strange behavior from A.percula

[rjs5134]

I haven't posted in a while, been extremely busy, but I know where to go to get solid answers... I started noticing that my male A. percula was acting oddly. Yesterday he began swimming in the corner of the tank, head up/tail down, into the flow of water. The only visible "injury" is a whitish spot on his side and a slight tear or two in one fin. I'm thinking it's damage from the female who suddenly appears to be nipping at him. Both have been together in this 65 gallon tank for over 2 years. The only recent change I can think of is slightly less frequent feedings due to me not being home during lights on. Both fish ate last night.

I will post tank parameters this morning, after the kids wake up, but thought I'd get things started.

Thanks

[rjs5134]

OK finally got time to perform the tests:
SG = 1.029
Temp = 81
Ph = 8.13
Nitrate = ND
Ca = 350
DkH = 3.8

The SG increased slowly in the last week because I didn't take the pump out of the replacement water barrel. The DkH is pretty low, but could either of these 2 cause 1 clown to act so odd? I would expect the corals to show signs of poor health from these results rather than the fish.

[denhay14]

Your calcium is also a little low, it should be around 425-475ppm.

[rjs5134]

Thanks, but I'm pretty certain that is not causing the problem. Kalk appears to not be doing it's job.

[denhay14]

Just thought I'd let you know=p Tell me how he ends up doing.

[leebca]

There is more to water quality than what we can test for. You just want to be sure that although you've been unable to feed as often as you did, that the maintenance on the system has been kept up.

In general, I'd watch the two closely. More than likely the fish are fulfilling their role Nature set out for them. Still, the female can go 'overboard' and sometimes do stress their mate so much they die.

Return them to their normal, frequent feedings as soon as you can.

Without more information about water quality, maintenance, and what other marine lifeforms you have in there, that is about all I can say at this time.

[rjs5134]

I've continued my water changes, last one was performed last week. The tank contains a number of corals, mostly frags or small colonies. Corals include frogspawn, torch, a number of SPS and some Zoos and shrooms. I also have a GBTA that split a while ago and both fish host both anemones. Water flow is about 2500-3000gph in a 65 gallon tank. The male no longer hosts either anemone, he's been chased to the far side. This morning when the lights came on he was hiding in the back near one of the BTA's until she found him, grabbed him by his pelvic fin and pulled him downward. He now looks fine, just terrified and a little beaten up. Is it common for them to "unpair" after 2 years of living together?

Thanks for the help.

[leebca]

I believe what you are seeing is the 'extreme' mating process. We don't know totally why, but this sometimes does happen in captivity.

I can see nothing amiss with your system.

You might give them another couple of days to 'straighten' out. (Or, more accurately, for the female to settle down). If nothing improves, it's time to move one of them out into a quarantine tank. Time apart may help. Then put them back together in a couple of weeks.

[Ninong]

OK finally got time to perform the tests:
SG = 1.029
Temp = 81
Ph = 8.13
Nitrate = ND
Ca = 350
DkH = 3.8

The SG increased slowly in the last week because I didn't take the pump out of the replacement water barrel. The DkH is pretty low, but could either of these 2 cause 1 clown to act so odd? I would expect the corals to show signs of poor health from these results rather than the fish.

Here are a few observations:

• I suggest you lower your specific gravity from 1.029 down to 1.026. This could stress any fish not from the Red Sea. Replace a little of the tankwater with freshwater to lower your SG gradually over the next two or three days.
• Yes, your alkalinity is too low. NSW = 7.0 dKH (2.5 mEq/l).
• Your calcium is low at 350 ppm but this should not affect your fish.
• I suggest you test your magnesium immediately. It should be around 1300 ppm. I suspect that it is much lower than that. I would use one of the available magnesium chloride additives to raise it. I'm not a fan of using epsom salts except for very small adjustments occasionally, if then.
• Kalkwasser is intended to maintain calcium and alkalinity levels but it cannot do that if Mg is too low. Kalkwasser does not maintain Mg.
• I liked the B-Ionic two-part product for helping me adjust calcium when it was too low (the calcium component) and the B-Ionic Mg additive when I needed to raise Mg. Using Kalkwasser for all evaporation replacement, I never had a problem with low alkalinity but I did have to use a Mg additive now and then to maintain Mg. If Mg is too low, that will make it impossible to get calcium levels up.

Good luck!