Clownfish jaw click

[Reeftanker3295]

My black saddleback clown (female) has been clicking her jaws together today. She does it every 10-20 minutes. It sounds similar to the start up of a koralia, that's what I thought it was at first. I can hear her jaw snapping quickly. Has anyone ever had this problem? She ate and seems fine.

 

[Widdy]

Clownfish and damselfish are known to do that.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11873-clownfish-chatter-with-clacking-jaws-.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070517-clownfish.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=E359F689-E7F2-99DF-3708CD6D0A60ECAC

Or Google "Clownfish sounds"

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

How big is your clowns. They can do it while smaller but its more audible to us when they get in the 3 to 4 inch range.

When my gbr clowns got bigger i thought it was a pistol or mantis but i tore the tank down and it o kept hearong it.

Females will do it to signal the mate to a spot to breed

 

[Arati]

my bangi cardinals also snap (bark) there jaws at me.

 

[Reeftanker3295]

How big is your clowns. They can do it while smaller but its more audible to us when they get in the 3 to 4 inch range.

When my gbr clowns got bigger i thought it was a pistol or mantis but i tore the tank down and it o kept hearong it.

Females will do it to signal the mate to a spot to breed

My female is probably 4" and my male is probably 2 1/2". I have never heard her do this before, and she is also patrolling the anemone all day. Maybe she will finally lay some eggs.

Also, she hasn't attacked any of her tank mates, so she can't be making the noise out of aggression.