Clown behavior

AquariumChick · 03/26/2006, 10:07 PM

Does anyone know why a Maroon clown would get down very close to the sand and wave its side fins and tail very quickly causing depressions in the sand. She has been doing this since yesterday, "digging" around the bottom of 2 of my rocks.

ezhoops · 03/26/2006, 10:08 PM

Sure, because its something that 90% of Maroons do and it drives us nuts. Good luck

not too much to stop it except maybe have an anem somewhere high up in tank or go Bare Bottom

AquariumChick · 03/26/2006, 10:10 PM

ok, this is my first clown and I've had her about 2 months and just never saw it before. She probably waits til I go to sleep at night...

St.james of reefdom · 03/27/2006, 08:17 AM

Good Question,I am not sure of the behaviour either.
My Bicinctus pair, primarily my female will do the same thing. The anemones and any coral within a close proximity get covered with sand..

rareclownfish · 03/27/2006, 08:44 AM

I had a GSM that did that all the time she was about 5" I had to give her away to a friend. She wouldn't leave the sand alone.
RCF

RLMainers · 03/27/2006, 10:37 AM

Usually they do this as a sign of aggression towards you or other fish. Or, sometimes they do it to make room around their home (anemone) if they have one.
I think it's funny to watch them do it.

AquariumChick · 03/27/2006, 07:50 PM

Well, I don't have an anenome. And basically she is alone in the tank with 2 chromis that she's been rooming with since we got her. I hope she gets over it, I wouldn't want to give her away. I guess she can just keep making her sandstorms and we'll see what happens. By the way, she likes me so I know it's not aggression toward me

We'll see how she acts when I add some more fish.

ezhoops · 03/27/2006, 10:10 PM

most likley she will not stop, sorry

SEAFLOWERS · 03/29/2006, 03:06 PM

I had a pair of GSM for along time and they never, ever stopped.
LOL.

ezhoops · 03/29/2006, 10:20 PM

its very annoying, thats the reason why I don't keep maroons anymore and I really love them.

mikersx02 · 03/30/2006, 12:06 AM

my dad has a clown that does this- it kicks up the sand and then goes and eats all the critters it kicked up. The other fish in the tank wait for it to do this so they can get a snack. Last time I was at his house- I saw it do that 5 times in an hour.

AquariumChick · 03/30/2006, 04:17 PM

so are you saying your dad's clown was hungry?

CanesDave · 03/30/2006, 04:56 PM

Clowns are always hungry

mikersx02 · 03/31/2006, 06:51 AM

That clown is huge- 4 inches long and about .75 inches thick- I am not even quite sure what species it is- looks to be a seabae-- but not certain.

MX6import · 03/31/2006, 08:05 AM

Ya my female clown is a fatty and she never eats enough. plus she always chases the male. and also does that thing in the sand. I just got a anemone and she does it right under it now. and she used to do it before when I was adding new fish all the time. I'm pretty sure it a territorial thing to almost mark her spot.

AquariumChick · 04/04/2006, 07:58 PM

Thanks for everyones input. I guess I will see what happens.

03/26/2006, 10:07 PM	#1
AquariumChick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 26	Clown behavior Does anyone know why a Maroon clown would get down very close to the sand and wave its side fins and tail very quickly causing depressions in the sand. She has been doing this since yesterday, "digging" around the bottom of 2 of my rocks. __________________ Aquarium Chick Current Tank Info: 80 Gal Saltwater Bowfront

03/26/2006, 10:08 PM	#2
ezhoops Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Posts: 3,530	Sure, because its something that 90% of Maroons do and it drives us nuts. Good luck not too much to stop it except maybe have an anem somewhere high up in tank or go Bare Bottom __________________ "Keep your Friends Close, Your Anemones Closer" Current Tank Info: Working on 60 cube, sicce 3.0 return pump, 29 gal sump with fuge,Bubble Magnus NAC6 Skimmer, Aquaticlife 4 bulb T-5 VHO, 29gal Rare Clown breeding

03/26/2006, 10:10 PM	#3
AquariumChick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 26	ok, this is my first clown and I've had her about 2 months and just never saw it before. She probably waits til I go to sleep at night... __________________ Aquarium Chick Current Tank Info: 80 Gal Saltwater Bowfront

03/27/2006, 08:44 AM	#5
rareclownfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: FL Posts: 7	I had a GSM that did that all the time she was about 5" I had to give her away to a friend. She wouldn't leave the sand alone. RCF __________________ Click on the little Red house Current Tank Info: too monay to list

03/27/2006, 07:50 PM	#7
AquariumChick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 26	Well, I don't have an anenome. And basically she is alone in the tank with 2 chromis that she's been rooming with since we got her. I hope she gets over it, I wouldn't want to give her away. I guess she can just keep making her sandstorms and we'll see what happens. By the way, she likes me so I know it's not aggression toward me We'll see how she acts when I add some more fish. __________________ Aquarium Chick Current Tank Info: 80 Gal Saltwater Bowfront

03/27/2006, 08:17 AM	#4
St.james of reefdom Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: VanEtten, New York Posts: 1,436	Good Question,I am not sure of the behaviour either. My Bicinctus pair, primarily my female will do the same thing. The anemones and any coral within a close proximity get covered with sand..

03/27/2006, 10:37 AM	#6
RLMainers Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 241	Usually they do this as a sign of aggression towards you or other fish. Or, sometimes they do it to make room around their home (anemone) if they have one. I think it's funny to watch them do it.

03/27/2006, 10:10 PM	#8
ezhoops Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Posts: 3,530	most likley she will not stop, sorry __________________ "Keep your Friends Close, Your Anemones Closer" Current Tank Info: Working on 60 cube, sicce 3.0 return pump, 29 gal sump with fuge,Bubble Magnus NAC6 Skimmer, Aquaticlife 4 bulb T-5 VHO, 29gal Rare Clown breeding

03/29/2006, 03:06 PM	#9
SEAFLOWERS Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: yorktown,va. Posts: 366	I had a pair of GSM for along time and they never, ever stopped. LOL. __________________ If humans can control the temperature on earth, then dammit I want it 70 degrees and sunny everywhere! Current Tank Info: 20 gal.sump,Euro-reef RS6-2+ Skimmer,2x175 SE 14000k Iwasaki bulbs+(2)T-5 39 watt bulbs.Mag 12 return pump, (3) Tunze nanostreams (6025)

03/29/2006, 10:20 PM	#10
ezhoops Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Posts: 3,530	its very annoying, thats the reason why I don't keep maroons anymore and I really love them. __________________ "Keep your Friends Close, Your Anemones Closer" Current Tank Info: Working on 60 cube, sicce 3.0 return pump, 29 gal sump with fuge,Bubble Magnus NAC6 Skimmer, Aquaticlife 4 bulb T-5 VHO, 29gal Rare Clown breeding

03/30/2006, 12:06 AM	#11
mikersx02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 357	my dad has a clown that does this- it kicks up the sand and then goes and eats all the critters it kicked up. The other fish in the tank wait for it to do this so they can get a snack. Last time I was at his house- I saw it do that 5 times in an hour.

03/30/2006, 04:17 PM	#12
AquariumChick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 26	so are you saying your dad's clown was hungry? __________________ Aquarium Chick Current Tank Info: 80 Gal Saltwater Bowfront

03/30/2006, 04:56 PM	#13
CanesDave Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 128	Clowns are always hungry

03/31/2006, 06:51 AM	#14
mikersx02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 357	That clown is huge- 4 inches long and about .75 inches thick- I am not even quite sure what species it is- looks to be a seabae-- but not certain.

03/31/2006, 08:05 AM	#15
MX6import Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 115	Ya my female clown is a fatty and she never eats enough. plus she always chases the male. and also does that thing in the sand. I just got a anemone and she does it right under it now. and she used to do it before when I was adding new fish all the time. I'm pretty sure it a territorial thing to almost mark her spot. __________________ The futures so bright I need sun glasses!

04/04/2006, 07:58 PM	#16
AquariumChick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 26	Thanks for everyones input. I guess I will see what happens. __________________ Aquarium Chick Current Tank Info: 80 Gal Saltwater Bowfront