clown's unusual behavior observed

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darktide
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2022 7:54 am

clown's unusual behavior observed

Post by darktide »

I've had my clownfish since I got my tank set up with Paisa, and so far, no major issues. I'm still pretty new to marine fish, so bear with me. This past weekend, I was out of town, and a friend fed my clown for a couple of days. While I was away, the power went out, which shut off my auto timer for the lights. I'm not sure how long they were off, but it was no more than a day or so. I got back home earlier today, and now I'm worried about my clown. He usually hangs out near the top left corner of the tank, but now he's just stuck there. He's swimming upright, but won't budge from that spot. Sometimes, he even stops swimming for a second or two before starting up again. I'd write it off as weird clown behavior, but he's also breathing heavy and doesn't seem interested in food. I'm stumped - is this from the lights being off too long, or is something wrong with him? My parameters all look fine.
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cichlidgirl22
Posts: 124
Joined: Sun May 22, 2022 5:07 am

Re: clown's unusual behavior observed

Post by cichlidgirl22 »

darktide wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:50 am I've had my clownfish since I got my tank set up with Paisa, and so far, no major issues. I'm still pretty new to marine fish, so bear with me. This past weekend, I was out of town, and a friend fed my clown for a couple of days. While I was away, the power went out, which shut off my auto timer for the lights. I'm not sure how long they were off, but it was no more than a day or so. I got back home earlier today, and now I'm worried about my clown. He usually hangs out near the top left corner of the tank, but now he's just stuck there. He's swimming upright, but won't budge from that spot. Sometimes, he even stops swimming for a second or two before starting up again. I'd write it off as weird clown behavior, but he's also breathing heavy and doesn't seem interested in food. I'm stumped - is this from the lights being off too long, or is something wrong with him? My parameters all look fine.
Honestly, I'm more concerned about the person feeding my clown than the power outage.
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onyzza
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 10:01 am

Re: clown's unusual behavior observed

Post by onyzza »

I'm trying to pinpoint the exact duration of the power outage, but it's difficult since I wasn't there when it happened. Outages that last for more than a few hours can potentially cause mini-cycles or even larger cycles due to filter stagnation, which might stress the fish. However, if that's the case, the effects might be over by now, and it could be challenging to detect using a test kit.

The lack of eating and swimming behavior is concerning, and it's hard to diagnose without seeing the fish. Clowns can be quirky in terms of movement, and stress from being in the dark can make them even weirder. The not eating is definitely a worry. I'm also considering the possibility that the power outage might have damaged the light bulbs or fixtures, which could be affecting the fish. Sometimes, the only indication of a failing light is the anemones trying to hide or the fish behaving strangely. It's a tough one to diagnose, but I've seen it happen before, especially with older equipment.
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