No love clown

So I've had an Ocellaris clown for some time now and it's about an inch long, it use to have a partner but after the first mishap with my tank it passed away so it's been a few months and i figured it could use another buddy. So I went down and picked up a black and white clown juvenile it's about half the size of the older one and i figured that they would be OK since the bigger one would assert it's self the smaller would give in and the relationship would be just fine.(worked the last time)

At first the bigger one freaked out after the black and white got in, the older ran away, then once it figured out it was another clown it aggressed a little hard but then backed off and like tilted sideways which i assume is it's passive bow, trying to figure out if the new one is going to take the lead or not. Well after a few aggresses then passive tilts it just went mad and started to aggress hard core i had stepped in to the other room for a sec came back and it was terrorizing the poor little black and white to the point the black and white was head standing and looking like it was dead. Still moving but seriously not good. I quickly shooed the bigger one away and confined it within a breeder box i just happened to have. The little black and white sprung up like nothing was wrong, it was very shy so it kept to it's corner but the other fish investigated then swam away like nothing was different.

It's swimming around just fine it ate some pellet food just fine, sadly it's tail fin is a little ruffled up but it's not acting like it's having any problems.

I know some clowns are temperamental but i thought if a younger clown was introduced it would be sexually undecided and the older wouldn't have any problems? I figured the bigger one might be a female as it was alone for a while, and an undecided wouldn't pose a threat so it would accept it?

It's been a while since i paired a set of clowns but this felt like very strange behavior.

The last set I paired met noses and were best of friends but this was completely opposite.

 

The first rule of clown fighting/mating is there is no rules, The second rule is there is no rules! After reading countless attempts of failures and success, IMO, there is no dead set rule! But it sounds like your doing the right thing! Can you remove the original clown for a few days and let the new guy get comfy? May give him the boost he needs!

 

+1 Totally agreed.

FTR, pairing clowns usually involves some degree of violence as the female establishes dominance; introducing a new juvie to an established female usually intensifies the violence. If you've experienced anything different, consider yourself lucky.

And yes, if you can remove her for a couple of weeks and rearrange the rockwork (especially her favorite spot) that would help a lot.

 

Yeah she's in a box now separated from the tank (sort of) the juvie got brave enough and is swimming up to the box to meet with her and she will half rush to where he is and he backs down quickly so perhaps they can get their aggression out this way an no more hurting. But for now I'll keep the little guy happy and let him get the lay of the land and keep her in her clear cell.

I figured that the first pairing i did was a pure fluke but it was hard to say since it was my only point of reference, now that I see what can happen any other meetings will be strictly between a wall of acrylic =P

Well trying to fish her out of the tank to put her in the Breeder box forced my hand and I had to rearrange the rock work as she would hide in the holes, clowns are smarter than you think or maybe it's just a female thing? Either way She's on time out for a little while i'll plump him up and hope things go for the best. Any future encounters wont go unwatched!

 

So I left her in the box over night and part of a day, when i let her how she kind of freaked out swimming around the tank a bit frantically but would still assert her self towards him, it wasn't going that bad but i didn't quite trust her over night so i scooped him up and put him in the box. so that he would be fine over night. Let him out a few moments ago and she's mellowed out towards him she's still doing the I'm Dominant one dance and he's giving the passive signal every time, and she's not rushing so hard nor is she trying to bounce him off the surface so it looks like she's getting use to him. HURRAY!

Either way I'll keep an eye on both of them for the most of the day, their kind of swimming together but she'll run off then charge back, but so far it's looking really good!

 

what you wrote sounds perfectly normal clown behaviour, as you said you noticed the fins being picked on, if it keeps up, try rearranging some rock work for them. Sounds like shes just making sure he knows his place, its normal for the new guy to spend the first few nights in the corner til they settle in. I would stop removing either of them and let them be, they will work things out.

 

Updates!

Things are good she's now allowing him to be out of his corner! They swim about nicely though their not always together they are together often, she still asserts her self so I'm assuming that shes not quite ready but after a while they'll be best-est of palls!

Now I just need to get my CuC back in order. Cursed green hair algae.

 

congrats! Maybe give him an allowance so he can go wine and dine her!

reefcleaners or La for the cuc! MUCH cheaper than LFS!

 

I've had an orange occ. in mine for about 2 months, decided to pick up a black & white to pair it with yesterday. Once I put him in, he swam right over to the orange, they fought for about 10 min then they were fine. Left the lights off the rest of the day, this morning they were swimming around together just fine.

The new black & white I got was just slightly smaller than the orange I already have. She's probably around 1", he's maybe 3/4".

 

yeah i would order from reefcleaners but I'm across the states and i don't want frozen inverts =P