Injured clown advice

brandondavidson · Jan 16, 2024

Hello. So I have a regular ocellaris clown and a mocha storm clown. The plain OC is larger than the storm. I had them both in my 6 gallon nano reef tank, and long story short I learned the hard way and didn’t quarantine and OC started acting weird for a few days but went back to normal after adding some API general cure +seachem focus in their food. Then a few days after that storm starts acting weird and gets a weird mucus on part of him. So I set up a QT 3 days ago, did FW dips, have been slowly raising copper levels and plan to do formalin baths and prazi pro as well. My issue now is that when my fish were in the display tank they were best friends; yes the occasional chasing with the OC being the clear dominant fish but never any physical biting, but they wouldn’t swim anywhere without each other and everyone was happy. Fast forward to yesterday the storm’s tail is nearly completely gone! I was shocked because OC has never had this much aggression at all and ever since I noticed the storm’s tail was missing I have watched the OC aggressively bite him multiple times. I have a tank divider on the way arriving today but for now the OC is in a plastic specimen container hanging in the tank with a cover an Airstone. Worth mentioning — when I woke up this morning his tail is even worse— it has been nipped down past just the “tail” part. He also is missing like half of one of his pectoral fins. I feel awful for my storm and I’m not sure what to do going forward. Any advice? Will the storm’s tail ever grow back since it has been chewed down so much? Will these two even be compatible back in the display tank again? Can I still continue with the QT treatment protocol as planned? Thanks.

TX_REEF · Jan 16, 2024

You always run this risk with clowns, even more so when they aren't exactly the same visually. If I were in your situation, I'd rehome whichever clown you like less. Also, in my humble opinion, 6 gallons is too small for 1 clown long term, let alone a pair. They need more space full stop, and with 2, there is little room for a tormented clown to escape aggression. Tiny reefs are cute, but we have to remember to be kind to its occupants as well. There are other fish more suited to a tank that small.

Nemo&Friends · Jan 16, 2024

I do not know much about injuries, so I will let others to answer, but they will need pictures of the injuries.
I also thing that 2 clowns in a 6 G is too much. You should only keep one in that small of a tank.

brandondavidson · Jan 16, 2024

TX_REEF said:
You always run this risk with clowns, even more so when they aren't exactly the same visually. If I were in your situation, I'd rehome whichever clown you like less. Also, in my humble opinion, 6 gallons is too small for 1 clown long term, let alone a pair. They need more space full stop, and with 2, there is little room for a tormented clown to escape aggression. Tiny reefs are cute, but we have to remember to be kind to its occupants as well. There are other fish more suited to a tank that small.

Thanks for your reply. I didn’t mention that the larger of the clowns is barely an inch in length and the smaller guy is about 3/4 of an inch. I do not plan to keep these guys in the 6gal long term, and I’m already preparing for my future upgrade to a 20gal. The thing that is strange to me is the sudden aggression after entering the QT tank? I guess the change in tank can cause a change in the underlying dynamic between them? Maybe more so since the only thing I have in there is a PVC pipe. They were totally fine together and seemed to be bonding in my display tank before QT. You recommended rehoming one which I’m not completely opposed to but if I rehomed the storm I’m not sure of anyone/any LFS that would want an injured/potentially sick. Am I right in that assumption? Thank you.