Do Fish Get Lonely?

[JustinTanks]

Hello everyone!
Recently I’ve lost a couple fish due to “jumper” incidents (the problem has been fixed, mesh netting on IM DIY kit were too large of holes) and one of those fish was my gladiator clown’s mate. They were completely inseparable and I bought them together several months ago where they were basically bonded already in the same tank. It’s been about a week and she hasn’t been acting the same since. She’s almost glued to the Duncan coral, barely wants to eat and just swims around very solemnly. So while I’m making sure she gets back to normal, I’m holding off on bringing any new additions into the tank for the next couple weeks. I’m constantly wondering if I could add another clown that maybe looks similar to her old mate or maybe I could add any similar sized (ocellaris) clown and hope for the best. Anyway, the question is: what do you think, do fish get lonely? Do they have the range of emotions like we do?
I hope to get some good insight from everyone!

 

[LRT]

Had same thing happen to me. Id suggest get it another clown mate but either bigger if she is small or smaller if she is decent size.

 

[JustinTanks]

It was a very depressing week! She’s probably 2 inches right now so I was thinking a little smaller so maybe that’ll match the size of her mate. He was a mocha clown so I was wondering if she would like another mocha or if I should change it up for her.

 

[Tamberav]

You want to be sure you get a male or a juvi. I doubt color matters. They will likely bicker and have to work it out.

 

[LRT]

Its hard to say honestly. My Female was a mocha that I had bonded with a snowflake. Barely found a mocha storm that the snowflake bonded with recently. Its hit or miss with new mates really. You will know almost instantly though if they swim up to each other and start making out and doing the wiggle dance lol. Took me 2 tries to get mine paired back up.

 

[LRT]

You want to be sure you get a male or a juvi. I doubt color matters. They will likely bicker and have to work it out.

Agreed def a smaller juvy with the 2". Took me a cpl tries but mine finally paired with a <1" mocha storm.

 

[Nick Steele]

I think they do. While not freshwater I had a bonded pair of German blue rams in a planted tank that were laying eggs and one day the female disappeared. I later found her behind the tank. But anyways the male lived for about two weeks longer but the whole time he was sulking in one of their egg pits and would barely touch food. Sad I lost them they are beautiful fish!

 

[JustinTanks]

Its hard to say honestly. My Female was a mocha that I had bonded with a snowflake. Barely found a mocha storm that the snowflake bonded with recently. Its hit or miss with new mates really. You will know almost instantly though if they swim up to each other and start making out and doing the wiggle dance lol. Took me 2 tries to get mine paired back up.

That’s why I’m holding out, I’m so worried that she won’t get along with any new potential mate. They never left each other’s side, no more than a inch between at any time and I even saw her grab food and spit it toward her mate. It’s incredibly sad that he jumped out and I wasn’t home. Pretty sure my cleaner shrimp spooked him, he was always bugging him a bit…he’s lucky he doesn’t become shrimp scampi after all this.

 

[JustinTanks]

I think they do. While not freshwater I had a bonded pair of German blue rams in a planted tank that were laying eggs and one day the female disappeared. I later found her behind the tank. But anyways the male lived for about two weeks longer but the whole time he was sulking in one of their egg pits and would barely touch food. Sad I lost them they are beautiful fish!

Wow that’s upsetting. Mine is acting the same way, she won’t leave the Duncan coral where they used to hang all the time and won’t respond to barely any food. I’m afraid she’s going to die from a broken heart.

 

[Nick Steele]

Wow that’s upsetting. Mine is acting the same way, she won’t leave the Duncan coral where they used to hang all the time and won’t respond to barely any food. I’m afraid she’s going to die from a broken heart.

Get her a mate and I’m sure she’ll bounce back. As long as it’s a small clown you can pick from any ocel designers too.

 

[JustinTanks]

Get her a mate and I’m sure she’ll bounce back. As long as it’s a small clown you can pick from any ocel designers too.

I think that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to wait until I’m back from going out of town this weekend and go to my LFS to see what they got. Looks like I’ll have to make sure it’s smaller than she is for a better possibility of pairing.

 

[Buckster]

I have a blue hippo tang and a melanarus wrasse that always hang together. The tang came down with ick along with two other tangs that were all put into QT. After 3 months of QT I returned the fish to the DT and the blue tang and melanarus wrasse swam together until the lights went out. They are buddies!

 

[JustinTanks]

I have a blue hippo tang and a melanarus wrasse that always hang together. The tang came down with ick along with two other tangs that were all put into QT. After 3 months of QT I returned the fish to the DT and the blue tang and melanarus wrasse swam together until the lights went out. They are buddies!

That’s amazing! I really hope to get another mate that my clown will love as much as she loved her last mate. She’s been very skittish towards me recently and she was never like this before. A little concerning but I’m heading to the LFS on Tuesday/Wednesday in search for a new tank mate.

 

[1fastfxr]

I also just lost a clownfish a little over a weak ago. Ever since, my female just hangs out under the returns and is barely eating, she used to be a pig. This tank is newely established and they were my first additions. I am going to get her a buddy tomorrow. In the meantime I have a royal gramma and a purple firefish that have just completed quarantine so they are going in my main display tank tonight. Hopefully they will keep her occupied while I can get the new clown thru quarantine.

 

[JustinTanks]

I also just lost a clownfish a little over a weak ago. Ever since, my female just hangs out under the returns and is barely eating, she used to be a pig. This tank is newely established and they were my first additions. I am going to get her a buddy tomorrow. In the meantime I have a royal gramma and a purple firefish that have just completed quarantine so they are going in my main display tank tonight. Hopefully they will keep her occupied while I can get the new clown thru quarantine.

It sounds like we’re going through something similar. I’m so sorry that happened to you too. My girl is still eating but not as enthusiastic as she used to be. The clowns were my first additions too but then I lost one and I lost her only other tank mate, the firefish. So now she’s all by herself with the cleaner shrimp. What size tank do you have?

 

[ShadowMan]

It was a very depressing week! She’s probably 2 inches right now so I was thinking a little smaller so maybe that’ll match the size of her mate. He was a mocha clown so I was wondering if she would like another mocha or if I should change it up for her.

I've unfortunately just suffered a clown loss myself, completely keeper error... I was having issues with pH and oxygenation, so added a pumped Venturi and did not consider the inlet opening. Regrettably my female clown got herself sucked up and into the pump.

The poor male was lost... and just kept swimming to their nightly spot, searching all over for her, wouldn't eat and just moped around. (Definitely suffering from the loss).
3 days later, I decided to add a smaller, near identical clown, and I have to say he's doing a lot better now. He was a little anxious at first but not they are inseparable

 

[JustinTanks]

I've unfortunately just suffered a clown loss myself, completely keeper error... I was having issues with pH and oxygenation, so added a pumped Venturi and did not consider the inlet opening. Regrettably my female clown got herself sucked up and into the pump.

The poor male was lost... and just kept swimming to their nightly spot, searching all over for her, wouldn't eat and just moped around. (Definitely suffering from the loss).
3 days later, I decided to add a smaller, near identical clown, and I have to say he's doing a lot better now. He was a little anxious at first but not they are inseparable

I’m so sorry! I know the feeling. I really hope to get her a new friend soon as soon as I’m back from vacation this weekend. She’s been acting so differently that I can’t wait to get her a new mate to see if she perks back up.

 

[1fastfxr]

It sounds like we’re going through something similar. I’m so sorry that happened to you too. My girl is still eating but not as enthusiastic as she used to be. The clowns were my first additions too but then I lost one and I lost her only other tank mate, the firefish. So now she’s all by herself with the cleaner shrimp. What size tank do you have?

My tank is 90 gallons. I have some good news tho. I added the gramma and fire fish 2 days ago and she seems to be much happier, swimming along side the gramma and eating like a pig again.

 

[JustinTanks]

My tank is 90 gallons. I have some good news tho. I added the gramma and fire fish 2 days ago and she seems to be much happier, swimming along side the gramma and eating like a pig again.

That’s wonderful! I’m glad she’s much more energetic. I’m praying for the same outcome! I wish I could do a Royal gramma but it seems they have mixed reviews keeping them in a fluval 13.5G.

 

[flashsmith]

I have a tank that's full of coral with a lone wolf mocha clown. He was being such a bully that I took everything else out and put them in another display. We are having a standoff at this point. The other fish that I moved seem happy.