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Unread 01/11/2019, 08:42 PM   #1
ProudSoonersFan
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Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

Hi, I have a 13.5 gallon Fluval nano aquarium with two black and white clownfish. I feed them the PE mysis frozen shrimp. I’ve had them for over a year now but for some reason in the past week or two when the male touches the shrimp in the water he swims very erratically for a few seconds and then snaps out of it and eats normally afterwards. The female does just fine. I thought at first it was because the shrimp was thawed in RODI water so I put some of the shrimp in some saltwater but he still does it. Does anyone know what may be going on? Thanks!


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Unread 01/12/2019, 08:31 AM   #2
mann1139
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It might be some type of 'submission' behavior, or it might be something wrong with your tank.

How are your parameters?

What temperature is the shrimp when he gets it? Warm, cool cold?


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Unread 01/12/2019, 10:34 AM   #3
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Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

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Originally Posted by mann1139 View Post
It might be some type of 'submission' behavior, or it might be something wrong with your tank.



How are your parameters?



What temperature is the shrimp when he gets it? Warm, cool cold?


Hi, thanks for the response. I suppose it could be submission but he looks like he’s in distress when it happens. Maybe it’s similar to when we get a brain freeze. I tried to take a video this morning but he didn’t do it.

It’s cold because I keep the thawed shrimp in the refrigerator. You think that’s what it is? Maybe I should try getting some aquarium water and putting the shrimp in that then feed. That’s a good idea.


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Unread 01/12/2019, 03:23 PM   #4
mann1139
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When I thaw frozen food, I give it ten minutes in a shot glass full of tank or do water, whichever is more convenient.

This also lets you get rid of the 'source's that doesn't get eaten.


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Unread 01/14/2019, 02:13 PM   #5
ProudSoonersFan
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Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

Well, I thought it was just when I would feed them but it’s happened a few times now not associated with food. It happened last night when I started to siphon water for a WC right at the moment the tube made contact with the water. Then this morning it happened again when I turned on the lights. I was finally able to capture it on video when I fed a moment ago. Here’s the video. Any ideas what’s going on?

https://youtu.be/KrAYH9-ED3A


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Unread 01/15/2019, 10:52 AM   #6
mann1139
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Whoa! That is some serious motion.

If you have a QT, I would get the fish into it, and see if it is related to the tank or the fish.

I would also look for any discolorations on the fish.


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Unread 01/22/2019, 02:22 PM   #7
Planetmacro
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WOW! I've never seen a fish do that. Looks like it's having a seizure if that's even possible in a fish.


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Unread 02/04/2019, 08:09 PM   #8
ProudSoonersFan
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Odd Clownfish Feeding Behavior

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WOW! I've never seen a fish do that. Looks like it's having a seizure if that's even possible in a fish.


I know. I’m still having this issue. I’m thinking about changing food. When I had these two in the 55 gallon aquarium I sold, I didn’t see this happen. I moved them both to the nano aquarium a few months ago and this still happens with the frozen shrimp. I’ve tried using saltwater to thaw them in as well as heating up the water before feeding. I have no idea what’s going on. Any ideas?


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Unread 02/04/2019, 09:15 PM   #9
FishAndPhysics
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Silly question, but have you tried feeding them something else? Perhaps a pellet? Would be good to know if this is a general "food problem" a "frozen food problem" or a "this particular food problem". Although I suspect it is going to be the first.

Another question: how much do you look at your tank when you aren't feeding it? Is it possible he does this sometimes when he is not being fed? If you wave your hand over the top of the tank, as if you were feeding it, does he do it?


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Unread 02/05/2019, 11:20 AM   #10
Planetmacro
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I have a maroon clown that clamps its fins and starts to shimmy right after I feed her. I have 8 maroon clownfish all in the same water and all get the same feed and the rest are fine. I've tried warming up the food, feeding only flake food etc. Nothing works. The strange behavior lasts about an hour. Had her for over 6 months. Very odd. Also she is WC.


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Unread 02/10/2019, 06:56 PM   #11
randygonza
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Probably just mating behavior


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Unread 02/19/2019, 12:48 PM   #12
ProudSoonersFan
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I thought I would post an update on this. My male clownfish does this even without food. I’ve seen it happen when changing the lights to blue. And just a moment ago, I saw it happen without anything going on. I just happened to see it. It appears like he’s having a seizure. There seems to be no specific cause that I can see. When he snaps out of it, he seems to shake it off and go back to swimming around.


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Unread 02/25/2019, 10:12 PM   #13
Kdg
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Hmm my guess would be that it’s a submissive behavior and that possibly your power head is contributing to make it look even more erratic then usual. If he does it consistently with every feeding I would try turning off the power head during the next meal to see if it makes a difference.


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Unread 02/26/2019, 08:46 PM   #14
Uncle99
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Kept clowns for more than 25 years.....never seen that.
Very very interesting......I mean we have all seen a waggle, but that....insane!


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Unread 02/26/2019, 09:19 PM   #15
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Quote:
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Kept clowns for more than 25 years.....never seen that.
Very very interesting......I mean we have all seen a waggle, but that....insane!


I know, tell me about it. I feel sorry for the little guy. He’s apprehensive about eating food and he’s learned the risk of going bonkers. But, once he snaps out of it, he eats fine. It surprised me when changing the lights to blue that he did it too, so it’s not all good related.


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Unread 03/06/2019, 12:02 AM   #16
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I have seen this with baby clownfish at or shortly after metamorphosis from larva to juvenile when feeding them brine shrimp larva. Most actually died of it. It seems to be a seizure or shock. At least with the baby clowns it was due to nutritional deficits. I would try to feed more variety.


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Unread 03/13/2019, 05:46 PM   #17
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I agree with ThRoewer that it is most likely a seizure. Variety in food may help. Frozen is actually poor nutritionally for clown fish. I would use a mixture of good flakes. I know that long term frozen food only for brood pair will give deformed, high mortality larves. For clown fish best to stick with high quality dry food with occasional frozen. The key in term of nutrition in fish is variety IMO. Most high quality dry food use a wide variety of raw ingredients.


Seizure can happen with stress, increase in stimulation, excitement and a variety of situation which result in stimulation to the brain.


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Unread 03/14/2019, 03:04 AM   #18
ThRoewer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OrionN View Post
I agree with ThRoewer that it is most likely a seizure. Variety in food may help. Frozen is actually poor nutritionally for clown fish. I would use a mixture of good flakes. I know that long term frozen food only for brood pair will give deformed, high mortality larves. For clown fish best to stick with high quality dry food with occasional frozen. The key in term of nutrition in fish is variety IMO. Most high quality dry food use a wide variety of raw ingredients.


Seizure can happen with stress, increase in stimulation, excitement and a variety of situation which result in stimulation to the brain.
Interestingly, my Regal Angels seem to know that flakes are good for them - all of them gulp them down like crazy. Though I suspect they would take bread if I would feed it to them... they are about the least picky eaters I have.


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3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki

Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...
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Unread 03/20/2019, 11:15 PM   #19
Yin_Yang247
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That's classified as a "tumbler" if some animals are born with that ability into adulthood. Hopefully you can breed it and have future ((( Tumbler Clownfish ))) into the market.
You'll get a very high price for each fish if they are sold.


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Unread 03/20/2019, 11:24 PM   #20
Yin_Yang247
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Saw the video and I fell on the floor LMAO OMG *** never have a clownfish made me laugh so hard!!!


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Unread 03/21/2019, 05:55 AM   #21
ProudSoonersFan
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I recently bought some of the sinking pellets and those make him spaz out too. I guess he will just have to live with it. He’s still alive so that’s good.


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Unread 03/21/2019, 03:55 PM   #22
Yin_Yang247
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Thiaminases (Vitamin B1: Deficiency)

Thiaminases are enzmyes found in certain fish, shellfish, and plants. When ingested these enzymes split thiamin (Vitamin B1), an important compound in energy metabolism, and render it inactive.

In general then, excessive amounts of Thiaminase are connected with symptoms of sickness that include poor growth, loss of appetite, abdominal swelling and hemorrhage, loss of equilibrium, convulsions, muscle atrophy and a weak immune system.

The B vitamin thiamine is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates into simple glucose sugar.
Vitamin B1 is as important to animals as it is to ourselves. Without adequate supplies, humans develop a sickness called beriberi — and symptoms include lethargy, weight loss, problems with nerve control and sense organs, heart failure, and eventually death.

Thiaminases are enzymes that cleave the thiamin molecule and render it biologically inactive. Generally there are two types of thiaminases:
Type I - the most common form, this type is found in fish, shellfish, ferns and some bacteria. It acts by displacing the pyrimidine methylene group with a nitrogenous base or SH-compound to eliminate the thiazole ring.
Type II - found in certain bacteria, this type acts through the hydrolytic cleavage of the methylene-thiazole-N bond to yield pyrimidine and thiamin moieties.

While freezing does not destroy Thiaminase, heating it will. This is why cooked fish is not dangerous with regard to Thiaminase for human or animal nutrition. From the perspective of a fishkeeper, the big drawback to cooking food is that heating destroys a lot of the useful nutrients as well. While omnivorous humans compensate for that by eating a varied diet containing both raw and cooked plant and animal foods, piscivorous fish have no such option. They cannot be fed cooked fish and expected to stay healthy.

At least some types of live feeder fish will contain more Vitamin B1 than frozen foods, but the downside here is that the convenience of live foods is accompanied by a major risk of introducing pathogenic microorganisms such as Mycobacteria and endoparasites. Feeder fish are also expensive compared with frozen foods, and as will be described shortly, many of the types of feeder fish widely sold contain a great deal of Thiaminase anyway, dramatically reducing their usefulness.

Thiaminase content review

The data on Thiaminase content comes from various sources, mostly from the National research council (1982), Deutsch & Hasler (1943), Greig & Gnaedinger (1971) and Hilker & Peter (1966); see also the literature list at the end of the article. The lists are far from complete, but most of the usually marketed and so far examined species are enlisted. Although primarily based on coldwater food fish and invertebrates, Thiaminase content information exists for several tropical species widely marketed, and these been included accordingly.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...405&__tn__=K-R


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