Clown Loach...Problem? Are They Fighting??

[Arashi]

Ok, guys I kinda need your help on this one. I've had the same three Clown Loaches in my tank for six months now. One is about 3 inches, and the other two are a little under 2 inches. Never had a problem with them. They've just been the sweet, loveable, nutball Clowns that everyone knows and loves.

Well tonight, after we got home, my boyfriend looks in the tank and says, "Honey, I think your Clown Loaches are fighting..." I was thinking they were probably just playing, but lo and behold they did look like they were fighting! The two smallest Clowns were going at each other with open mouths. Now I didn't see any spines (thank goodness cause I don't want them hurting themselves or each other), but their colors were different...they were both way darker than normal, and they both had their dorsal fins spread out as far as they could go.

So this lasted just a few minutes, then it stopped suddenly, and now they are all sitting together on their favorite piece of slate like nothing happened.

So my question is, is this normal behaviour in Clowns? Do they have mock fights to establish dominance or something? I just find it wierd, because I've never seen them do that before.

I even took a few pics to show how they looked.

Here's one that shows how wierd their dorsals looked.

And here's another one of them actually going at it.

So can anyone help me out?

 

[Hooligan]

Yeah there just sorting themselves out in the pecking order. Mine do it all the time don't worry about it.

 

[Arashi]

Thanks so much for putting my mind at ease, Hooligan! I thought that might be it, but I just had to be sure, as I've never seen them act like that before (they probably do it when I'm not around ). I'm super cautious when it somes to my Clowns.

 

[myenigmaself]

Yeah, nothing to worry about. Mine do that probably twice a week to figure out who gets the sweetest sleeping spot. Nobody's ever been injured and they usually end up cramming into bed together

 

[myenigmaself]

Clown Loach Markings/Behavior - Check out the section about "Graying Out."

This position will often be taken accompanied by "graying out", during mock fights between Clowns. These fights are often referred to as "Sparring", and are used to determine the natural pecking order within a group.

 

[Arashi]

Thank you very much for that info, myenigmaself! I'm just way overprotective of my Clowns, I guess. )

 

[Discomafia]

Nothing wrong with being precautious.

 

[kevin007]

my clown loach did the order when i just got them (first week) then no more for like..6 months too