Single Clown moving lots of Sand???

[Autumnsky]

Curious since I haven't noticed anyone mentioning this as a standard behavior.

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One Clown fish is in the tank. A month or 2 ago I noticed a pile of sand popped out from the rock. Then it was bigger.

Wondered if I had put some pwc water in the tank too hard and it popped out from under the rocks towards the front.

Then the other day it looked to be maybe 3 inches, almost 4 high, and I hadn't done any water changes and putting the water in from the back of the tank. I did a pwc today and vac'ed the sand some and noticed the area behind the sand pile was nearly bare.

Today I vac'ed down the mini tower of sand.

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Tonight, saw sand flying out of the space where the sand pile is and ran over to see what was going on, and there was the Clownfish cleaning out his /her cave.

I never noticed this behavior with my pair of Saddleback Clowns.


Anyone see this with their Clownfish? I might understand if it was paired up.

The tank 46G has about 80-100lbs of rock (a handful of frags) and 1.5-2.5" sand, a bit more in a few spots, lol.

Been running about a year and a half I think, in its current tank, but have had different (simple SW) tanks larger and smaller over the past 6+ years.

[46G Clownfish has been living with a Yellow Clown Goby, original fish, with a Blue Green Chromis and one full sized Coral Banded Shrimp, various snails and one hermit.] Parameters are all in in normal ranges.

Have had these guys - a year or so for the Clownfish, Chromis longer than that, and the Clown Goby 6 years.

Who? me?

This pic is back when he was a little guy

These are older pics, I am having technical difficulties and can't load a fts /new pics atm.

 

[Sniperhank]

Only one clownfish in the system? This is usually seen in breeding pairs, moving sand around to lay eggs... and we are sure it isn't flashing from ich?

 

[Autumnsky]

Always only been one Clown fot a year - since I got it.

Shouldn't be Ich, but i will look more closely.

Alternate ?, I just bought a 55W Jabao UV Sterilizer, and its ginormous. Maybe 2 feet long. What size should kill parasites? I wanted it for killing parasites (and some algae) when needed, to use periodically as needed 80g is largest tank (for now). Considering getting a smaller 36W instead but only if it can kill parasites well.

 

[Sniperhank]

I don't believe there is a good enough size for any UV sterilizers to function to any type of benefit inside the home aquarium. To do it on one's water supply, the entire thing is pushed past a UV light. We only do a very small fraction with the units available to us in the hobby...and that isn't even taking speed of flow past the bulb...

It could be likely that it is the new powerhead. Tilt it up some or change the direction, see what happens. Sounds like the most likely culprit, but always want to check all the boxes.

EDIT: in terms of free floating parasites, the number is usually very very low. Even with ich, only one of the life stages is free swimming...and that is only until it discovers a host. Doesn't take too long. Nature finds a way.

 

[Autumnsky]

Here is the sand pile was higher but it has covered this algae covered stone. Was low like at the front of the fungia.

There is no powerhead. I was thinking of adding one and may have mentioned it earlier.