Clownies acting strangely

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Harry Gross

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 29, 2009
Messages
92
Location
Bigbear California
My clownfish...who are temporarily being housed inna 10gal..while the 100 cycles through for a while.....have started digging a sort of nest in the sand at the back of the tank.....also....I don't know if its merely my imagionation....but it seems that the smaller of the two is growing somewhat black in color along its back. The larger one is all orange and white...no black coloration.
Having recently learned about how to keep their water fresh and often-changed...they've been quite happy/frisky little guys over the past few days.Given my recent education concerning mixing their water....and the necessity to changing it often(the 10gal has no filtering system)...I've attributed their newfound energy level to clean environment.But this (seeming) new coloration and now the nest....???Could they be readying themselves for baby-time??,<<<<(at the risk of sounding silly).
 
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I think it would be way to early to be having baby's if they are still juveniles once the female become more of and adult she will be larger of the 2. The male will stay tiny. and if water parameters are stable and they are happy then they will breed but I heard it take years before that happens in a home aquarium. The activities that you are seeing is normal for clown to do I have had my clowns for over 6 months now and they are always playing in the sand.... (y)
 
+1

Mine dig trenches along the glass at night and sleep in them.. I guess to give themselves some structure from waterflow
 
I noticed that my small clown does an occasional twitch as if it was a seizure or something. my other clown is fine and doesn't do this. what could this be?
 
I noticed that my small clown does an occasional twitch as if it was a seizure or something. my other clown is fine and doesn't do this. what could this be?
Mine does that to.. I believe it's normal.. Mine does it a dusk before lights out.. Does it in the sand and along the LR. Kind of stirs up the sand or cleans a portion on the LR. I think it's a primal instint.. Cleaning a spot for eggs possibly?
 
Hey, can you folks that have the clowns sleeping in the sand get a pic? I know clowns are clowns, but I have not seen that before.
 
LOL... Mine do it ever so often, But lately Mine has been sleeping right in his Anemone... I got to get a Picture of that....
 
Well my clownies are freaking me out.first got 'em they were simply orange and white. Then the smaller of the two started turning black along its back. Along with the apparent nesting activity I thought something was kicking off onna monumentioous scale....but I gather that its all pretty much normal and I did'nt have to worry about the discovery channel wanting any interviews (snik). Now the larger one is starting to turn black in the same manner !! ?? Is this coloration thing due to age-ing or what ?? After viewing some of the wonderful videos and pictures you good folks have shared I see that mine dont appear to to be any different than any others. But still....whats up with the sudden color changes?
 
I have a tomato clown that I`ve had 10 yrs now that keeps getting darker almost black and then goes back to orange and then dark again. I wish I could tell you why but I cant.
 
I'll let the experts weigh in on this, but maybe you had a true perc and they're maturing? I hear the black 'spreads' when they get older.. some tend to look almost exact to false percs when 'babies'
 
My clowns have hosted with a rock covered with yellow zoas. I came downstairs one morning and saw them laying on the rock - thought they were dead....but they were just sleeping. They have been doing this for 9 months now.
 
Thankx for the clownies/input !! It puts to rest a few things which I'd heard from uneducated folks.
Especially thankx to you Melosu...since my start with this project and this chatroom you have'nt missed a lick and I want you to know that Harry appreciates it volumes
 
I've had many fish over the past 10 years, but NEVER have I had any that laid down to sleep!
I introduced a pair of clowns last week, and yesterday I thought they had expired, when I went to feed them on my way out the door to work. It was still dark, and I hadn't turned on any lights yet, when I found both clowns lying in divits aling the side glass of the aquarium! When I went to net my pets (AND my money) out to the trash, they woke up, asked for breakfast, and all is well!
I imediately started searching the web for answers, which brought me to you fine folks....and the rest, as they say, is history!
Fish in beds......go figger!
Swa
 
After O. Clowns or True Percs pair up and are actually paired they can and will get black markings along their spine. It is normal and nothing to worry about. I have 2 pairs of clowns and they both show signs of this darkening.
 
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