Clowns dancing

[Gill Passman]

Just wanted to share with everyone the sheer joy of my Clowns
tonight....I've been keeping a strict light out policy during the day to
reduce tank temps (it's done wonders with the algae - good side-effect). I
turn the lights on around 30 minutes before feed-time and then leave them on
as the evening cools....this usually coincides with dinner (ours not the
fishes)

The last few nights the display put on by the Clowns has been
fantastic...but tonight it was surpassed that....

The two 4 inch Clowns decided dancing was in order....synchronised swimming
has been modelled on them...if the smaller Clowns flagged they got a very
big nudge....anyone got in their way it was a gentle but very persuasive
nudge....Mr Blue Gourami "this is my tank and don't you forget it" got
pushed out of the way "hey we are dancing and we don't care about your
postering)...the Flying Foxes (I've decided they are not true SAE's) got a
"join in or else"...and they did try but were out danced....the Platy's
tried to join in but couldn't compete...

The Clowns just danced on and on and on......a very happy fish night :-)

Gill

[Mary Burns]

"Gill Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote in message
.. .
> Just wanted to share with everyone the sheer joy of my Clowns
> tonight....I've been keeping a strict light out policy during the day to
> reduce tank temps (it's done wonders with the algae - good side-effect). I
> turn the lights on around 30 minutes before feed-time and then leave them
> on
> as the evening cools....this usually coincides with dinner (ours not the
> fishes)
>
> The last few nights the display put on by the Clowns has been
> fantastic...but tonight it was surpassed that....
>
> The two 4 inch Clowns decided dancing was in order....synchronised
> swimming
> has been modelled on them...if the smaller Clowns flagged they got a very
> big nudge....anyone got in their way it was a gentle but very persuasive
> nudge....Mr Blue Gourami "this is my tank and don't you forget it" got
> pushed out of the way "hey we are dancing and we don't care about your
> postering)...the Flying Foxes (I've decided they are not true SAE's) got a
> "join in or else"...and they did try but were out danced....the Platy's
> tried to join in but couldn't compete...
>
> The Clowns just danced on and on and on......a very happy fish night :-)
>
> Gill
>
>I'm in UK , lights off during this heatwave too. I absolutely agree about
>synchronised swimming, my 5 clowns and 1 tiny one are so adept, their
>antics in my 65g tank are the "fun" part of keeping fish. They dominate the
>front, love interacting with my female platies who share the tank, nap
>under a giant hygro in centre front, covered with algae as it's been in
>tank for ages, but they all love it, platies forever pecking it, clowns
>swimming in it, I haven't the heart to remove it and replace it. Mary

[Dick]

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 07:49:55 GMT, "Mary Burns"
> wrote:

>
>"Gill Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote in message
.. .
>> Just wanted to share with everyone the sheer joy of my Clowns
>> tonight....I've been keeping a strict light out policy during the day to
>> reduce tank temps (it's done wonders with the algae - good side-effect). I
>> turn the lights on around 30 minutes before feed-time and then leave them
>> on
>> as the evening cools....this usually coincides with dinner (ours not the
>> fishes)
>>
>> The last few nights the display put on by the Clowns has been
>> fantastic...but tonight it was surpassed that....
>>
>> The two 4 inch Clowns decided dancing was in order....synchronised
>> swimming
>> has been modelled on them...if the smaller Clowns flagged they got a very
>> big nudge....anyone got in their way it was a gentle but very persuasive
>> nudge....Mr Blue Gourami "this is my tank and don't you forget it" got
>> pushed out of the way "hey we are dancing and we don't care about your
>> postering)...the Flying Foxes (I've decided they are not true SAE's) got a
>> "join in or else"...and they did try but were out danced....the Platy's
>> tried to join in but couldn't compete...
>>
>> The Clowns just danced on and on and on......a very happy fish night :-)
>>
>> Gill
>>
>>I'm in UK , lights off during this heatwave too. I absolutely agree about
>>synchronised swimming, my 5 clowns and 1 tiny one are so adept, their
>>antics in my 65g tank are the "fun" part of keeping fish. They dominate the
>>front, love interacting with my female platies who share the tank, nap
>>under a giant hygro in centre front, covered with algae as it's been in
>>tank for ages, but they all love it, platies forever pecking it, clowns
>>swimming in it, I haven't the heart to remove it and replace it. Mary
>

During the first year of having Clowns and SAEs plus the usual
community tank fish, each species held its own school. After the
first year I found more and more often shoaling had become a community
exercise. My favorite "dance" happens in the corner of the 75 gallon
tank. It is a vertical rush, all species seem to feel free to join
it, up and down in the corner. Unfortunately, over the last 6 months
dancing has become rarer. Things only get riotous at meal time, then
it is every fish for itself!

Blue Gouramis do have an "attitude" don't they? My 3 Gouramis are
larger than the SAEs which are larger than the Clowns Fortunately it
is a peaceful tank. Perhaps due to the over population, there is less
activity. The tank has 56 fish, but 21 of those are over 2 inch Black
Mollies ranging up to 6 inch Gouramis. The 5 inch Plecos are the
most active and everyone scatters when they slide the length of the
tank. The Clowns are 4 to 5 inches and spend much of the day in the
plant growth, thus out of sight. I see more of the 2 Clowns in a 10
gallon tank than I do of the 6 in the 75 gallon tank.

I am rambling, and I just thought of why I am rambling. It is very
hard to describe fish behavior. I can't say anything about a fish or
a species that a contradiction comes to mind. One consisten behavior
I can think of, all of the fish in all the tanks get very active twice
a day. Yep, feeding time! <g>

dick

dick