Clowns dancing

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 07:49:55 GMT, "Mary Burns"
wrote:

>
>"Gill Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote in message
>
>> Just wanted to share with everyone the sheer joy of my Clowns
>> tonight....I've been keeping a strict light out policy during the day to
>> reduce tank temps (it's done wonders with the algae - good side-effect). I
>> turn the lights on around 30 minutes before feed-time and then leave them
>> on
>> as the evening cools....this usually coincides with dinner (ours not the
>> fishes)
>>
>> The last few nights the display put on by the Clowns has been
>> fantastic...but tonight it was surpassed that....
>>
>> The two 4 inch Clowns decided dancing was in order....synchronised
>> swimming
>> has been modelled on them...if the smaller Clowns flagged they got a very
>> big nudge....anyone got in their way it was a gentle but very persuasive
>> nudge....Mr Blue Gourami "this is my tank and don't you forget it" got
>> pushed out of the way "hey we are dancing and we don't care about your
>> postering)...the Flying Foxes (I've decided they are not true SAE's) got a
>> "join in or else"...and they did try but were out danced....the Platy's
>> tried to join in but couldn't compete...
>>
>> The Clowns just danced on and on and on......a very happy fish night :-)
>>
>> Gill
>>
>>I'm in UK , lights off during this heatwave too. I absolutely agree about
>>synchronised swimming, my 5 clowns and 1 tiny one are so adept, their
>>antics in my 65g tank are the "fun" part of keeping fish. They dominate the
>>front, love interacting with my female platies who share the tank, nap
>>under a giant hygro in centre front, covered with algae as it's been in
>>tank for ages, but they all love it, platies forever pecking it, clowns
>>swimming in it, I haven't the heart to remove it and replace it. Mary
>

During the first year of having Clowns and SAEs plus the usual
community tank fish, each species held its own school. After the
first year I found more and more often shoaling had become a community
exercise. My favorite "dance" happens in the corner of the 75 gallon
tank. It is a vertical rush, all species seem to feel free to join
it, up and down in the corner. Unfortunately, over the last 6 months
dancing has become rarer. Things only get riotous at meal time, then
it is every fish for itself!

Blue Gouramis do have an "attitude" don't they? My 3 Gouramis are
larger than the SAEs which are larger than the Clowns Fortunately it
is a peaceful tank. Perhaps due to the over population, there is less
activity. The tank has 56 fish, but 21 of those are over 2 inch Black
Mollies ranging up to 6 inch Gouramis. The 5 inch Plecos are the
most active and everyone scatters when they slide the length of the
tank. The Clowns are 4 to 5 inches and spend much of the day in the
plant growth, thus out of sight. I see more of the 2 Clowns in a 10
gallon tank than I do of the 6 in the 75 gallon tank.

I am rambling, and I just thought of why I am rambling. It is very
hard to describe fish behavior. I can't say anything about a fish or
a species that a contradiction comes to mind. One consisten behavior
I can think of, all of the fish in all the tanks get very active twice
a day. Yep, feeding time! <g>

dick

dick
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