New onset agresiveness in clown

[marco333]

Im asking this quesion for a friend.
He has had 4 percula clowns in a 55 gallen tank for at least 2 monthes and they have been living peacefully with no problem.
About a week ago, the biggest one started attacking another medium sized one, and keeps him cornered in a cave. The wierd thing is that this clown isnt bothering the other clown which is much smaller than eathor of them.
Has anyone had any expereace with this, and know what he should do.
Thanx!
Also he has had a shrimp, which seemed very healthy, but yesterday he found it dead on the ground.
We can only think of two reasons.
1. Spotted halk fish ate him?
2. Forgot to put iodine in the tank.
If anyone has any Ideas please respond

 

[saltaddict]

Im no expert but I take a shot at this one. I believe that clowns when small are all males but as they mature the larger dominant fish will become female and the others will stay female. Your friends fish maybe starting to reach sexual maturity. You may have two clowns that are trying to be females and one is saying not in my tank. The other two clowns are males and therefore she is not picking on them.

 

[reefsoe]

yes the large one is the dominent female... the ones that dont get bothered are most likely male... the one that is corned might be a female IMO, and the biggest one is becoming territorial

 

[marco333]

when he first bought them they were all small and imature, but gradually 3 became rather large. One has stayed small. And two of the large ones are having an all out fight.
What do you recomend.
Giving away one of the fighting clowns, or will they eventually stop fightingg?

 

[silverturbobug]

The smallest one will get harrass mostly when the lights are on, and only the second and the third biggest one will attack...don't know why...

 

[wrassecal]

I think he should give it a few days and see if the biggest thinks it's proven it's dominance, unless it is causing too much stress or actually huring the other one. On the shrimp issure. Are you sure it is the shrimp or is it maybe a molt? Shrimp usually hide for a few days after they molt. Hope that's it and the clowns work out their pecking order.

 

[hhands361]

hey marc. I think that the reason the shrimp died was because of the hawkfish, cuz it had attacked it in the past. Was the shrimp found with a body, or just pieces?

 

[flamingkingofhe]

i agreee with the replys above

 

[marco333]

The fish have been fighting for about a week and it dosnt seem to be stoping, and the one that is loosing is getting bite marks all over its mouth.
About the shrimp, when they found it, it was lying on the ground, and I think the halk fish was trying to eat it but ill have to check on that one.

 

[debbers]

I have 2 ocellaris clowns in my tank, and bought them small so they would pair up. They got along fine, then one day one of them just decided it was time to be a girl! It was on the war path and wouldn't leave the other one alone. Lots of fin damage! I was really worried for a while, but now they seem to have settled down. The larger (female) fish still chases the smaller (male) around from time to time, but no more biting. Give it a couple weeks and see what happens.
HTH
~D~