Clowns Hanging at the top.

Tankjunkie0481 · 06/10/2012, 01:07 AM

About two weeks ago I purchased a pair of false percs and ever since I introduced them to the tank they have hung out in the top third of the tank. Its a JBJ 28 gallon nano. They are almost always near the top and usually in the back of the tank. Every other clown i've seen have always been near the bottom or at least in the bottom half of the tank. Any thoughts as to why they hang out near the top so much???

Michigan Mike · 06/10/2012, 01:19 AM

Mine do the same, they sleep atthe top next to a powerhead and return tube. Igot a bunch of rock in the tank and they don to near anything on it, kinda makes me think they know something about what's down there that I don't. They are real friendly tho and always greet me at the glass and stuff.

rathos · 06/10/2012, 01:23 AM

my clowns have been doing that since I moved them to their new tank. I went from a 55 to a 125 and now they hang at the top. They seem to like the flow from the return spouts.

mal7887 · 06/10/2012, 04:22 AM

This is typical behavior. I've had a pair for about two years now and they hang out at the top as well.

Preston7 · 06/10/2012, 06:29 AM

I've had pairs that do that, but only tank bred pairs. My wild clowns have never shown that behavior. I suspect it has something to do with breeding an odd gene.

sjwitt · 06/10/2012, 06:38 AM

May have to do with circulation and oxygen. How do you have your tank set up? Is there any circulation other than the siphon and return?

jfarr · 06/10/2012, 06:54 AM

mine also hang at powerhead and inlet tube only started the last year out of three years

Michigan Mike · 06/10/2012, 09:35 AM

Now that you mention it , mine are tank bred as well.

immortl · 06/10/2012, 01:49 PM

Mine did that too initially (in a 29g stock biocube) and it took me a little while to figure out why. They never wandered the full area of the tank. I believe, in my case, it was because of the hawkfish. Saw him charge at the clowns once when they tried to go lower in the tank. Once I removed the hawkfish from the tank, they started wandering all over the tank and were often in the lower 1/2 to near bottom. They really liked the candy cane coral and a rock with a hole through the center of it. They were quite active and all over the place.

While I was away for work one week, we had a brief spell of warm weather and the tank temp went up to 84 or so. Wife said the clowns were very active and the smaller (only slightly smaller) of the two was harassing the larger one a good bit. Next day the smaller one was dead (tank never went above 84 and temp dropped back to 78 once the a/c was turned on). We figure the smaller one pushed the larger one a little to far. Anyways, since that happened, the remaining clown does still wander the entire tank, but definitely has more of a propensity to hang around the upper rear of the tank near the input/output areas. Been reading and looking into how to best introduce another clown in the hopes of establishing another pairing and hopefully cheering up the clown (yes, anthropomorphism, but she really does seem sad).

Thanks,
Joe

LitiGATOR · 06/10/2012, 02:26 PM

I bought a pair of tank-bred percs about a week ago. One of them paired with a carpet anemone within 24-hours, which I'm exuberant about. The other hangs out at the top in a corner and moves around the tank somewhat, but he certainly stays in that top corner for a disproportionate amount of the time. At night he nestles with the other clown in the carpet anemone.

I'd like for both clowns to stay in the anemone but don't know if that's going to happen.

SKurj · 06/10/2012, 02:37 PM

My tank bred clowns spend most of their time in the top third of the tank as well, and they sleep near the surface. They are juvies and I've had them a month. As they are TB they likely had never seen anything besides glass and a clay pot before going in your display.

sbazain · 06/10/2012, 02:51 PM

I have two osciolaris and their all over the tank if not their both constantly hosting the colt especially at night they sleep in it

Tankjunkie0481 · 06/10/2012, 05:00 PM

My setup is just a stock 28 gallon JBJ nano cube. The return nozzles in the rear of the tank are set to "criss cross" the water currents. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Its kinda frustrating that they always hang in the top half of the tank since both of my anemones have settled at the bottom an they seem to have no inclination to even try to associate with either one.

mmmm4life · 06/10/2012, 06:36 PM

My skunk clowns did for about a month and then they now are all over the tank. Heck they sometimes layed on there side sleeping thought they were dead. Dont have anemones in my tank but they use my giant glove polyps as there home now give them time and they will proly head to the bottom

06/10/2012, 01:07 AM	#1
Tankjunkie0481 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 146	Clowns Hanging at the top. About two weeks ago I purchased a pair of false percs and ever since I introduced them to the tank they have hung out in the top third of the tank. Its a JBJ 28 gallon nano. They are almost always near the top and usually in the back of the tank. Every other clown i've seen have always been near the bottom or at least in the bottom half of the tank. Any thoughts as to why they hang out near the top so much???

06/10/2012, 04:22 AM	#4
mal7887 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa Posts: 643	This is typical behavior. I've had a pair for about two years now and they hang out at the top as well. __________________ Matt Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. Current Tank Info: 190

06/10/2012, 02:37 PM	#11
SKurj Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Oshawa Posts: 539	My tank bred clowns spend most of their time in the top third of the tank as well, and they sleep near the surface. They are juvies and I've had them a month. As they are TB they likely had never seen anything besides glass and a clay pot before going in your display. __________________ 40g Long since Mar 2012, 20lbs marco rocks, 25lb live rock, Aquamaxx HoB-1, sumpless, CPR Fuge, 4 tube T5HO, Mixed reef, softies and LPS Current Tank Info: 40g Long sumpless

06/10/2012, 06:36 PM	#14
mmmm4life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Montana Posts: 76	My skunk clowns did for about a month and then they now are all over the tank. Heck they sometimes layed on there side sleeping thought they were dead. Dont have anemones in my tank but they use my giant glove polyps as there home now give them time and they will proly head to the bottom __________________ 55 gal reefer its more addicting then any drug want to go bigger everyday Current Tank Info: 90 gal reef with 210 build at works

06/10/2012, 01:19 AM	#2
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Mine do the same, they sleep atthe top next to a powerhead and return tube. Igot a bunch of rock in the tank and they don to near anything on it, kinda makes me think they know something about what's down there that I don't. They are real friendly tho and always greet me at the glass and stuff.

06/10/2012, 01:23 AM	#3
rathos Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 99	my clowns have been doing that since I moved them to their new tank. I went from a 55 to a 125 and now they hang at the top. They seem to like the flow from the return spouts.

06/10/2012, 06:29 AM	#5
Preston7 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 73	I've had pairs that do that, but only tank bred pairs. My wild clowns have never shown that behavior. I suspect it has something to do with breeding an odd gene.

06/10/2012, 06:38 AM	#6
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	May have to do with circulation and oxygen. How do you have your tank set up? Is there any circulation other than the siphon and return?

06/10/2012, 06:54 AM	#7
jfarr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: binghamton Posts: 76	mine also hang at powerhead and inlet tube only started the last year out of three years

06/10/2012, 09:35 AM	#8
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Now that you mention it , mine are tank bred as well.

06/10/2012, 01:49 PM	#9
immortl Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 114	Mine did that too initially (in a 29g stock biocube) and it took me a little while to figure out why. They never wandered the full area of the tank. I believe, in my case, it was because of the hawkfish. Saw him charge at the clowns once when they tried to go lower in the tank. Once I removed the hawkfish from the tank, they started wandering all over the tank and were often in the lower 1/2 to near bottom. They really liked the candy cane coral and a rock with a hole through the center of it. They were quite active and all over the place. While I was away for work one week, we had a brief spell of warm weather and the tank temp went up to 84 or so. Wife said the clowns were very active and the smaller (only slightly smaller) of the two was harassing the larger one a good bit. Next day the smaller one was dead (tank never went above 84 and temp dropped back to 78 once the a/c was turned on). We figure the smaller one pushed the larger one a little to far. Anyways, since that happened, the remaining clown does still wander the entire tank, but definitely has more of a propensity to hang around the upper rear of the tank near the input/output areas. Been reading and looking into how to best introduce another clown in the hopes of establishing another pairing and hopefully cheering up the clown (yes, anthropomorphism, but she really does seem sad). Thanks, Joe

06/10/2012, 02:26 PM	#10
LitiGATOR Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 138	I bought a pair of tank-bred percs about a week ago. One of them paired with a carpet anemone within 24-hours, which I'm exuberant about. The other hangs out at the top in a corner and moves around the tank somewhat, but he certainly stays in that top corner for a disproportionate amount of the time. At night he nestles with the other clown in the carpet anemone. I'd like for both clowns to stay in the anemone but don't know if that's going to happen.

06/10/2012, 02:51 PM	#12
sbazain Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: miami,florida Posts: 322	I have two osciolaris and their all over the tank if not their both constantly hosting the colt especially at night they sleep in it

06/10/2012, 05:00 PM	#13
Tankjunkie0481 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 146	My setup is just a stock 28 gallon JBJ nano cube. The return nozzles in the rear of the tank are set to "criss cross" the water currents. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Its kinda frustrating that they always hang in the top half of the tank since both of my anemones have settled at the bottom an they seem to have no inclination to even try to associate with either one.