Clownfish Pairing Turned Ugly!

[Darkmazda]

I just purchased a gorgeous false black occelaris clownfish in hopes to pair up with my current false orange occelaris clownfish who has been with me for 9 years now. I never paired my current clown in the 9 years it has been with me. I always wanted to, did my research, but never really got to it. This weekend tho I couldnt pass up this black clown, so I went ahead to try it.

Im assuming my current clown is female, its about 3 inches long so I chose a smaller black clown about 2 inches long. If im correct they are the same species, just different color. As soon as I dropped in the new arrival, I expected some scuffle. However, it was more than a little nip here and there, my orange clown would go out of his way to bite the black clown. Black clown tries to enter the GBTA and my orange just goes nuts on him. Is this normal behavior and it will subside? or is this a fatal mistake? Did I wait to long to pair my clown? Where am I going wrong?

I dont want to lose the black clown to stress, so I put him in a floating seperation chamber. Hes been eating well and doing fine, just dieing to come out. My orange clown showed aggesion initally by biting the chamber, but after the 2nd day aggression has ceased. Maybe they just need time? Should I try letting the black clown out again?

 

[Hawkeye]

only concern i have is if the 2" clown has already started down the path of becoming female. Prob not but I have no idea how to gender-identify clowns. I think the fact that yours has been with you for 9 years with no others makes it hard for her to share. Give it time.

 

[qwik]

You can retry the intro with lights out. You can also move some rocks (and the anemone if possible) around so your clown is also new to the area . When you purchased the new clown was it alone or in a group at the store ? If in a group and it was the largest it might of sexed to female already .

 

[Phyl]

At 2 inches and already black in color you may have chosen a fish that was rising in the food chain as Qwik suggested. There is going to be some scuffle and some chasing. You may find things settle down in a day or three.

 

[Darkmazda]

Well the clown isnt quite 2", probably 1.5" but thats probably not the reason anyway. Now thinking about it, this clown was bought from a group of 5 and it was one of the bigger ones in the tank. There were smaller specimens, but at the time I couldnt see my current clown with anything smaller. Totally passed my mind that it could change sex in a temporary tank very quickly. the 9 years of being single probbly doesnt help either.

I will try to rearrange my GBTA and rockscape, but only as a last resort just cuz I like my placement right now. What do you guys think, should I keep the new clown in the floating chamber for a few days then? After that a possible release with lights out?

 

[youpey]

if the clown wasnt the biggest in the tank you bought it from, it may not be female. if by chance it is female, they wont stop fighting.

introduce with the lights out, move stuff around in the tank to make your original confused and less territorial as her home will be lost.

if the new one is female, see if you can change it out for a small one

 

[Phyl]

My female was alone for 3 years or so when I introduced her mate. It was TINY (1" tops) against my 5" female, but they paired instantly.

Are they still fighting?

 

[qwik]

If changing tank rockwork,anemone is not an easy option see if you can exchange it for a small one,try to pick the smallest out of a group .

 

[Mbodell]

I thought the rule of thumb was under 1" to be safe that you don't have two females.

 

[Phyl]

Under an inch would be ideal.

 

[Darkmazda]

Ive been busy with school and work so I havent had a chance to "re-pair" them. So for now the black clown will stay in the floating chamber. As I said he is very active, just dieing to come out and he or she in that matter is an aggressive eater. My orange clown is showing no aggression towards the chamber anymore as if the black clown doesnt even exist. Ill try this friday when I have more time.

Just wondering, would my orange clown's temperment change if I should take them both out of the display and put them together at the same time in a QT tank? I was just thinking about this because maybe by taking them out of their environment they might get confused?

 

[qwik]

If its easy to get them out take your old clown out and put the black clown in first, then yours. Its worth a shot .

 

[Darkmazda]

Ok I will try that then since they are pretty easy to catch when they are sleeping...so new clown in display, let it settle maybe couple hours?, then old clown in...got it