why clown fish jumps to the back of the nano cube?

[the nano guy]

Hi all,

 

I have a false clown and a cleaner shrimp in my nano cube for > 2 months now. I QT the clown for 6 weeks before I drop her into the tank. The shrimp joined the tank 3-4 weeks later.

 

Now the clown would jump to the back of the nano cube once in a while (once every 2 weeks?). It seems to me she did this more often after we purchased the shrimp (she did once before the shrimp arriaved). Is she harassed by the shrimp? May be the shrimp tries to clean her and she does not like it?

 

She also stays at a spot that is close to the back (where the water comes out from the pump) most of the time. She does swim to the front or other area but not as often as a "normal" fish (we think).

 

She eats well and I hope she sleeps well too. The shrimp molts often and grows fast.

 

Wife says the current is too strong from the pump and the clown does not like it (in the back the water is almost stilll), but I think she is harassed by the shrimp. Any comment??

[the nano guy]

I meant false percula clown not false clown :-)

[BKtomodachi]

Put up some netting... but the main problem if your fish jumps that much is environment. Does the clown seem to like anything in particular in the tank? They usually "host" something, whether its a pot, a powerhead, or the sand....

[the nano guy]

Thanks, now you remind me that the clown fish does host to a microjet PH in the QT tank.

 

So he (ok, not she) just "hear" the pump noise and wants to find his host in the back of the tank :-)

 

Other than to put a net, what else can I do? I really don't want to put another PH in the front part unless necessary...

[rhs]

That sounds normal to me because mine did the same thing.

I finally put the Nano sponges in each compartment as high as possible, over the water line to prevent it from happening. You could cut one in half if needed for an extra.

[flopmeister69]

Yeah my clown ends up in the back of the tank sometimes. Usually if the water level is aboot even with the back wall. He sleeps back there (on his side no less) at the top by the rear intake and I think he just gets caught in the current and floats over. My LFS told me they've heard of this and they put up a plastic extension to prevent this. The only fear I have is that he'll get stuck on something and the water level will go down and he'll suffocate. Other than that, it's a pretty harmless event. I just make sure I don't fill the tank too high. He also isn't very friendly with my cleaner shrimp. My shrimp was there first.

 

BTW he hasn't hosted to anything in the tank. He seems kind of like he's invading someone else's space. He's been in there >4 months. Anyone think this is abnormal?

[BKtomodachi]

No... sometimes they just like to wander around or stay in a corner, thats normal as well. I would DIY some sort of egg-crate in there or plastic screening to keep it out.

[the nano guy]

Thanks everyone! Now I feel better that our "bubble" is normal, just like other false perc clowns!

 

By the way, most of the time the fish stays close to the top right corner (sleep or not). I figure out a way to have him to swim to the other areas of the tank--turn off the power of the PH.

 

Oh, any suggestion for our next fish? I will stop at two fish and will change at least 10% water weekly...

[Thunil]

a sixline wrasse