Tomato Clown Question

So, I had everything checked in my water and all was fine! My salinity is 2.3 and nitrates are 40ish and they just stay that way they have never went up or down. I left my tank alone for about a month and did nothing to it since the water change on april 2nd. The tank has been up almost two months now!

So we put a tomato clown in last night and he was belly up this morning which gave me a scare but when I turned the light on he turned over n started swimming around the heater...heres where my question comes in...

He is just staying over by the heater..swimming next to it...why? He won't come out and swim in the tank. He did eat this morning when i put the frozen brine shrimp in there and he did a little swim towards food but right back the heater!

http://www.3reef.com/forums/members/myreef85-albums-my-29-gallon-reef-picture6313-tomato-clown.jpg


Oh we also added a camel back shrimp who was still alive this morning and came out to eat too...

When will my clown swim in the tank?

 

From what I know this is probably normal behavior. Many clowns spend their entire lives only occupying a few inches of tank space if they're "hosting" something.

Since the clown is new it may simply be an adjustment phase. So I would not worry about the clown too much right now as long as it's eating and healthy looking. All in due time. It may take a while before the clown starts exploring the tank.

 

Thanks for the reply. in my post I put a link to a picture of him up by the heater so you can have an idea of what i'm talking about. I hope it is just a phase!!

 

Yup, totally normal. They will huddle next to something for protection when first introduced. It will eventually roam the tank and find a new home. I see this more often with wild caught.