Have you been looking for your clownfish in your tank, but you can’t find them? Are they hiding or is it something worse? In this article, we will look into why clownfish hide and where they could be hiding.
Where Do Clownfish Hide? Clownfish are territorial and would love to take over a spot in your tank. An anemone, ceramic pot, coral, rocks, sand or plants are all common places for clownfish to hide.
The reasons why they hide are diverse and need more discussion.
Are you concerned that they might be ill, shy, nervous or stressed? If you can’t find them for a while, they may have died. Hopefully none of this is the case. Hopefully, they are resting peacefully as a natural instinct to get comfortable in your tank.
Do Clownfish Hide in Anemones?
Yes, absolutely. What we may call hiding, they might call it living at home. There is plenty to do in the anemone. There are dead tentacles and leftover plankton or small bits of crustaceans in the anemone. The anemone is a great home for a clownfish for many reasons.
1. They Don’t Get Stung By The Anemone’s Tentacles.
A clownfish has a mucus layer on its skin that makes it immune to the stinging tentacles of an anemone.
2. The Anemone Provides Shelter and Protection.
Since many other marine life could die from an anemone sting, they steer clear of it. This gives the clownfish a comfortable and safe space to relax, sleep or hide.
3. The Leftover Food in an Anemone is Eaten by Clownfish.
The anemone is killing some intruders, but is unable to absorb all of them as feast off their nutrients. The clownfish picks up the scraps and enjoy the snacks.
4. The Clownfish Feeds the Anemone.
The toxic waste of the clownfish contains ammonia that the anemone enjoys. The clownfish also draws in predators who get stung in their pursuit of them.
5. The Clownfish Add The Anemone Toxins Onto Their Bodies.
The mucus layer on the clownfish allows for some of the toxins from the anemone to remain on the clownfish. This adds more protection when the clownfish decide to venture out of their home.
Potential predators will not want to get near any of the toxic remnants of the anemone that it being carried around by the clownfish.
Why is My Clownfish Hiding in the Corner Of My Tank?
Sometimes you will notice a clownfish hiding in the corner. Why is that? Fish can be bullies. A clownfish may feel insecure because of its neighbors. This also includes other aggressive clownfish counterparts.
If a clownfish hasn’t paired with another, they may feel insecure. They may want to hide or else they will be bumped, nipped at or chased away.
How Do I Stop My Clownfish From Hiding?
Clownfish would love a host. It could be something as cheap as a ceramic pot or a PVC pipe. It could be an anemone or a coral. It could so many things!
Once they have a host, they’ll feel more secure knowing that they have a place to go instead of frantically trying to hide in corners or in the sand (substrate).
Here are some things you can do:
- Add an artificial shelter.
Flowerpots, PVC pipes, An aquarium fixture such as a bridge, etc.
- Add an anemone or coral.
They could sting other fish, but not your clownfish!
- Add another clownfish so they can pair up.
A juvenile clownfish if you have a larger female works best. A larger female is better if you have a smaller male. You want one of them to submit quickly and size does matter in this case! The sooner they pair, the less chance that one of them will hide from the other.
- Reduce the flow air pump flow.
Sometimes the bubbles or air flow in the tank is too strong. The clownfish could be hiding to steer clear of it
- Dim the lights
It could be too bright in there and your clownfish may feel more vulnerable to being pursued by other fish. If the lights are a little dimmer, they may venture out and feel more secure.
- Test Your Water Levels
Make sure PH, ammonia, water temperature, salinity levels are all ideal. You clownfish could be hiding because it’s sick or dying.
Is My Clownfish Hiding Because It’s Sick or Dying?
There are signs to watch out for if your clownfish is sick. Hiding could be one of them. If your clownfish is being picked on by its neighbors, they could be biting or nipping at it. This could lead to cuts or wounds that could collect bacteria and turn into an illness.
If the water levels are not ideal for a clownfish, then you may see white spots, velvet, brooklynella or other diseases that will eventually kill your clownfish. The clownfish could start to hide when they lose energy from these illnesses.
Is My Clownfish Just Sleeping and Not Hiding?
Clownfish do love to sleep. They don’t have eyelids so it can be hard to tell if they are actually asleep. If they are near motionless near their host, in the sand or in the corner of the tank, they could just be sleeping.
Not all clownfish are the same. Some will swim erratically and others will nestle up at home alone or with their mate. The same goes for humans, so we should expect nothing less from our little friends.
Can Pairing Two Clownfish Together Reduce Hiding Behavior?
Clownfish don’t need to pair up, but it could help. Three or more clownfish could get aggressive for territory, food and protection of eggs. If there are too many clownfish, some of them will hide out of stress.
A larger female clownfish must dominate the pairing. This is why it’s best for the male to be smaller. If they pair up, then confidence will build and hiding tendencies may decrease. If they are hiding at this point, it’s most likely out of comfort.
Conclusion
Sometimes the hiding is simply relaxation. Sometimes it’s out of fear of being bullied or attacked. The worst of it comes from our fear that our clownfish might be sick or dying. We at HelpUsFish hope that this article will assist you in calming your worries.
Thank you for always being a careful observer of your fish. We’re always here to help.
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