clown vs clown
- Thread starter reefer44
- Start date
rwhite
Member
IME, ours did....after a couple close calls. How long has the larger one been in the tank, has it est. dominance and taken up with the anemone? We basically did the same thing as you, hoping for a pair. The first week was bad, poor little guy was bullied by everyone. Things calmed down and then we introduced a BTA and it started over again after the larger one began hosting, except it was much worse. The small one was on deaths doorstep. I managed to separate them with a plastic screen hoping to at least nurse the little one back to health to trade back in. After about a week or so, the large one managed to find its way past the screen. Luckily, the small one was well on the way to recovery and the larger decided not to finish the job. We removed the screen and, other than chasing and est. dominance, they did fine. The small one basically stayed on one side of the tank and slowly became bolder, venturing farther and farther across the tank. Finally, about a week or 2 ago, the small one was accepted and is now also hosting in the BTAs (the BTA split during all this). I believe they are now a couple, they no longer quarrel and sleep in the same anemone together.
Yours may or may not get along, anything is possible. But, be prepared for the worst. If you have a QT, you may have to use it. If I hadnt been able to separate them, I'm sure the small one would have died. And I think we were lucky that the larger decided to cease aggression. Maybe cause they were in the same tank and were able to work it out thru the screen, I dont know. I'll put it this way, I had no idea a clownfish could be so aggressive and she now runs the tank. Good luck, I hope things will go well for you. Keep us updated. I may have some pics of the separation, etc. if you want to them.
Yours may or may not get along, anything is possible. But, be prepared for the worst. If you have a QT, you may have to use it. If I hadnt been able to separate them, I'm sure the small one would have died. And I think we were lucky that the larger decided to cease aggression. Maybe cause they were in the same tank and were able to work it out thru the screen, I dont know. I'll put it this way, I had no idea a clownfish could be so aggressive and she now runs the tank. Good luck, I hope things will go well for you. Keep us updated. I may have some pics of the separation, etc. if you want to them.
johnny5
Member
One should accept its role as the submissive fish (male). But it may take awhile (months even). And it is possible they could fight to the death if they are both females. I would suggest for you to get a book on clownfish to learn more(maybe "clownfishes" by joyce wilkerson).
If the clown you add is a non-sexual juvenile, then it should all work out in the end (if the little guy makes it). Fighting is normal behavior when clowns start pairing.
Good luck!
If the clown you add is a non-sexual juvenile, then it should all work out in the end (if the little guy makes it). Fighting is normal behavior when clowns start pairing.
Good luck!
johnny5
Member
Correct, adding a younger fish will help the survival rate. Size does have some to do with it, but its does not determine success. Size usually does effect dominance but not the ---. Theres a low percentage that a smaller fish is female, but there is still a good chance it has matured some. You have to understand how a clowns --- changes. I'll try to explain..
Once a clown has become a female, it cannot change back to a male. So if you bought a smaller clown it could be a female already. There is only 1 female per pod of tankraised clowns, but in fish store situations a clown could definitely mature some before it makes it to your tank. If this is the case and your current clown is a female, they will never pair and they will probably fight until one of them dies.
With that said, size and age are completely different things. As a fish gets older may "evolve" into a female or it may not. So if you added a smaller clown that was a female and your larger clown was still a male.. Then it could be a very long battle.
You have to get lucky when pairing fish, if you have the ability to watch a pod of clowns.. then you can probably tell from their behaviors which one is the "alpha" female. Even in knowing that there are a few aproaches you could take to pair them. If you know 100% that a fish is female it will make it much easier. This is probably why the hatcheries are able to pair clowns so much easier and why paired clowns cost so much.
Again, im not the most experienced in this. I just did quite a bit of reading before I purchased my 2 tomato clowns..
There are clearly 2 (maybe more) ways to pair clowns. You could buy 2 of the youngest fish you can find (from the same pod) and let them grow up together and let nature run its course (probably the safest bet). Or you can gamble to try and have fish pair faster by buying a larger fish and throwing in a smaller fish to get beat up on. Its a roll of the dice.. even if the --- is right, your clown may never let the 2nd clown live (because it cannot defend itself being so much smaller). Or you could hit 7's, take the house's money.. and have a perfect pair overnight.
To sum it up, its not easy to pair clowns. I think you just have to do your best when selecting fish. Understanding what is going on will help tremendously.
If anyone on the forum (with more experience pairing clowns) finds any decrepancies in what I have written, please please please correct me.
Once a clown has become a female, it cannot change back to a male. So if you bought a smaller clown it could be a female already. There is only 1 female per pod of tankraised clowns, but in fish store situations a clown could definitely mature some before it makes it to your tank. If this is the case and your current clown is a female, they will never pair and they will probably fight until one of them dies.
With that said, size and age are completely different things. As a fish gets older may "evolve" into a female or it may not. So if you added a smaller clown that was a female and your larger clown was still a male.. Then it could be a very long battle.
You have to get lucky when pairing fish, if you have the ability to watch a pod of clowns.. then you can probably tell from their behaviors which one is the "alpha" female. Even in knowing that there are a few aproaches you could take to pair them. If you know 100% that a fish is female it will make it much easier. This is probably why the hatcheries are able to pair clowns so much easier and why paired clowns cost so much.
Again, im not the most experienced in this. I just did quite a bit of reading before I purchased my 2 tomato clowns..
There are clearly 2 (maybe more) ways to pair clowns. You could buy 2 of the youngest fish you can find (from the same pod) and let them grow up together and let nature run its course (probably the safest bet). Or you can gamble to try and have fish pair faster by buying a larger fish and throwing in a smaller fish to get beat up on. Its a roll of the dice.. even if the --- is right, your clown may never let the 2nd clown live (because it cannot defend itself being so much smaller). Or you could hit 7's, take the house's money.. and have a perfect pair overnight.
To sum it up, its not easy to pair clowns. I think you just have to do your best when selecting fish. Understanding what is going on will help tremendously.
If anyone on the forum (with more experience pairing clowns) finds any decrepancies in what I have written, please please please correct me.