tomato clown and percula

[ghola5]

Hi
I have a percula (tank raised clown) she has been in my tank a year, 2 weeks ago I got a tomato clown, I did take a chance on that one I know , I have 120 gallon tank, 130-140 of live rock, the percula stays at the top of the right side of the tank and the tomato stays on the other side in her BTA, she goes up and bites at the percula but i have only seen a little bite on her site , no fins bitten or anything like that and my percula wiggles really fast and I have read they are fighting over whos female, but my percula was the female because she did have a mate and it was alot smaller then her, it came up missing 3 months after having them, so my percula has to be the female right? so the tomato picks on her because one I know they already hate each other but what are the odds of them ever being ok with each other? or will tomato always be bully of the tank?they never fight really bad just tomato is a bully.

 

[joojoo]

If your Percula was a small juvenile when you bought it a year ago, it may not have changed to a female yet. And I doubt these nips are due to dominance... it is pure aggression. Mixing clowns is never a good idea unless you have a large tank, which you do have so I thought it would be fine, but the Tomato Clowns as a species are just aggressive. I would take it back to the LFS if I were you. I would also wait for your clown to grow considerably, then introduce another small clown of the same species.

 

[ghola5]

I called my lfs and they wont take the clown back , but they do stay on different sides of the tank and dont bother each other even when eating but i do feel bad for my other clown cause it was her/his tank first , so i will have to come up with something.

 

[joojoo]

They don't bother eachother? I thought the Tomato was biting the Percula?

 

[ghola5]

at least 2 times a day he will swim over and bite my percula, but its not an all day thing u know? so do u think after all they should be ok?

 

[joojoo]

I don't wanna tell you the wrong thing as I have never kept multiple clown species, but as they get older, they get bolder...

 

[ghola5]

yes thats what im scared of, I will end up having to get rid of the tomato.

 

[mpls man]

i've had a tomato clown for over 5 yrs and has a rbta to live in, otherwise he is a big bully !! he'll nip at your fingers when you go in to the tank, IMO i would get rid of either the tomato or the perc, i think the'll end up killing each other.