Tomato Clowns Digging Hole in Sand

[fish face]

I have two Tomato Clowns in my Reef. One is about twice the size of the other. I believe they have paired up because they spent a lot of time together and do not fight. They also share the 'attentions' of my pulsing Xenia and Elegance Coral.

About a week ago the larger of the pair started flicking sand away from one particular area of the tank. It does it by swimming down and turning sideways, then swishing it's tail. The sand billows up and to the side. Over the course of an evening, it digs a hole almost to the bottom of the tank and never seems to stop.

I have filled it in twice, but they continue to do it ... usually in the evening. They also seem to spent time 'nuzzling' and rubbing against each other.

There is nothing in the hole or on the exposed glass. My instinct is that they will lay eggs, but maybe someone would like to enlighten me and tell me what's going on.

Thanks!

Sue Bruce

 

[Quillen]

I see this behavior in unmated maroon clowns that don't have an anemone. IMO, they like something on their belly so much, they they go into the sand to do it. I don't know if this is your reason, I just thought you might find it interesting

.

 

[zt allstar]

I have a tomato clown that does this too. I have a niger trigger in a different tank that likes to rearrange stuff so maybe they have something in common.

 

[bowfront]

I have one tomato clown that has been on his lonesome for a few years. He does the same so I doubt if its a spawning thing.

 

[julieanne]

I have a mated pair of maroon clowns with a bubble tip anemone that they love for many years. The female is always swishing the sand away from the area around the base of the anemone. I put it back, she swishes it away

I also cannot put any other corals around her anemone or she will knock them down and move them to the other side of the tank. That is just the way they are, so dont fight them cause it wont change.

 

[Quillen]

I have seen many kinds of clown pick up things with its mouth (perc to my maroon), too. Fred doesn't like any small piece of live rock in the "cave" area the anemone inhabits, but does leave the sand alone. The sand is a little lower there, so it is probably already the way Fred likes it or it could of been purely accidental. Fred rubs himself in my bubbles, etc, too.. but always goes back to his anemone.

 

[JennM]

Sounds to me like they are preparing to spawn. The larger of the two has become female. The fanning is her way of preparing a flat surface to lay her eggs.

I wouldn't fill in the hole, but rather, let them be and see if you get a spawn. While rearing the young is difficult, unless you're prepared with a battery of rearing tanks and rotifer cultures, the fry will make good fish and coral food.

After 13 months, my 17-month old pair of tomatoes is beginning to exhibit the "fanning" behavior too, but I haven't seen a spawn YET.

FWIW, a tank I maintain has a lone female tomato, and she regularly fans. Too bad she doesn't have a mate.

Jenn

 

[Jenemone]

My blue damsel does this, also. He digs a hole right to the glass bottom under the live rock. He regularly carries pieces in his mouth out of his cave. I think he is just a compulsive housekeeper.

 

[chris s1]

my maroon clown does this all over the tank, he does it all the time, the whole back of my sandbed is almost down to the glass, and the front is like 8 inches now hehe