Should I be worried?

[MarkW19]

I've had 2 false percula clowns in my tank for a week, and they've been behaving quite erratically.

They've been feeding ok - The day I added them, I put them in in the morning, and later that night they ate some frozen brineshrimp that I gave them, and have been eating fine on a selection of frozen foods (brine, mysis, gamma and veggie) since, until yesterday when they just didn't seem interested in food at all. They swim for it, and then turn away as if they've decided against it. They're still not eating this morning.

As for swimming, they very rarely swim smoothly in the tank, they sort of bob from left to right and up and down, often just on the same spot. One will stay in the corner at the bottom just bobbing up and down, occasionally swimming right to the top of the tank and then back down again. The other one will often hide under a small covered piece of large rock in the middle, again bobbing up and down. Occassionally, the 2 clowns will switch positions!

They come out quite often to have a bit of a swim around, again not swimming smoothly but sort of jerkily bobbing about a bit, before returning to their positions.

No signs (so far) of any discolouration, slime, white spots etc. They seem healthy otherwise, except one clown opens and closes its mouth very quickly, while the other seems ok. I've got a lot of water movement - from my Eheim filter output, and a powerhead. I often turn on a second powerhead as well, but this is a bit strong for the tank and my fish find it hard to swim against the massive current.

Water parameters: SG 1.023, Temp 78 - 80°F, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5, Carbonate Hardness 10dKH, pH 8.3. I use RO water, and have a 35gallon tank.

Can anyone give me any views please?

Thanks.

 

[snapcrackler]

Sounds like typical clownlike behaviour.. mine do the same thing and also weirder things like wiggling around next to each other a lot LOL

I only feed mine about once per day or once every other day. Yours might be eating other stuff in the tank like pods and maybe they are just full.

Erik

 

[MarkW19]

GOOD

Just got a cleaner shrimp acclimatising at the mo

 

[MarkW19]

Well, my clowns have been playing out more today, with less time stuck in the corners. Perhaps it's got something to do with their new buddy - a cleaner shrimp

One of the clowns acts particularly strangely though - he'll swim normally for a bit, and then sort of jerk forward or backward, left or right, and jerk a couple of times, sort of shake himself, and then continue swimming normally. Then he'll either do the same again a bit later, or not do it for ages.

Anyone any ideas?

Some progress with the food today - they swam for it, and got it in their mouths but then spat most of it out (as opposed to not getting it in their mouths at all, like this morning). Will see if they actually eat it tomorrow morning

 

[steve-s]

One of the clowns acts particularly strangely though - he'll swim normally for a bit, and then sort of jerk forward or backward, left or right, and jerk a couple of times, sort of shake himself, and then continue swimming normally. Then he'll either do the same again a bit later, or not do it for ages.

Anyone any ideas?

Sounds like normal mating behavior. "Dancing" is quite normal in clown pairing and is often instigated by the male.

Some progress with the food today - they swam for it, and got it in their mouths but then spat most of it out (as opposed to not getting it in their mouths at all, like this morning). Will see if they actually eat it tomorrow morning

Could also be food size. Try crushing some flake food up or run the meaty food you are using now through the blender for a second or two.

Cheers
Steve

 

[MarkW19]

Thanks steve, will give it a go