Clowns Poking At Rocks

Copepods, even full grown are only like 1mm big so there are probably mostly lots of littler ones running around that you can't see unless you took the rock out and went over it with a fine tooth comb.

 

haha i think your right

 

Clowns pick at the rock to prepare a place to lay eggs

 

that would be exciting if they were going to lay! the female does pick on the rocks more than the male

 

It might be a type of breeding related behavior. I have a couple of spawning clowns and they use their mouths to clean off the rocks before they lay eggs. Even if they are not getting ready to lay, it might be a natural behavior.

 

Oh cool. The female was poking at the rocks, and when i was watching my new inverts she was right in front of me and was actually eating at the GHA that's been growing, and even saw her mouth that was moving so at least she is eating it. She usually does this to two rocks. Could she be wanting to possibly spawn on the rocks that she's been poking at, or like you and others have mentioned, just natural behavior?

 

If she is looking for a spot, the male should be involved as well. He does most of the work once the eggs are laid. The female tends to get pretty thick (not round, but heavy looking) as well.

 

the male hasn't been doing much. She had been really fighting him for a few weeks, they were sold to me as a pair. The fighting has gone down but since the fighting he's been by himself most of the day and when he does go near her she pokes at him and he cowers. I've only had these clowns for about a month now, and she was skinny when i got her and i've been working on getting building up her weight. She doesn't look thick or heavy, but i don't see the outline of her bones like when i did when i first got her.