is this normal in clown fish?

waz1234 · 06/02/2013, 11:26 PM

Hello guys I just have a quick question, my clown fish lays down in the sand very often but as soon as he see me he stand up and start swimming again, he eats every day and looks very healthy to me but as soon as I walk away from my tank he goes to the sand again its this normal? is he sick? my other clown never does this and hes always next to the power head swimming against the current..

bnumair · 06/02/2013, 11:29 PM

clowns are active swimmers and usually dont just lay flat on sand. its not a normal behavior. is there white spots on him or is that on glass. i cant figure that out on a bluish pic, can u take a pic in normal lights?

hollister · 06/02/2013, 11:44 PM

Sounds like you may have low O2. What size tank and whats used for water flow?

waz1234 · 06/03/2013, 12:09 AM

I've tried to take a pic of him with normal lights but no luck he always get up before I get closer to the tank, he doesnt have any white spots well only the 3 lines that every clown has.. The tank its 1 month old and 2 weeks, its a coralife 29G biocube with the stock return pump and a hydor koralia 425

Cloudburst2000 · 06/03/2013, 12:28 AM

I had a tomato clown that would lay down on a green hairy mushroom for long periods. I think it was hosting the mushroom. Anyhoo, he would look dead but then we he saw someone he'd be swimming about...thinking it was feeding time probably. Perhaps you have a strange clown that is hosting a particular spot in the sand. I know it wasn't low O2 levels in my tank as no other fish was exhibiting strange behavior besides the clown.

FattyK21 · 06/03/2013, 06:56 AM

My clown when I had a lil shipwreck in my tank would lay down but that was only at night
hed never do it during the day

I would think they would get a lil tired and want to rest once and a while also
My blue tang has his lil spot at night he lays down where he dosent have to swim too so...

Moort82 · 06/03/2013, 07:56 AM

I can't really offer any help as to why, although my feeling is possibly a swim bladder problem, but i have a clown who does exactly the same. It has been this way for over seven years now and is still healthy enough to spawn. I have a friend who has seen the same thing in a clown and i just think it maybe a birth defect that sometimes worsens with age.
If it still feeds and is "happy" i wouldn't overly worry but its worth ruling out everything first.

sabbath · 06/03/2013, 08:46 AM

Mine has done this for years, I've just figured he was just taking little naps.

MiracleFish · 06/03/2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabbath

mine has done this for years, i've just figured he was just taking little naps.

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waz1234 · 06/03/2013, 11:05 AM

Mmm maybe its that, and hes taking little naps, because he looks very healthy to me and I havent seen any swimming defects and every time I feed the tank he goes crazy for the food and I think he still wants more but I dont wanna over feed my tank and later on have a nitrate problem

1SlickFish · 06/04/2013, 10:56 AM

Is he breathing heavy?

I would turn on some 10k lights, grab a chair and go sit next to him with the camera ready. In about 15 minutes, I bet he would lay down with you next to him as long as there isnt any activity going on. Then you could snap another picture.

reret10 · 06/04/2013, 12:00 PM

mine did that to for the first week but then he got better

Moort82 · 06/06/2013, 04:32 PM

My one with this is the first to the food also in a busy reef tank, so competition for food or a health issue, added to it being this way for years, rules out a disease in my mind. At least in my case.

06/02/2013, 11:29 PM	#2
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	clowns are active swimmers and usually dont just lay flat on sand. its not a normal behavior. is there white spots on him or is that on glass. i cant figure that out on a bluish pic, can u take a pic in normal lights? __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

06/03/2013, 06:56 AM	#6
FattyK21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Mebane NC Posts: 186	My clown when I had a lil shipwreck in my tank would lay down but that was only at night hed never do it during the day I would think they would get a lil tired and want to rest once and a while also My blue tang has his lil spot at night he lays down where he dosent have to swim too so... __________________ 60g RIMLESS http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24816891#post24816891 Current Tank Info: 60g Rimless

06/04/2013, 12:00 PM	#12
reret10 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Riverside, California Posts: 421	mine did that to for the first week but then he got better __________________ Some people take things with a grain of salt, others take it with a half a cup per gallon.

06/02/2013, 11:44 PM	#3
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	Sounds like you may have low O2. What size tank and whats used for water flow?

06/03/2013, 12:09 AM	#4
waz1234 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 45	I've tried to take a pic of him with normal lights but no luck he always get up before I get closer to the tank, he doesnt have any white spots well only the 3 lines that every clown has.. The tank its 1 month old and 2 weeks, its a coralife 29G biocube with the stock return pump and a hydor koralia 425

06/03/2013, 12:28 AM	#5
Cloudburst2000 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 1,485	I had a tomato clown that would lay down on a green hairy mushroom for long periods. I think it was hosting the mushroom. Anyhoo, he would look dead but then we he saw someone he'd be swimming about...thinking it was feeding time probably. Perhaps you have a strange clown that is hosting a particular spot in the sand. I know it wasn't low O2 levels in my tank as no other fish was exhibiting strange behavior besides the clown.

06/03/2013, 07:56 AM	#7
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	I can't really offer any help as to why, although my feeling is possibly a swim bladder problem, but i have a clown who does exactly the same. It has been this way for over seven years now and is still healthy enough to spawn. I have a friend who has seen the same thing in a clown and i just think it maybe a birth defect that sometimes worsens with age. If it still feeds and is "happy" i wouldn't overly worry but its worth ruling out everything first.

06/03/2013, 08:46 AM	#8
sabbath Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Twin City's Mn. Posts: 1,771	Mine has done this for years, I've just figured he was just taking little naps.

06/03/2013, 11:05 AM	#10
waz1234 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 45	Mmm maybe its that, and hes taking little naps, because he looks very healthy to me and I havent seen any swimming defects and every time I feed the tank he goes crazy for the food and I think he still wants more but I dont wanna over feed my tank and later on have a nitrate problem

06/04/2013, 10:56 AM	#11
1SlickFish Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 242	Is he breathing heavy? I would turn on some 10k lights, grab a chair and go sit next to him with the camera ready. In about 15 minutes, I bet he would lay down with you next to him as long as there isnt any activity going on. Then you could snap another picture.

06/06/2013, 04:32 PM	#13
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	My one with this is the first to the food also in a busy reef tank, so competition for food or a health issue, added to it being this way for years, rules out a disease in my mind. At least in my case.