HOW do clowns become a mated pair?

marek

marek

Member
Reason I ask is that I dropped a tomato clownfish to a tank that has another tomato clownfish with a couple anemones. One thing to note is that the original resident is larger, looks more bulky about the head and most importantly has been in that tank for nearly one year. Interesting thing happened however when I dropped the newcomer in overnight. I woke up today seeing that the newcomer being smaller and not as bulky has the original resident cornered in one of the tank corners! I would completely think something else would happen, BUT THIS? Should I just take the other out or is there still a chance they may accept each other? Also, how are clowns ultimately mated if they are so hard to accept one another?
Thanks.
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

Member
clowns are aggresive! especialy tomatos!!! the first one probly hates the new one! i don't think there is much of a chance for him to live a healthy life. your better off taking him out.
as for breeding, your better off getting two or more at one time so they can claim their space, and maybe pair off. about 2 years ago i put two in my small reef, and think they may be pairing now! what happens is that the more dominant(male)will make the less dominant INTO the female! almost like a --- change so to say!! the female will never get as big as the male. thats how you know if you have a male and female pair.
 
captained

captained

Member
I'm not sure abut Tomato Clowns, but with other clowns its usually the opposite- the larger one becomes the female- clowns are hermaphrodites and will change ---. In a clown school, you will have one female (the largest, dominant fish) an alpha male, and the rest of the poor guys hoping to get some. A single clown is most likely going to be a male.
Sounds like you might have gotten a small female or maybe an alpha male, and I suspect that in that case, one is going to kill the other. You might get lucky, but...
Best thing if you want a pair is to get an already mated pair, or as LOTR suggested, get 2 at the same time and hope they pair off.
 
rgoldenc

rgoldenc

Member
In my aquarium magazine it says that clown fish will change there --- upon who is bigger. But our lfs said once a clown is already bigger it won't change. You have to get two the same size and let them grow together.
 
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