Is this normal

[jeffro63]

Yesterday I was putting a fallen rock back up on top of my rockwork,
when all of a sudden my larger clown fish darted over and bit me.
She nailed me right between the pinky and ring finger.
It actually hurt when she got me. I've had this pair of clowns about
5 years now and never had this happen before.
just wondering if this is normal, or did she go bipolar on me.

 

[spanko]

Normal.
"what the heck is that thing invading my space,,,,,,,,,Oh it's either food or something not supposed to be here,,,,,,,guess I'll bite it"

 

[jeffro63]

Hmmmm ok just thought I'd ask cause I put my hands in there a lot and in 5 years they have never bit me.
in fact the male lets me pet him once in a while, so I thought I'd look into it. I don't want my fish going bipolar or anything.
I don't know if the vet can help with that one.

 

[spanko]

I think as they get older you will see more of this. I had two black ocellaris clowns for a while. Had to get rid of them when they started drawing blood. Plus as they mate up the female will will become even more bold, especially if they start to breed.

 

[jeffro63]

Thats funny you mention that, cause they have laid eggs a few times, they have never hatched cause they
end being food for someone else first. But they have been breeding within the last few months.

 

[spanko]

Well, there you go! Momma protecting her potential babies, or at least the environment in which she will be laying eggs. Remember out in the wild they have a huge area around them and only protect what is close to the nesting habitat. But..........that area could be much larger than our tanks so anything coming into the tank is a potential threat.

 

[ryancw01]

Time to get gloves. They are most likely just going to bite you from now on, especially if you did take your hand out after the bite. Now they know that if they bite, your hand will leave. Get the big purple and orange ones. My huge emerald crab can't even hurt my fingers when I wear mine.

 

[jeffro63]

Cool, I didn't know this. Well I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
I've had this pair of clowns for 5 years and we're kinda attached to them.
Now that I know this is normal, I feel better about it.
Thanx for the input
Jeff

 

[alumentum]

I had one clown since I started the tank. For the most part she was really small and docile. Then all of a suden she grew huge and really mean. She attacks my hands whenever I clean, fed, etc. It's kinda funny though. I was netting my blenny so I could move him to a different tank and she was pissed.

 

[jeffro63]

like Ryan said ....... I did pull my hand out right away.
But since then I've been holding my own and not letting her
know I'm afraid. She hasn't been biting anymore just kinda bumping into me.
So I think I got her trained so to speak.