My Nemo is Sad!!

[melle_87]

I have a 12 gal tank with a mating pair of young false percs. For the past couple of the days the smaller of the two, the male, has been sort of "mopey". He seems to be going to the top of the tank and sleeping more than usual, although he does seem to like to lie on the top surface of the water under my filter when he sleeps. He has continually done this and doesn't seem to want to move around much. The female, who almost always stays with him in the tank, seems to want to take care of him and check up on him. It doesn't seem to make sense. Is this some normal ritual or is there something deeper I should be worried about?

 

[neoginn]

That is interesting behavior, my first assumption would be to think of it as ill. therefore i would do a water change. as for a ritual of some kind, I am looking it up now.

 

[hemichris]

I have never heard of Clownfish doing that unless they are sick. You may want to do a water change asap.

 

[neoginn]

Ah ok, I finally found another possibility for you besides the assumption that your perc could be ill. First is your false percula hosting an anemone? If not, then this could actually attribute to its lethargic behavior. Although not common some anemones while being raised in farms do have access to some type of hosting anemone. Another possibility (once again rare but still worth noting) is that your False Percula could of been "kicked out" of his anemone this could happen if both are males. Good luck, and keep us posted on your False Percs behavior.

 

[melle_87]

The fish has continued to act abnormally. I did a water change about a week ago and all of the levels are in great condition. I do not have any anemones in the tank.