Clown fish lazy or sick???

[Bob]

I have a 10 gallon tank with two clown fish, several snails, 5 hermit
crabs, and a cleaner shrimp. One of the fish has started lying
motionless on the bottom in the corner. If someone comes near the
tank, it will get up and come to the front of the tank. It is still
eating well, and is not showing any other strange behavior. I see no
external signs of disease. I have had the fish for about 2 years. The
only things that I have added in the last two months are two snails.
The water parameters are as follows: SG - 1.024, ammonia - 0, nitrite
- 0, nitrate - 5, ph - 8.4, kh-10, Ca- 450-500, temperature - 76-78.
These have changed little for the past year or more. I change 2
gallons of water every other week. Any idea what could be causing this
behavior?

[DeeOooGee]

"Bob" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I have a 10 gallon tank with two clown fish, several snails, 5 hermit
> crabs, and a cleaner shrimp. One of the fish has started lying
> motionless on the bottom in the corner. If someone comes near the
> tank, it will get up and come to the front of the tank. It is still
> eating well, and is not showing any other strange behavior. I see no
> external signs of disease. I have had the fish for about 2 years. The
> only things that I have added in the last two months are two snails.
> The water parameters are as follows: SG - 1.024, ammonia - 0, nitrite
> - 0, nitrate - 5, ph - 8.4, kh-10, Ca- 450-500, temperature - 76-78.
> These have changed little for the past year or more. I change 2
> gallons of water every other week. Any idea what could be causing this
> behavior?
>

Mine did this after I changed water. The SG changed from 1.025 to 1.024 and
that was the result. He died too :-(

I hope yours makes it....

[George]

"Bob" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I have a 10 gallon tank with two clown fish, several snails, 5 hermit
> crabs, and a cleaner shrimp. One of the fish has started lying
> motionless on the bottom in the corner. If someone comes near the
> tank, it will get up and come to the front of the tank. It is still
> eating well, and is not showing any other strange behavior. I see no
> external signs of disease. I have had the fish for about 2 years. The
> only things that I have added in the last two months are two snails.
> The water parameters are as follows: SG - 1.024, ammonia - 0, nitrite
> - 0, nitrate - 5, ph - 8.4, kh-10, Ca- 450-500, temperature - 76-78.
> These have changed little for the past year or more. I change 2
> gallons of water every other week. Any idea what could be causing this
> behavior?

I have two maroon clown fish. The female is about 14 years old, while this male
is about 6 years old. Mine frequently sit quietly in the rocks for hours on end
unless I come near the tank, and they think I amd going to feed them. The
female is always bigger than the male, so if the one in question is larger, it
is likely a female, in which case, she may be getting ready to lay eggs. Has it
been digging a hole/depression in the substrate of your tank. If so, it may be
trying to nest. At any rate, if it otherwise looks healthy, and is still
eating, it should be ok.

Here is an image of my clown fish:

http://jryates.home.insightbb.com/clown.jpg

Note the difference in their sizes. The female is the bigger one. These two
have mated many times.

[corillamorph]

I've had a clownfish for 2+ years and I recall that he used to "lie around",
similar to what you describe. However, after adding an anenome I rarely see
him doing this - when he's not swimming, he is usually in the anenome.

"Bob" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I have a 10 gallon tank with two clown fish, several snails, 5 hermit
> crabs, and a cleaner shrimp. One of the fish has started lying
> motionless on the bottom in the corner. If someone comes near the
> tank, it will get up and come to the front of the tank. It is still
> eating well, and is not showing any other strange behavior. I see no
> external signs of disease. I have had the fish for about 2 years. The
> only things that I have added in the last two months are two snails.
> The water parameters are as follows: SG - 1.024, ammonia - 0, nitrite
> - 0, nitrate - 5, ph - 8.4, kh-10, Ca- 450-500, temperature - 76-78.
> These have changed little for the past year or more. I change 2
> gallons of water every other week. Any idea what could be causing this
> behavior?
>

[Bob]

My clown fisn are Ocelaris clown fish and about the same size. Someone
suggested that the problem might be an infected swim bladder. They
suggested treating with Maracyn 2. Howver, I have only one tank and
can't isolate the fish. So I'm guessing that this treatment is
impractical given I have snails, crabs, and cleaner shrimp.

[George]

"Bob" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> My clown fisn are Ocelaris clown fish and about the same size. Someone
> suggested that the problem might be an infected swim bladder. They
> suggested treating with Maracyn 2. Howver, I have only one tank and
> can't isolate the fish. So I'm guessing that this treatment is
> impractical given I have snails, crabs, and cleaner shrimp.

Do not use antibiotics in your tank if you have invertebrates.