Clownfish upside down

[Cheems]

So my pair of longfin black ice clownfish have decided that they absolutely LOVE the corner of the tank right by the HOB and so the female has decided she wants to be upside down over there. I am wondering if this is normal clownfish being clowns or if this could be swim bladder disease. They act like this corner is their anemone and go back to it right away after eating or being moved.

When I moved her away from the corner to see if she would right herself, she did but then went back to the corner and she went back upside down. I have had them for a few months and they developed this behavior pretty early on.
It’s a 29 gallon with the only other fish being a really fat lawnmower blenny and I also have some inverts and corals

Ignore the tank being so dirty, I had just cleaned

Any ideas on how to get them out of this corner, as well as the female acting weird

 

[TX_REEF]

#fishmedics

 

[NoWaiAma]

What’s she do with the flow turned lower

 

[D-Nak]

Constantly swimming upside down is not normal. Does it ever swim upright? It could be happening for a multitude of reasons, but my initial concern is that it may have an issue with its swim bladder.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Constantly swimming upside down is not normal. Does it ever swim upright? It could be happening for a multitude of reasons, but my initial concern is that it may have an issue with its swim bladder.

+1.

What’s she do with the flow turned lower

Are you thinking low O2 in the water column?

What are your parameters? Also, how old is the tank?

 

[PapaFishRocks]

My clowns do the same thing quite frequently. Swim upright, but love to hangout in their corner upside down.

 

[Cheems]

What’s she do with the flow turned lower

My 2 wavemakers aren’t adjustable, I’ve moved them so the flow is pretty low at the bottom of the tank but high at the top

Constantly swimming upside down is not normal. Does it ever swim upright? It could be happening for a multitude of reasons, but my initial concern is that it may have an issue with its swim bladder.

She swims upright sometimes, but only when she leaves the corner, and she barely leaves the corner

+1.

Are you thinking low O2 in the water column?

What are your parameters? Also, how old is the tank?

water parameters are ~10-20 nitrate, 8.2 ph, 78 degrees, and it’s a ~6 month old tank, I didn’t check salinity but it’s probably a bit high at 1.027 or so

 

[NoWaiAma]

+1.

Are you thinking low O2 in the water column?

What are your parameters? Also, how old is the tank?

Yea I was

 

[Cheems]

So I tested what happens if I turn the flow lower by unplugging one wavemaker, then unplugging both and they both still stayed in the corner, and the female was still upside down, the male was also copying her a little

 

[NoWaiAma]

So I tested what happens if I turn the flow lower by unplugging one wavemaker, then unplugging both and they both still stayed in the corner, and the female was still upside down, the male was also copying her a little

If it was low o2, lowering the agitation wouldn’t help. It would make it worse

 

[Cheems]

If it was low o2, lowering the agitation wouldn’t help. It would make it worse

Yeah I’m pretty sure it’s not low oxygen, I don’t see a reason for the low oxygen and I think other fish would be showing symptoms or there being any other signs

I did a water change and during the water change they left the corner because they had to due to the water level, and this was happening:


I think she is having swim bladder problems, any ideas?

 

[Cheems]

Bump

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

I feel like I see some bloating down low and the fish seems to be trying to constantly swim downward. I’d say you’re pretty spot on with a swim bladder issue.

But what that issue is I’m not sure of. Hope it gets better soon!

 

[Uncle99]

Looks 100% normal to me in second vid.
Wasn’t upside down.

Not sure first vid, maybe a reflection issue, do they do that at night?

Not overly concerned, they are strange players.

 

[Cheems]

Looks 100% normal to me.
Wasn’t upside down in second vid.

Not sure first vid, maybe a reflection issue, do they do that at night?

I think it’s a bit difficult to see but the female is constantly swimming down like she is too buoyant. I think it could be swim bladder disease. Also as far as I’m aware, yes they do it at night

I feel like I see some bloating down low and the fish seems to be trying to constantly swim downward. I’d say you’re pretty spot on with a swim bladder issue.

But what that issue is I’m not sure of. Hope it gets better soon!

Thank you! She has been doing this for quite a while and I just have been assuming it’s normal but I think it’s not. I wonder if anyone has any ideas on how to treat it

 

[Uncle99]

You’ve had for months.
Eat?

In this first vid, I see a fish upside down.
That looked strange.

But in the second, I don’t see this behaviour at all?

Do I mis the point?

 

[Cheems]

You’ve had for months.
Eat?

In this first vid, I see a fish upside down.
That looked strange.

But in the second, I don’t see this behaviour at all?

Do I mis the point?

Well what I’m trying to say is the female clownfish is acting like she is constantly swimming down and struggling, even if she isn’t upside down. This could suggest swim bladder disease

 

[Uncle99]

Well what I’m trying to say is the female clownfish is acting like she is constantly swimming down and struggling, even if she isn’t upside down. This could suggest swim bladder disease

Mine do that in a corner by their nem.
It’s home.

Swimming at a downward angle is not a totally unusual thing for this fish type IMM.

Hard to see, but at bottom of this nem, my male is hovering at say 50 degree downward angle.

You could be right, but if it eats and swims, it may be nothing at all.

 

[Cheems]

Mine do that in a corner by their nem.
It’s home.

Swimming at a downward angle is not a totally unusual thing for this fish type IMM.

Hard to see, but at bottom of this nem, my male is hovering at say 50 degree downward angle.

You could be right, but if it eats and swims, it may be nothing at all.

Yeah it could be nothing but I’ve observed her some more and she really just cannot sink. I am going to try feeding her more brine shrimp and see if that helps her, perhaps there’s some gas in her digestive tract that is making her a bit bloated.

I do think she is a bit more buoyant than usual though, we will see, she might just be being goofy like your saying

 

[NoWaiAma]

Yeah I’m pretty sure it’s not low oxygen, I don’t see a reason for the low oxygen and I think other fish would be showing symptoms or there being any other signs

I did a water change and during the water change they left the corner because they had to due to the water level, and this was happening:


I think she is having swim bladder problems, any ideas?

Word up. No clue was just a thought