Clown Fish Behaviour Question

[[email protected]]

Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed really
healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week but
all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them some
flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food. Help!!!

I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail damsels.
NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.

Many thanks!!!

[Yukon]

> wrote in message ups.com...
> Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
> I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed really
> healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week but
> all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
> rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them some
> flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food. Help!!!
>
> I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail damsels.
> NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.
>
> Many thanks!!!
>

Hi sallystruthers - nope not gonna ask - anyway, maybe your damsels are frightening
them. That is kinda a rough crowd for a 29. What do you mean by "picking" at the
food? Are they eating some?

[DANorgard]

Mine acted similarly until I removed the Damsel, who is now in exile in his
own 10g tank.
Dan


> wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed really
healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week but
all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them some
flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food. Help!!!

I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail damsels.
NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.

Many thanks!!!

[Billy]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
| Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
| I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed
really
| healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week
but
| all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
| rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them
some
| flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food.
Help!!!
|

My clowns took nearly 2 weeks before they started to act comfortable.
Also, I agree with the other posters that the damsels are likely
intimidating them. Damsels are, IMO, absolute monsters.

b

[George]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
> I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed really
> healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week but
> all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
> rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them some
> flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food. Help!!!
>
> I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail damsels.
> NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.
>
> Many thanks!!!

Clown fish are in the Damsel fish family. Asl with all damsel fish, they are
very territorial. One way to help break them into the tank is to move the rocks
around in a different configuration. That forces all the fish to find new
shelter and will level the playing field a bit. I agree with what others have
said as well. It takes a while for these fish to become acclimatized to their
new surroundings. If you break up the territory of the existing fish in the
tank, it helps the new ones become established.

[lg]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
> I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed really
> healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week but
> all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
> rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them some
> flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food. Help!!!
>
> I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail damsels.
> NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.
>
> Many thanks!!!
>

I hope you have more luck than me. Been there done that!

If they start to lay their top fin back and swim away in the 1 spot
24/7.....It is all over. I tried moving stuff and them about but lost two
pair in total.

I hope someone else may be able to help.

lg

[[email protected]]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll try moving stuff around and see what
happens. those little damsel *******s!


lg wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
> > I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed
really
> > healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week
but
> > all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
> > rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them
some
> > flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food.
Help!!!
> >
> > I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail
damsels.
> > NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.
> >
> > Many thanks!!!
> >
>
> I hope you have more luck than me. Been there done that!
>
> If they start to lay their top fin back and swim away in the 1 spot
> 24/7.....It is all over. I tried moving stuff and them about but lost
two
> pair in total.
>
> I hope someone else may be able to help.
>
> lg

[CapFusion]

Damsel will re-acclaim the newly reshape / order / changes of the area
quickly.
You might still need plan "Z" of how to remove them.

CapFusion,....


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for your suggestions. I'll try moving stuff around and see what
> happens. those little damsel *******s!
>
>
> lg wrote:
>> > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> > Hi. I was wondering if someone can help me out with this.
>> > I recently added two ocelaris clowns to my tank. They seemed
> really
>> > healthy and active at the store. I've had them for about 1 week
> but
>> > all they seem to do is swim at the corner of the tank behind some
>> > rocks. They haven't left that corner. I've tried feeding them
> some
>> > flake food and brine shrimp but they only pick at the food.
> Help!!!
>> >
>> > I have a 29 gallon tank, 20 lbs of live rock. Two yellow tail
> damsels.
>> > NH3, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity and PH are all normal.
>> >
>> > Many thanks!!!
>> >
>>
>> I hope you have more luck than me. Been there done that!
>>
>> If they start to lay their top fin back and swim away in the 1 spot
>> 24/7.....It is all over. I tried moving stuff and them about but lost
> two
>> pair in total.
>>
>> I hope someone else may be able to help.
>>
>> lg
>