What do you think my fish is doing?

[user 26995]

This afternoon I noticed three of my acan colonies had been covered by sand and there was an area behind them void of sand.

I unburried them and leveled the sand out, thinking maybe I did it earlier, but I dont know what I would have done to create such a void in the sand.

I went back to the kitchen, came back a few minutes later and agian, there was sand all over the acans and an area under and between a couple rocks that had been cleared of sand.

If you can see it behind the acan colony on the left there is a low spot and behind that a hole dug in the sand under the rock.

I cleared off the acans again and stepped back to watch for a while. Stood there for a good 20 minutes and nothing. So I left the room and a few minutes later came back and found sand all over my acans again. :doh:

For the third time...I cleared off the acans and moved them. I leveled the sand and sat back and watched again.
It didn't take long this time and I witnessed one of my blue head chromis fanning the sand and throwing it all over. He/She I am guessing she, had cleared an area 5" long by 2-3" wide area under a rock in a 2" deep sand bed parts of it down to the glass.
Is she nesting? Like I said I am guessing its the female. I have three of them and its larger than the other two. I've had these three for I'd say a year now and this is the first time she has done this.
Any ideas.

 

[TJL]

Yes Lorrie, definitely nesting and exactly what my Mamma Clown does as well. Just wait til she decides that one of your precious Acans is a threat to her babies and attacks it or removes it from the area and places it atop of another :frusty: Have fun with this and hopefully she doesn't kill $100's in corals like mine has done.


Cheers, Todd

 

[user 26995]

Thanks for the warning!
And luckily, I have another tank to move them to if she starts picking at them.

 

[user 26995]

And I think my marine betta will be more of a threat to the babies than anything else.

 

[user 26995]

Okay, shes dug a trench about 10" long now. And move a couple small rocks. Thats her at the top of the pic.

I came home to this mess. I started moving things to give her room. We'll see what she does tomorrow.

 

[user 26995]

She has cleared all the sand out from under these rocks. And she is defending her "cave".
The rocks are sitting firmly on the bottom of the tank so there is no chance of them shifting and causing an avalanch.