Clowns fighting after one started hosting nem

[seanu13]

Hi! I've had a pair of frostbite clowns for a few months that came with a significant enough size difference that one would clearly be dominate. The larger one was at least 1.5x the size of the smaller and still is. They're both still juvenile I think. They had slept together and stayed in one corner of the tank up until recently, and the larger one would show aggression with food and seemed dominant. "She" (the larger one, probably still male? I'm going to say She and he from here on for simplicity) has always been easily frightened and was the one that wanted to stay in the corner.

The smaller one on the other hand finally discovered a nearby anemone and started hosting it. She has shown no interest and they've been sleeping separately. Him in the nem, her in her corner. When feeding, he defends the nem. Staring each other down.

I moved them to another tank today with the nem and she started showing interest, but he's clearly not letting her and started biting her and even holding on. She's now going back to a new corner in the new tank and giving up I suppose.

I've read they will work it out but I find it strange that the much smaller one is the aggressor suddenly - I suppose due to her personality - and I'm worried if she just stays away they won't actually work anything out. I'd hoped her showing interest in the nem and staying close by at least would allow them to working it out, but she's staying away again.

Thanks for any input!

 

[lapin]

Send them to therapy

 

[exnisstech]

IME just because one was larger doesn't mean that it has transitioned to female already and the other hasn't.
I always keep a single for 6 months to a year then add the smallest male I can find. Introducing two males may work out and one transition and it may not work. Time will tell. And maybe you have a pair and they just like to bicker but locking mouths usualy means they are deciding who will transition. I suspect he retreated not her

 

[seanu13]

IME just because one was larger doesn't mean that it has transitioned to female already and the other hasn't.
I always keep a single for 6 months to a year then add the smallest male I can find. Introducing two males may work out and one transition and it may not work. Time will tell. And maybe you have a pair and they just like to bicker but locking mouths usualy means they are deciding who will transition. I suspect he retreated not her

oh yeah I figured it's probable that neither had transitioned yet, it just makes it easier for me somehow to call one a she for conversation's sake. I just thought it was odd that the smaller one had become the aggressor due to the nem after a few months of the bigger one being the aggressor. I'll keep an eye out, thank you!