'm always busy with it so my fish are still skitish but will no longer hide from me.

mommafish · Aug 10, 2003

I guess they are tank raised. I bought them from this site.

killafins · Aug 10, 2003

doesn't matter, they will be skittish until they are used to you

percs lying on their side

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