Clowns at the top

[Jake]

I have two Ocelarus Clowns for a couple months. They are fairly small. Since I got them they hang around the two black return tubes going into the tank at the top of the water. Is there anyway to get them to come down and join the rest of the reef? I was hoping my new long tip leather would entice them, but no luck so far. Also, will they always stay up there? or will they move down when they get larger? Is this common?

[Woodstock]

When they age and become more comfortable they should venture away from their current spot. Are there any aggressive fish in the tank?

[leebca]

If they don't swim around the display tank but continue to remain where you described, it may be a sign that the water quality is not to their liking. They may prefer the higher oxygenated water nearer the surface and the return tubes. As Woodstock has implied, look for reasons they are afraid.

One of the reasons for putting fish through a quarantine process is so that they can better acclimate to their new keeper and, if they are wild caught, the acclimation to captivity.

[AQTCJAK]

I have seen this before most of the time it is fear that keeps a fish high in the water like that

[Jake]

Thanks for the replies. I have added a power head to the tank recently so hopefully this will help if oxygenation is the issue. One of the reasons I took my power head out was that it looked like there was too much current for the clowns to swim in.
If it is fear, the only fish that might be causing this is the purple tang, he is a serious chow hound. Sometimes I wonder if the tang is geting enough to eat. He is always aggresively after the food at meal time.
I hope they settle in as they grow, it seems strange and they are too cool to be hidden up at the top.

[leebca]

Jake,

It's a Tang's nature to browse all day along the reef, however if the fish is 'eating like a pig' at meal time there may be something lacking in its diet, or it may be sharing its nutrition with an intestinal worm(s).

You can list all the foods you feed and the frequency in which you feed and lastly, the amount you are feeding and I'd be able to help answer the question if the fish is being fed properly.

Good luck!

[Jake]

Well the feeding goes like this; alternate every other day; Day 1 - green seaweed on a clip (silver dollar size or two) and 1/3 square frozen mysis, Day 2 - dry formula 2 (size of quarter penny) and general flake food (same size). My total fish are as shown in my signature.

[Dentoid]

Jake, I think that they will eventually come down to the reef. If they are juveniles they are just scared. As they grow, they will start checking out their surroundings.

[leebca]

My thoughts are that: The 6" Tang isn't getting enough greens. About a 4" x 4" daily (maybe in two feedings) would be good. The Anemonefish are omnivores and should also partake in the algae when and if they settle down.

Flake and dry (pellets?) don't do the Tang much good. Even Formula Two which is advertised for herbivores contains too little greens in it. You want preparations that are no less than 35% greens (spirulina, kelp, macro algae, etc.) The Mysis, are not the large Tang's diet. Mysis is even a worse choice if it is fresh water mysis. Your Tang is a herbivore and as it gets older (like the 6" you have) it needs more and more greens (whereas the juv. fish eats pods and algae).

Prepared food should be given twice a day plus the seaweed on the clip (twice) making for four feedings a day. The seaweed can be put on the clip just after or before a prepared food feeding. If you can, stretch out the feedings to satisfy their craving for browsing.

I hope every other feeding includes a vitamin or fat supplement.

Thus your Tang may be eating voraciously because it isn't getting all its needed nutrition.

[Jake]

Wow, he must be hungry. I am only feeding once per day. It seemed I was fighting algae blooms when I was feeding more often. I will start to increase the algae on the clip to a couple squares a day for the next week to see how it goes.

Thanks for the replies.