Strange Clown Behavior

[euphoria]

Hey guys,
I have a big maroon clown that keeps wiggling its tail in the sand and throwing sand all over the place. It keeps doing this in two areas of the tank.
Also, one side of its body is a little white in color. I don't think it's ich, cuz I've seen how ich looks on fish, and it doesn't look like that. It's just this shade of faded white patch on it's left side.
Overall the fish is doing great, eating good, and very happy. I paired it up yesterday w/ a smaller maroon, so hopefully they'll make a good pair.
Anyways, is the sand blasting normal for clownfish? And what could the white patch be if not ich.
Thanks

 

[hot883]

Sounds like normal "preparing a nest site" to me. My 2 Oc. clowns were doing that yesterday up on a rock. Thats the only place they would do that too. Swim around normal and then when they got to this spot, go vertical and spazm and flick their tails always in the same spot. HTH

 

[jumpfrog]

My GSM does that all the time. Why he/she would make a nest beats me. The only fish in a 10 gallon that sits in my office. He's called Larry and he's the office mascot. A great conversation starter with employees that come to visit me. An an HR guy it's not always a 'great' visit, if you get my drift.
No worries on your maroon though.

 

[euphoria]

cool, thanks guys. What would be the faded white stuff on its body though? It doesn't have texture, it doesn't look like ich. It looks as if its maroon color just got a little bleached in one area.

 

[yimmy]

my clowns will dunk they're head into the sand...pretty weird, they also play in the current and when they sleep they sleep up side down

 

[krazekajin]

I got a book for christmas that talked about a disease called head and lateral line disease. It looks just like the scales fade away and leaves the head and lateral line of the fish white like a burn scar. Might want to check into that.

 

[jerthunter]

I have observed that as some clowns get older and bigger their color tends to fade in certain spots. I suppose this is just a natural thing that happens over time. As far as the behavior I find that clowns tend to live up to their names and act like real clowns sometimes...

 

[euphoria]

yes i belive this clown is old, cuz it's about 4 inches and pretty buff and thick.

 

[huntoaks]

My GSM throws sand around all day. First it started with its own little area. Now it does it all over the tank. Heck, I don't need a sand sifting star now. The clown stirs up the sand in the whole 72 gal tank.