Why is my Maroon doing this?

[nanafish]

I have a 4yr old gold-striped maroon C.F. that will turn so that it's rear end is facing the glass and then it will start fanning the sand. It will do this repeatedly especially if I am watching it. It has a carpet anemone that it is hosting and at times it will host a Rose anemone. It seems to fan the sand in the same place. It does not have a mate in the tank, I have several other types of fish in a 125g reef tank. Is this some type of spawning behavior?

[jtdesigns2]

sounds like he's horny.... give him a mate for goodness sake!

[vtysl]

I have the same problem with my cinnamon clown especially when im close by and watching her. She does the same thing as you described. I'm guessing she's probably trying to get attention for food or who knows.

[Lmecher]

My maroon did the same thing. I had assumed she was claiming the spot as her territory. She would get keep it tidy removing shells and even a hermit or two who would invade her space. Sometimes she kick up quite a sand storm and sit in a little hole she'd made. I don't think fish get horny lol. Giving her a mate comes with complications and would help to occupy her but read up on pairing them first to see if your up to it. This is not spawning behavior so don't worry, very normal, maroons are quirky. You gotta love these little devils lol

[mikejones]

this sounds funny how bout you guys post a video?

[Titus77]

I cant seem to find a video on this subject, but I found a very funny video of a clownfish and a jawfish moving sand into each others hole that they are digging. I guess the sand-moving clown sometimes does kick up sand with her tail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9fyw8IOVVA

[Toddrtrex]

Clowns do this. Some more then others. IME, Maroons and Clarkiis are the worst at it.

Sometimes I swear that my Clarkii pair are looking at me when they do it -- since I always put the sand back.

My pink skunk pair, on the other hand, have yet to do this in the 2+ years that I have had them.

[Titus77]

Yeah...my GSM would do it constantly. After she found that she could move rocks up to 3 times her mass, I had no choice but to bring her back and trade her for two nems, and a few corals (yeah, the guy at the LFS that day was extremely high). But all my other clowns that I have had at some point in time (Percs, Occs, Saddles) have never shown this behavior. For a while, I figured I was the only one with a beautiful fish that destroys a 60 gallon tank in seconds. :D

[mikejones]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14277174#post14277174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Titus77
I cant seem to find a video on this subject, but I found a very funny video of a clownfish and a jawfish moving sand into each others hole that they are digging. I guess the sand-moving clown sometimes does kick up sand with her tail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9fyw8IOVVA

Man this is really funny although the jaw fish seems to be winning the battle..thanx for the linky Titus

mike

[rastarainy]

most times the GSMC does this to make its anemone's surroundings how the clown thinks it will like it. its pretty annoying after a while!

[TrashBINH]

My GSM never did this until i added my RBTA... she even moved my rocks around and everytime i moved it back, she would move it again. I Gave up and let her do what she wanted to do and now i never see her fan the sand or move any rocks... Took her about a month to rearange stuff and it's be about 2 months since the last sand fanning that i saw.

[azcummins]

My maroon did this until I added a BTA...then she just loved the BTA to death. I think they are ADD fish.

[logankolby]

They are clearing a spot to spawn in. I had a pair that did that for a month or so, then the eggs appeared one day.