Who Gives A Fish Forums

My clownfish has been twitching a lot lately, especially near the surface. Tank is a 30 gallon with two other clownfish, a cleaner shrimp, and some soft corals. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Temp is 78, salinity 1.025. They're eating fine but the twitching seems weird. Any ideas?

Twitching near the surface could be a sign of low oxygen or irritation from something in the water. Have you checked your surface agitation? Also, any recent changes to the tank, like new additives or equipment? Sometimes even small things can mess with their behavior.

Yeah, I've seen this before. Could be a parasite like flukes. You might wanna look into a freshwater dip for the clownfish. It's a bit stressful for them but can help if it's external parasites. Also, how old is your salt mix? Sometimes old salt can cause issues.

brookm wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 6:37 am Twitching near the surface could be a sign of low oxygen or irritation from something in the water. Have you checked your surface agitation? Also, any recent changes to the tank, like new additives or equipment? Sometimes even small things can mess with their behavior.

I agree with brookm. Low oxygen is a common culprit. Try increasing surface agitation with a powerhead or adjusting your return nozzle. Also, check for any stray voltage in the tank, as that can cause twitching too.

My clownfish did this once when I accidentally overdosed magnesium. Double-check your dosing if you're adding anything. Also, how's their behavior with the other clownfish? Could be some aggression causing stress.

I'd start with a water change just to rule out any water quality issues. Sometimes it's the simplest fix. Also, what's your feeding routine? Overfeeding can lead to weird behavior too.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try increasing surface agitation and do a water change. I haven't added anything new lately, but I'll double-check my salt mix and dosing.

sailfinz wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 5:59 am Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try increasing surface agitation and do a water change. I haven't added anything new lately, but I'll double-check my salt mix and dosing.

Good plan. Keep us posted on how it goes. Sometimes it's just a matter of tweaking small things.

If the twitching doesn't stop after a few days, consider quarantining the affected fish. Better safe than sorry with parasites or infections.

Also, make sure your heater isn't malfunctioning. A slight temp fluctuation can stress them out. What brand are you using?