Maroon clown acting strange?

[Rusty]

My maroon clown has been in my display tank for a week now and all he does is swim in circles at the top of the tank. He swims into the current and drifts with it and swims back around to start over and over again. He eats well and has great color and shape but he swims high enoght that he gets air bubbles on his back from the top of the water. Is this normal?? :what:

[Chrismo]

Maybe there is not enough oxygen in the water.
If your skimmer is working, then there should be lots of aeration going on... So I doubt thats the problem... especially with your sump.

If he has a gill problem or infection then he might have a hard time getting oxygen and that might make him seek out more... swimming into the current helps him breathe too. So it's possible.
Oh ya what is your PH? PH affects a fish's ability to breath, and if he came from somewhere with a drastically different PH, he will have to adjust. Any idea what the tanks parameters were (that he came from)?

If I were you I would test for PH, and aerate the tank just to see if that helps. Also see what he does at night when PH levels go down.

I dont see many clowns doing that. Maroons are bold and swim where they dang well want. Percula swim higher than most other clowns too I think, but still not RIGHT at the top. fish are all different though so it could be he likes it up there. :)

[Rusty]

My PH is 8.5 and I have lots of small bubbles of oxygen in the tank. I think I will put him back in the hospital tank and watch him for a while to see if I should treat him for a gill problem. What do you recommend for treatment? I bought him at BALS in Barrie.

[chris/dawn]

my two clowns did the same thing when they were first introduced into there new home.....after a week or so they started to explore the rest of the tank.....now every nite they do the same thing....sit back and enjoy the way they play in the current at the top of the tank...it is a site to see

[Rusty]

He back in the hospital tank for now and he's swimming up and down like he did before. He looks in great shape and doesn't gasp so maybe he just needed more time. Next week I'll try again in the main tank if he still looks good.