Noticed new clownfish behavior today!

[johnreb]

I've been hearing a clicking noise coming from tank for some time now. It hasn't been real loud, it just sounded like a slight tapping on the glass

Today as I was zoning in front of my tank, I heard the noise again and I pinpointed the source. It was coming from my big, female Saddleback Clown. She was making these noises with her mouth, aiming the discharge at what she perceived to be some kind of small critter floating just in front of her mouth. She then mouthed the object and spit it out. I watched her do this to about five other objects.

Has anyone else ever witnessed this behavior in a clown before? My guess is it's something similar to what a pistol shrimp does with it's claw, stunning is prey with a shockwave, except on much smaller scale.

 

[dvb]

My Clarks clown does the same thing to its "new" mate. They are establishing dominance, and the larger one clicks at the smaller one all the time during the day. Eventually they will figure out who gets to be the female, eventhough I already know who it is.

It is pretty funny to watch. I guess they figure their clicking is intimidating.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes my red saddlebacks do this frequently.

What really gets them going is to put just one hunk of food in the tank so they each grasp an end, but can't swallow it or get it away from the other one, the female gets real mad and click very frequently at her mate.

 

[Anonymous]

there are quite a few fish that make very audible sounds.

a customer of mine who had a 180 w an assortment of angels had his freezer in direct view of his tank-eventually, after the fish learned what the freezer door opening meant(frozen yummies) you could hear clicking and grunts in the whole apartment! pretty funny.