Clownfish Hypnotized?

Hey All,

So my 2 clowns have been acting really odd for the past four days (I put them in the tank about a week ago after I bought them from liveaquaria.com). They will not eat and swim in the same spot literally for hours. One of the clowns seems to always be checking out my black fin blenny too. So I was at first thinking they are scared...?

The only way for me to describe it is that they look like something has hypnotized them. There are no signs of ich and damselfish are normally huge pigs so they should be eating!

Water parameters are normal, have had the tank set up for about a couple weeks, LFS also tested the water- everything was fine.

Any insight as to a possible cause or past experience with the same problem would be helpful!


Thanks!

 

Clownfish staying in the same spot for hours is normal

The fact that they aren't eating isn't good. Do you have any garlic to soak the food in?

 

Mine swam in the same spot for a long time. Sometimes swimming upside down. I didn't have a problem getting them to eat though.
Eventually they came around and swim around the tank , but it took weeks.

 

Hi, mind you, part of my response will only be an educated guess. First, it takes some fish up to a week to start eating and acting normal after being introduced to a new environment. Second (the educated guess part) since they came as a pair they may have been paired for awhile at Live aquaria. They may be looking for or establishing their "spot". Some even go so far as to make a "nest" in the substrate. If you are concerned about their eating, get some food with garlic in it or live brine shrimp to stimulate them.

 

I was in the same boat as you...just got a couple of percula clowns and they stayed in the same spot for a few days, wouldn't eat and started to get black spots on them...I thought it was parasites but they are free swimmers now,eat like fattys and the black spots were burns from my coral and anemones they were touching...........what kind of clowns did u get?

 

Just some false clowns...

I could understand why they wouldn't want to eat at first- but when I first introduced them to the tank they loved my Cyclop-eeze dried food but now it seems like they are avoiding it and my mysis shrimp. I might try this garlic idea- never done it before though.

 

I got to some false percs to...there are marine flakes have garlic in them thats what im using

 

Sorry I don't have an answer for you, but I can say "Welcome to 3reef!!"

BTW, I like your avatar

 

The stress of shipping and of a new environment could take a while to get over. I wouldn't worry yet.

 

when I had a false clown it was the most boring fish I have had. It sat in one corner of tank and just swam with the current all day. It would eat and then one day I got an anemone and then he was gone. So I went to maroon and he just stays in anemone all day. Bit more intersting some times he comes out. Certin fish have certin personalitys that is what I have learned. Maybe there is someone out there with a false perc that had a better personality then the one I have had. But all in all don't think I would get another.