Clownfish laying on sandbed when pumps are off ??

Shawaiz_106 · Jan 26, 2023

I've noticed that whenever I turn my pumps off for a water change, my clownfish goes to the bottom of the tank and just lays there completely still. I used to think maybe he just gets scared of the pipe but today I tried feeding with the pumps off and he did the exact same thing. Even with food in the tank. And as soon as I turned the pumps on. He went to eating and chasing the food. I've had him for over 2 weeks now and other than this, He looks fat and healthy. Any ideas ?

AydenLincoln · Jan 26, 2023

That happens to me. Clownfish are just weird creatures it’s in the name…and have weird behaviors like laying in the sand when they don’t have an anemone which they can survive without.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 26, 2023

My guess is in this case it has come to associate pumps going off with the water change and immediately gets scared from it.
Do you have plenty of hiding spots in the tank?

Shawaiz_106 · Jan 26, 2023

Sharkbait19 said:
My guess is in this case it has come to associate pumps going off with the water change and immediately gets scared from it.
Do you have plenty of hiding spots in the tank?

I do, caves etc. I just did a decent water change and he was in the cave for a good 20 min. He was still laying on the sandbed in the cave for when the pumps were off and starting hovering when the pumps came on. He is now swimming around the tank normally.

Shawaiz_106 · Jan 26, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
That happens to me. Clownfish are just weird creatures it’s in the name…and have weird behaviors like laying in the sand when they don’t have an anemone which they can survive without.

Could possibly just be that I guess, seems bizarre either way. When he does it he looks lifeless