Best way to introduce new clownfish to established clown?

[Tristan]

I’ve had this one clownfish for over a year now and I thought it was about time to get her a friend. Made sure to get one that was significantly smaller than her.

Yesterday, initially added him to the breeder box you can see in the photo. I expected my established clown to be a lot more aggressive, but she wasn’t. So after around 30 minutes oh him being in the breeder box, I let him loose. For about 15 minutes, there was some very mild nips and chasing, but nothing that bad. And after that, they were swimming next to each other perfectly fine. The only thing that would happen is she would chase him away from the anemone if he got too close, but not nip.

Come when the lights turn off, she gets a lot more aggressive towards him and wouldn’t let him within 8 inches of her anemone while she tried to sleep. He got the message and slept further away.

Come morning, she’s a lot more aggressive to him, not letting him get anywhere near her and also fully nipping his fins.

Saw this, now he’s back in the breeder box. I don’t want to stress him out too much since he was just added, but he is eating. How much longer would you all suggest I keep him in the breeder box? Or should I do something else?


Should I try putting my established clown in the breeder box and let the new one swim around for a bit instead?

 

[KrisReef]

If she has made up her mind then I don't think you are going to change it by having a more formal event or scheme. Fish are fairly simple and if she has decided she doesn't like him getting him a new suit and a haircut and a bunch of flowers for him to present her with will do anything to change it.

BUt now that I have typed that, I wonder if you let him loose and then put in a bunch of live brine shrimp if she might get confused and think that he was a good provider?

 

[Rjukan]

I’ve had this one clownfish for over a year now and I thought it was about time to get her a friend. Made sure to get one that was significantly smaller than her.

Yesterday, initially added him to the breeder box you can see in the photo. I expected my established clown to be a lot more aggressive, but she wasn’t. So after around 30 minutes oh him being in the breeder box, I let him loose. For about 15 minutes, there was some very mild nips and chasing, but nothing that bad. And after that, they were swimming next to each other perfectly fine. The only thing that would happen is she would chase him away from the anemone if he got too close, but not nip.

Come when the lights turn off, she gets a lot more aggressive towards him and wouldn’t let him within 8 inches of her anemone while she tried to sleep. He got the message and slept further away.

Come morning, she’s a lot more aggressive to him, not letting him get anywhere near her and also fully nipping his fins.

Saw this, now he’s back in the breeder box. I don’t want to stress him out too much since he was just added, but he is eating. How much longer would you all suggest I keep him in the breeder box? Or should I do something else?


Should I try putting my established clown in the breeder box and let the new one swim around for a bit instead?

Are they really a noticeable size difference? The pic of the black one in the box makes them look pretty similar in size.

 

[Tristan]

Are they really a noticeable size difference? The pic of the black one in the box makes them look pretty similar in size.

I’ll take a better pic when I get home, but the new clown is just over half of her body length

 

[Tristan]

I’ll take a better pic when I get home, but the new clown is just over half of her body length

Came home to the breeder box tipped over and taking up space by the anemone lol. I think it didn’t give my established clown enough room to swim around, so the two of them have been swimming around other parts of the tank together.

 

[Largeangels]

I'd leave it in there for a week if possible and fairly close to her as long as she's not attacking the other one stressing it out. If after a week you let it loose and still aggressive then try another one.

 

[Tristan]

Update:

The new clown has been out of the breeder box since Monday. Minimal aggression. During the day, the two will swim together (or more so next to each other) in certain areas of the tank. However, the new clown is not allowed anywhere near the anemone. So sometimes during the day, you’ll see my older clown in the anemone while the new clown is just swimming about. And at night, the new clown sleeps in a completely different place.

I was hoping they would bond, but I’ve seen no signs of the usual spazzing between the two to assert dominance. Just the occasional nips here and there. I think my old clown is just too territorial.