clownfish behavior question

marschgator · 03/11/2006, 12:40 PM

Hello all, my tanks been up for about 2 months, 75 gallon w/ a few chromis a clownfish and a couple hermits and snails. My question is regarding my clownfish. I've only had him in the tank for about 3-4 days and his behavior has me a little nervous. First of all, I noticed after I bought him that one of his fins was curved inward a little while the other was fully round on the outside. Is this normal for them to have different shaped fins or was that probably an injury that has healed? Also, he just sits there in one spot most of the day, his body is still doing the funky wavy motion that clowns do but his mouth is always opening and closing (is this normal??? I don't have a whole lot a knowledge on salt fish) but he doesn't give signs that he's breathing hard. And I've fed him shrimp and flake food and he's eaten but last night I fed him and it looked more like he was dodging the flake food than eating it. Is there something possibly wrong with him or is my nervousness unwarranted?

Witchdoctor_h · 03/11/2006, 01:24 PM

Have you tested your water?
What are your params?

marschgator · 03/11/2006, 01:39 PM

PH is 8.3, temp-78 degrees sg-1.023 and no amonia or nitrites( or nitrates I can't remember which I test for but I was told that I really only needed to test for one probably bogus info but anywho)

marschgator · 03/11/2006, 01:40 PM

oh and i dripped the clownfish for an hour and a half before I added him

marschgator · 03/11/2006, 02:39 PM

bump

Witchdoctor_h · 03/11/2006, 03:02 PM

Where did you get him? At an actual tropical fish store, or something like Petco?

Paintbug · 03/11/2006, 03:11 PM

is the fish eating anything?

marschgator · 03/11/2006, 03:15 PM

I got him at my LFS, not a pet store, and he ate the first few days but not last night. I guess what I'm trying to get at is are clowns in general real active or docile? I just always thought they were very active fish.

Paintbug · 03/11/2006, 05:17 PM

mine are very active and are always swimming around in the front of the tank.

rochestertank · 03/11/2006, 05:32 PM

you can ignore this if you want - i'm a newbie and never had a clownfish but i do know that sometimes fishes act weird when you first get them. e.g. my pseudochromis hid so well that i thought he was dead for a few days in the beginning. now he even bosses the meanest damsels around! So, I suggest you just try different foods - like instead of flake food try the little balls my lfs said those are better - and as far as the fin goes and some other stuff, just have to live with it. you know what i mean? patience is one of the biggest things in this sport.

REEFKEEPA · 03/11/2006, 05:49 PM

Mean fish.

Witchdoctor_h · 03/12/2006, 10:02 AM

Mine are extemely active too. If you don't see an improvement, I'd call your lfs. Maybe they'll cut you a break if you do lose him. Since you've only had him a few days.

03/11/2006, 12:40 PM	#1
marschgator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield Mo Posts: 95	clownfish behavior question Hello all, my tanks been up for about 2 months, 75 gallon w/ a few chromis a clownfish and a couple hermits and snails. My question is regarding my clownfish. I've only had him in the tank for about 3-4 days and his behavior has me a little nervous. First of all, I noticed after I bought him that one of his fins was curved inward a little while the other was fully round on the outside. Is this normal for them to have different shaped fins or was that probably an injury that has healed? Also, he just sits there in one spot most of the day, his body is still doing the funky wavy motion that clowns do but his mouth is always opening and closing (is this normal??? I don't have a whole lot a knowledge on salt fish) but he doesn't give signs that he's breathing hard. And I've fed him shrimp and flake food and he's eaten but last night I fed him and it looked more like he was dodging the flake food than eating it. Is there something possibly wrong with him or is my nervousness unwarranted?

03/11/2006, 01:24 PM	#2
Witchdoctor_h Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 286	Have you tested your water? What are your params? __________________ He who dies with the most toys, wins! Current Tank Info: 225 gal. reef, 55 reef, 10 reef, 47 started, and 29 Mantis.

03/11/2006, 03:02 PM	#6
Witchdoctor_h Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 286	Where did you get him? At an actual tropical fish store, or something like Petco? __________________ He who dies with the most toys, wins! Current Tank Info: 225 gal. reef, 55 reef, 10 reef, 47 started, and 29 Mantis.

03/11/2006, 03:11 PM	#7
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	is the fish eating anything? __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

03/11/2006, 05:17 PM	#9
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	mine are very active and are always swimming around in the front of the tank. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

03/11/2006, 01:39 PM	#3
marschgator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield Mo Posts: 95	PH is 8.3, temp-78 degrees sg-1.023 and no amonia or nitrites( or nitrates I can't remember which I test for but I was told that I really only needed to test for one probably bogus info but anywho)

03/11/2006, 01:40 PM	#4
marschgator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield Mo Posts: 95	oh and i dripped the clownfish for an hour and a half before I added him

03/11/2006, 02:39 PM	#5
marschgator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield Mo Posts: 95	bump

03/11/2006, 03:15 PM	#8
marschgator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield Mo Posts: 95	I got him at my LFS, not a pet store, and he ate the first few days but not last night. I guess what I'm trying to get at is are clowns in general real active or docile? I just always thought they were very active fish.

03/11/2006, 05:32 PM	#10
rochestertank Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 117	you can ignore this if you want - i'm a newbie and never had a clownfish but i do know that sometimes fishes act weird when you first get them. e.g. my pseudochromis hid so well that i thought he was dead for a few days in the beginning. now he even bosses the meanest damsels around! So, I suggest you just try different foods - like instead of flake food try the little balls my lfs said those are better - and as far as the fin goes and some other stuff, just have to live with it. you know what i mean? patience is one of the biggest things in this sport. __________________ What doesn't kill you only takes your money away. Current Tank Info: Lots of rocks, 9 turbo astrea snails, 1 large mexican astrea snail, 2 red clegged hermit crabs, 1 sally lightfoot crab, 1 5" lawnmower blenny, 2 blue damsels, 1 3-striped damsel, 2 star polyps, 1 bicolor pseudochromis, and 1 Yellow Tang.

03/11/2006, 05:49 PM	#11
REEFKEEPA Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New Orleans Posts: 494	Mean fish. __________________ WE ROCK!!!!!! Current Tank Info: 70 Gallon tub drilled, 120Lbs LR, 140Lbs LS, CPR CY194 Sump w/LR trickle, Mag Drive 9.5 return, 2 x Tunze6025 for flow, 2 x Ice Cap 660 running 6 x 95 W lamps

03/12/2006, 10:02 AM	#12
Witchdoctor_h Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 286	Mine are extemely active too. If you don't see an improvement, I'd call your lfs. Maybe they'll cut you a break if you do lose him. Since you've only had him a few days. __________________ He who dies with the most toys, wins! Current Tank Info: 225 gal. reef, 55 reef, 10 reef, 47 started, and 29 Mantis.