My Clarks Clowns Seem To 'fit'

[bitfishy]

Hi
Quick question I've been meaning to ask for yonks. My Clarks clowns seem perfectly happy generally and have been in the tank for 6 months now. Every now and again however they seem to spasm - a sort of uncontrollable jerking to one side and then they carrry on about their business as if nothing had happened - it affects one far more than the other. It can last just a couple of seconds or go on for twice that.

Is this a stress thing? Can I do anything to stop it - a fish epilepsy treatment perhaps? Does this happen to other peoples clowns?

Thanks

 

[Lynden]

I seem to recall mine doing that as well. Anyways if they don't die because of it there's nothing to fix.

 

[chrissaysyes]

I've had mine do that as well...the only thing that I know of that could actually be wrong is that they could be trying to shake off a parasite. Wouldnt jump to that conclusion without a visible sign of parasitic infection though.

 

[bitfishy]

Thanks, good to know that it happens to other clowns too, and that its probably not sinister in any way.

 

[chrissaysyes]

nah probably nothing to worry about.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Does it happen when one of them is close to the other? Does it tend to be the smaller out of the two that is doing it?

I have noticed with my Perc's (and with many freshwater fish as well) that this kind of "shakey" behaviour is used as a display. In the case of my clowns it seems to be a submissive gesture that is made to the dominant fish. I have seen freshwater fish from tetras to cichlids do the same thing.