Clownfish Behavior Help Needed?

[iujj012]

Ok first off I am new to this site but it seems like there a lot of great people on who are very knowledgeable. I am new to the hobby, I have a 37 gal tank with 25 lbs of live rock, going to try to make it more of a reef tank. My tank has been going for 3 weeks now and all levels are fine as far as water goes.

Now for my question, I have 3 false perc clowns in my tank, for the last week my bigger one and one of the smaller ones have mated up as I would call it doing the dance at night, well I had a Camel Shrimp in my tank, which is not good for reefs I am told, anyway I needed to get him out, so I took him out of the tank this morning and exchanged it at LFS for a peppermint so that is taken care of, however while I was doing this I had to change around my live rock arrangements somewhat and all day the bigger clown has been acting funny staying in one corner unless I walk into the room and then it will swim around. Is it just scared due to the moving of rock or is it another part of the mating ritual with the other clown. I have seen them nip at each other today, tonight there are not together and the other two smaller ones are now paired up...I am so confused...Please help....

 

[Ricks75reef]

I have 2 ocelerous clowns and both of them will not go to any of the anemones I have nore will they go to my flower pot they both will stay in the corner. I have asked why they do this and have yet to get a good answer. I only had one of them in the tank and thought that it was lonely so I got the second one and low and behold the new one does the same thing. WHen you move rocks around in the tank it throws the fishs teritorial instinct off so that could be it as well. Sorry cant give much more advice

 

[iujj012]

Thanks for the reply! I have begun to find out that clowns are very strange fish when it comes to behavior, as seen from other posts on here, I just looked in my tank, lights are out, and the bigger one is under his usual overhanging rock but not with his mate, but strangely he appears to still be doing his bucking motion as I call it...I have no idea whats going on, but all of them are eating ok so I guess maybe he is just getting use to his new territory, and rockscape...

 

[smkndrgn142]

like a lot of fish, clowns are very territorial. It could be that rearranging your rock work disturbed the "pecking order" in your tank. I wouldn't worry too much, things should be back to normal in a few days to a week.

 

[smkndrgn142]

like a lot of fish, clowns are very territorial. It could be that rearranging your rock work disturbed the "pecking order" in your tank. I wouldn't worry too much, things should be back to normal in a few days to a week.

 

[som3 reef3r]

this wont help much but the bigger one is most likely the female. the female is the dominate one. unless you just bought that one when it was bigger and it is an older male, it doesnt make sense. in the wild a female clown will usually have 2-5 male clowns with her. so she shouldnt be the one hiding.