What is my clown doing

[Richie49]

My black clown is almost always being picked on my 2 other clowns and sometimes my flame angel. And today I noticed that he faces straight down behind a pot and seems to be dead. I try and scare him and he goes back to swimming normal again. Should I be worried? What could be going on?

 

[Dom]

It sounds like he's getting his butt kicked. Clowns are very territorial and this may be just that; a territorial issue.

How big is the tank and what is it stocked with?

Get him isolated... in a QT tank or perhaps a breeding basket in which you keep newborn fry. This way, he enjoys the tank conditions while being protected during recovery.

Also, I'd think about finding him a new home once he recovers. If not, he's likely to get beat up again.

 

[Big G]

+1 ^^^ re-home it.

 

[justmee]

It's always good to have clowns in pairs. If you have 3, the 3rd one will always get picked on, IME...

 

[DeniseAndy]

From my experience, three is not a happy number for clowns. Neither is four or five or anything higher than two. Nor is mixing species a good idea. I know the tanks of harems, but from my understanding they last only around 2-3 years before issues arise. In other words when the clowns are ready to mate.

In the wild they are harems, but in aquaria, they seem to pair up.

Get the little guy out and rehome him. To another tank or someone else. Poor baby.

 

[Richie49]

It's always good to have clowns in pairs. If you have 3, the 3rd one will always get picked on, IME...

The thing is there are 4 clowns. And it seems like they're calming down on picking on him. It's mainly 1 large clown that picks on him. The other 2 are not so rough with him. And a flame angel chased him around here and there.