Clown at top of tank

[Raggie05]

Added new clown fish today seems to be eating fine but is sitting at the top of my tank and is looking a little distressed is this normal?

[gberry]

Define 'distressed'. Is your fish breathing heavily? Having issues staying oriented? Are it's fins clamped against it's body or extended? Did you acclimate the fish prior to adding it to the tank? What species of clownfish? What are your tank parameters (ammonia/nitrates/nitrites/PH/temp/salinity)?

It normally takes a day or 2, sometimes longer depending on the species of fish, to get used to it's new surroundings. As long as it's not breathing heavily or in a labored way, is eating well, and swimming about I wouldn't be too concerned.

[Raggie05]

Sorry to reply so late
Q:Is your fish breathing heavily?
A:No doesn't seem to be is just hanging around the thermometer at the top of my tank.

Q:Having issues staying oriented?
A:No doesnt seem to be, but is not goin deeper than half way in my tank

Q:Are it's fins clamped against it's body or extended?
A: Its fins are extended

Qid you acclimate the fish prior to adding it to the tank?
A:Yes i did, i did it for two hours before adding it( used the liveaquaria method of in the bag

Q:What species of clownfish?
A:I think its a true ocellaris the one in finding nemo

Q:What are your tank parameters (ammonia/nitrates/nitrites/PH/temp/salinity)?
A:ammonia 0mg/l
nitrates 12.5mg/l
nitrites <0.3mg/l
ph 8.2
salinity 1.024

He seems fine now and is eating well but is obsessed with that corner

[BigH55]

My three new ones did the same thing until I put in the nem.

[gberry]

How long has your aquarium been set up? The reason I'm asking is that you seem to have a measurable quantity of nitrites, which is not good, they should be at zero. Nitrites are quite toxic to fish. If the tank is brand new and hasn't been cycled properly then you will experience a large spike in ammonia and nitrites in the near future, which is no place for any fish to reside. When I set my tank up, it was 6 weeks before I introduced any livestock into it in order to get through the initial cycle. If you have cycled the tank prior to introducing the first fish, I'd definitely do a water change to work on getting nitrites down to zero.

Clownfish can choose rather odd things to use as their 'host', powerheads, overflows, and thermometers to name a few. As you add other fish that swim about and that aren't aggressive towards the clown, he may gain some confidence and venture out a bit more, or he may not. In the wild, clownfish pretty much live their entire life within a small box around their host, hence his obsession with one small area of space around the thermometer.

[crpeck]

Oh I HAVE to answer this! This same question was my first search and I think question/post on RC 4 1/2 years ago when I got my first fish in my tank ... 2 clownfish.

Their very first night, I found them laying on their sides at the top of the tank in the corner and I flipped out with worry. I started searching online for help and that was when I found Reef Central.

I was SO relieved to find so many people posting that their clowns slept the same way and that there was nothing to worry about.

Both of my clowns used to hang at the top of the tank until they got really comfortable. After I got the anemone, the female took it and wouldn't let the male in so he stayed at the top of the tank for a while until they worked all that out.

Your fish is probably fine.

That said, gberry is right about your nitrates. Whether or not it is too soon depends on if you have live rock that is still cycling or if you are just doing fish only.

Good Luck!

[Raggie05]

A:How long has your aquarium been set up?
Q:4 weeks

I know the tank has cycled fine its just my test kit, thats the lowest reading it gives in the nitrites. I use tetra test kit.
I think my clownfish is fine because he's getting more adventorous around the tank.

[Raggie05]

Sorry typo on the question and answer thing should be opposite