Fighting clowns

[cathy joe]

dont really know what is going on, but my male saddleback clown in real rough with the female. i watch them at the fish store for a while and they seemed to be getting along, but since they came home with me the male has been bitting, and running the female all over the tank. now her right eye looks as if it will pop out of socket. dont now if it is from injury or if it is popeye. can someone tell me why this is happening

 

[booduh]

Are they a true mated pair? Or have they been paired at the fish store?
Clowns are hermaphroditic and will change their --- based on their living conditions with other clowns. A male can change into a female, but not the reverse. If a clown is left alone in a tank, being the only dominant clown it will eventually change to female.
If two clowns are together as juveniles the more dominant of the two will grow larger and become the female. If both clowns are female there will be territorial disputes over which is the more dominant.
Usually to get a mated pair purchase one young clown and keep it alone for a couple of months. Then purchase a young clown from a larger tank with many clowns in it and choose the smallest of the bunch to better the chances it is a male.
I learned this after seeing my clowns fight and display at one another. I had a solo clown for three months and then purchased a single clown alone in its tank. I am pretty sure mine are both female and show off to each other, but live relatively peacfully.

 

[booduh]

My apologies Cathy Joe, I am relativly new to this. My reply is posted as an individaul thread under. "Fighting clowns"

 

[viper_930]

Originally posted by booduh
My apologies Cathy Joe, I am relativly new to this. My reply is posted as an individaul thread under. "Fighting clowns"
Fixed!