Clownfish Aggression

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi everyone, I recently got a pair of clownfish a little over a month ago and everything seemed to be fine up until today when I came back from work today and saw that one of the clowns was not looking too good and its pelvic fins are pretty torn up. The other clown keeps chasing and nipping at the other. I know they can be aggressive towards each other for dominance but it looks kinda bad. This just started happening out of nowhere. The one that is getting bullied looks kinda weak and I saw it have a sort of "seizure" like movement. Is this something to be concerned about or is it just normal aggression?
 

Uncle99

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
10,506
Reaction score
15,974
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Can be normal, may stop, may end in either disease or death.

Two females will end badly if that’s what they are.

Or female not accepting male, so out he goes.

Sorry,
 
OP
OP
J

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Can be normal, may stop, may end in either disease or death.

Two females will end badly if that’s what they are.

Or female not accepting male, so out he goes.

Sorry,
They’re both pretty small I don’t think one has transitioned yet but obviously clearly one has dominance
 

Uncle99

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
10,506
Reaction score
15,974
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They’re both pretty small I don’t think one has transitioned yet but obviously clearly one has dominance
That rules the two females issue out.
Is the attack relentless?
When fins get damaged, that’s a problem, gotta stop that through either separation, or maybe a mirror might cause the aggressor to pay less attention to the weaker.

Dominance yes, damage no.
 

PharmrJohn

The Dude Abides
View Badges
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
2,761
Reaction score
6,561
Location
Shelton, Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They’re both pretty small I don’t think one has transitioned yet but obviously clearly one has dominance
If they are both small it's very unlikely that either has transitioned. I'd say both are sexless at this point. It takes a year or more for them to start their journey down this road.
 
OP
OP
J

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That rules the two females issue out.
Is the attack relentless?
When fins get damaged, that’s a problem, gotta stop that through either separation, or maybe a mirror might cause the aggressor to pay less attention to the weaker.

Dominance yes, damage no.
yea it's pretty constant...will it just keep bullying the other or will it stop at some point?
 

jsmkmavity

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 21, 2023
Messages
66
Reaction score
45
Location
Sandpoint
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Better to start with more than 2.
What type of clowns?
Maroon and cinnamon can be very aggressive
 

jsmkmavity

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 21, 2023
Messages
66
Reaction score
45
Location
Sandpoint
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Fin nipping is common but the ocellaris will usually sort it out when small, but you may need to put a divider in for a while.
Adding mor now may make them all gang up on the weak one. But in the futur try do start with 5 and plan to give one away later after 4 pair up.
 
OP
OP
J

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I should have asked what size tank and how much rock/places to hide/defend?
not a very big tank 15 gallons so even 2 is pushing it, there is plenty of structure to get away from the other one but it still seems to be finding and bothering it
 

Uncle99

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
10,506
Reaction score
15,974
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
yea it's pretty constant...will it just keep bullying the other or will it stop at some point?
IME, if the chasing is here and there with no damage, then it can work out.

But if the chasing is consistent including psychical damage, the weaker will either die, or may fall victim to disease.

Whenever there’s direct contact, the bully should be removed and separated for 48 hours then retry with a change in rock work.
 

Uncle99

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
10,506
Reaction score
15,974
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
also any explanation for the sudden increase in aggression?
This happens from time to time but except for just before nesting in which the male is not accepted for this tasks, the change at this point with two juveniles is a bit odd.

I’ve had this happen to me before but not with to juveniles, especially occs.
 

exnisstech

Grumpy old man
View Badges
Joined
Feb 11, 2019
Messages
10,593
Reaction score
15,225
Location
Ashland Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
, I recently got a pair of clownfish

You got two clownfish not a pair. Maybe you'll get lucky maybe not. There are many threads asking why are my clownfish fighting all of a sudden. Some people end up with a pair and some end up with a single female. IME adding a single fish and allow it to transition before adding a male has been 100% succesful. Unfortunately many people do not have the patience to do this. So they buy two cute little fish and here we are. No disrespect meant just voicing my experience having successfully paired several times including maroons. I've had failures as well. I introduced two at once the first time and ended with one.
 
OP
OP
J

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
IME, if the chasing is here and there with no damage, then it can work out.

But if the chasing is consistent including psychical damage, the weaker will either die, or may fall victim to disease.

Whenever there’s direct contact, the bully should be removed and separated for 48 hours then retry with a change in rock work.
i just got a breeder box to separate them for a while, which one do you think i should put in the box?
 

Uncle99

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
10,506
Reaction score
15,974
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i just got a breeder box to separate them for a while, which one do you think i should put in the box?
Me, I put the bad guy, and watch very carefully.

48 hours, then return, consider a small mirror so it looks like there’s another bully if possible, sometimes that can help. But now put the other into the box and see what the bully does.

Maybe a small rock, the intention is to open new territory, is doesn’t take much.

I’ve had this both work in one instance, and do nothing in another. But it’s a try.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
J

Jarrito

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
61
Reaction score
8
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Me, I put the bad guy, and watch very carefully.

48 hours, then return, consider a small mirror so it looks like there’s another bully if possible, sometimes that can help. But now put the other into the box and see what the bully does.

Maybe a small rock, the intention is to open new territory, is doesn’t take much.

I’ve had this both work in one instance, and do nothing in another. But it’s a try.
hi i just noticed that they both seemed to be both twitching and having those seizure like movements, if its a form of submission why is the larger one doing it to the smaller one and still bullying him? The larger one seems to be bothering the little guy a tiny bit less...
 

HAVE YOU EVER KEPT A RARE/UNCOMMON FISH, CORAL, OR INVERT? SHOW IT OFF IN THE THREAD!

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top