It Would Seem My Fish Is Scared Of The Dark

[mminion]

Hi All,

This may sound really funny but I thought what the hell I may not be alone....It would seem my fish is scared of the dark !

I finished cycling my 240L tank (6 weeks and all, Ammonia spike and fall, Nitrate spike and fall... so I'm sure it's not a cycling issue) and decided it was about the right time to add a fish or two.

Last Tuesday I purchased two Jade Damsels and added them into the tank. On Thursday and noticed one of them between the glass and filter intake pipe and had turnt a brownie\black and his nose was pointing upwards... he looked very "dead". Using a turkey baster I blew him out of the gap (thinking he would float to the top) and to my surprise he drifted to the bottom of the tank and noticed his fins started moving... five mins later he changed back to his normal colour and was swimming around the tank like nothing happened.

I put the first event down to "getting stuck" and him panicking (I'm aware Damsels turn purple/brown when stressed)

Woke up Friday morning... same thing, blew him out again... 5 mins later, normal colour and acting like nothing happened. I put the second event to "getting stuck, again" and him panicking.

I watched him for a good hour and noted with surprise he swam in and out of "this gap" without any issue therefore it didn't seem like he was getting stuck. Friday night, turn the tank light off (including the room lights) and went out for dinner. Came home, same thing again... I turn the tank light on and walked out of the room to get changed... came back and there he was normal colour and swimming around. Switched the lights off again, waited 30 mins, checked again... there is was brown, nose upwards, in the gap.

Anyhow... it's coming very clear he is scared of the dark (the other jade damsel in the tank seems perfectly fine) and I'm wondering if it's normal ? and if so is there anything I can do to help this little fellow ?

Cheers
Matt

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

I've never kept a damsel but i know they are related to clownfish which could mean that they share the same sleeping pattern.

Most clowns sleep on their side or upside down, sometimes above a powerhead or on the substrate but normally where flow is at a minimum. You always have a shock when you see them but then realize s/he's just asleep and there's nothing to worry about.

I'm pretty sure my clown loses some of it's colour but not alot. I know some fish like the mandarin goby lose alot of colour so i'd guess the damsels are like that as well.

Sounds to me like you have nothing to worry about but i'd want for someone else to confirm this

Dan

 

[mj32]

our clown sleeps on his side at the top of the tank around the skimmer outlet box - did freak me out when i first saw it - but its the same every night now

 

[SkiFletch]

I agree, probably nothing to worry about, especially if he does it every night. My fairy wrasse sleeps amongst the rocks and encases himself in an opaque white mucous when he does so. Soon as he wakes up, he swims out of the white stuff and he's fine. Seems to be a common thing amont SW fish when they sleep...

 

[mminion]

Thanks All,

While I do seem to agree he must he "sleeping" it puzzles me that my second jade damsel doesn't do the same thing (bought at the same time, both out of the same tank, both the same sex and size)

One would think if it's normal, both fish would do it

Cheers
Matt

 

[crazyelece]

It is normal but you only really see it if there isn't enough hiding areas in the rockwork. The reason the other one probably doesn't do it is probably dominance related. If the other damsel is the dominant fish then it might not feel threatened enough to hide when it sleeps. Most SW fish will hide at night due to the fact that in the wild predators usually come out at night. When the fish hide many of them change colors to help blend into the rock work like camoflauge.

 

[xNOTLOCx]

same here myne used to do the same thing, myne died tho ;( i think cuz he cycled my tank and it hurt him so ya im done with fish cycling.

 

[mellanby]

My B&W clown sleeps "stuck" to the skimmer of my nanocube. Since he is the most expensive fish I've bought so far, I completely freaked out the first time I saw him do it.

 

[JJ1234567]

My clowns would sleep upside down, beside the powerheads. between the powerhead and the glass. They are just finding what they think to be a safe quiet place to lay down for the night. Perfectly normal.