uring
New Member
Hi all! I'm new here and new to the hobby...I've finished cycling my tank, added our clean-up crew, and waited an additional week before I added fish...my first fish were two black and white ocellaris clowns, according to the guy at my lfs they are a pair. One is smaller then the other, but who knows. They spent a week in QT with no issues. They've been eating voraciously at all feedings and seem to be enjoying the main tank.
So this morning I looked over and saw that the smallest (presumably the male) looked like he was stuck to the filter intake thing (sorry I don't know what everything is called yet). I went over and with the cleaning stick gently pushed him off. Then I noticed a small sand flea looking thing attached to his anal fin. He was also having a really difficult time swimming and was trying to get it off him by rubbing himself on the sand. Okay, I don't know if I should've done this, but I couldn't stand to watch that, so I brought him to the glass, and while underwater took it off and removed it from the tank. He swam away somewhat normally...now the two clownfish are staying abnormally close to each other and the female keeps rubbing herself all over him. She's not being aggressive at all, and isn't nipping, just rubbing herself all over him. I fed them and they fed fairly well, but not as good as normal.
My question is...should I be concerned? Is their behavior normal? Is there anything other than observation that I should be doing? And does anyone have any idea what this creature may have been (I don't have a pic...but looks like a sand flea you'd see at the beach, just way smaller)?
Thanks for your imput!
So this morning I looked over and saw that the smallest (presumably the male) looked like he was stuck to the filter intake thing (sorry I don't know what everything is called yet). I went over and with the cleaning stick gently pushed him off. Then I noticed a small sand flea looking thing attached to his anal fin. He was also having a really difficult time swimming and was trying to get it off him by rubbing himself on the sand. Okay, I don't know if I should've done this, but I couldn't stand to watch that, so I brought him to the glass, and while underwater took it off and removed it from the tank. He swam away somewhat normally...now the two clownfish are staying abnormally close to each other and the female keeps rubbing herself all over him. She's not being aggressive at all, and isn't nipping, just rubbing herself all over him. I fed them and they fed fairly well, but not as good as normal.
My question is...should I be concerned? Is their behavior normal? Is there anything other than observation that I should be doing? And does anyone have any idea what this creature may have been (I don't have a pic...but looks like a sand flea you'd see at the beach, just way smaller)?
Thanks for your imput!
