Best way to get your clown to calm down?

[JoJosReef]

After many months of peace in the tank, except for Ms. Clown chasing off the firefish whenever it comes out of its cave, the occelaris clown pair have become more hostile. This is a few weeks after the latest addition of a Cirrhilabrus brunneus fairy wrasse. At first, every was getting along great, swimming together in the open. Today, the clowns are chasing the brunneus and the firefish. The brunneus is staying in the back corners of the tank. Although Ms. Clown is my oldest fish, the wrasses are way more important to me than the clowns. So far I haven't seen them attack the pair of pink streak wrasses that hang out in the back.

Question: what methods have you found effective to get clowns to chill out? I have currently put Ms. Clown in acclimation box jail. Mr. Clown is still bothering the brunneus, but he's a bit less intense than the Ms. If worse comes to worse, I can move the clowns to the desk nano, but it'd be a pity since the clowns made a lively part of the tank dynamic (when they were peaceful). Thanks!!

 

[Tired]

Clownfish are aggressive. When they start to reach maturity, they get more aggressive. Rearranging the aquascape entirely to change up the territories can provide a temporary break, but once they claim territory again, they'll probably continue doing this.

 

[JoJosReef]

Clownfish are aggressive. When they start to reach maturity, they get more aggressive. Rearranging the aquascape entirely to change up the territories can provide a temporary break, but once they claim territory again, they'll probably continue doing this.

That's what I'm worried about. Not sure if any of my fish will stand up to the clowns. Might have to remove them to the nano.

 

[CBonito]

Your tank looks great! And I need to get one of those "jail" boxes too.

I think it may be wise to move them just because it seems that you've reached the point where they may feel a little claustrophobic. That's almost for sure why they have become aggressive. I like the idea of keeping clowns in their own specific tank anyway. I could be wrong though...maybe you can remove them for a while them reintroduce?

I am on my second diamond goby right now. We're on the third day now. I thought he was dead and gone yesterday. Didn't see him anywhere all day today. My flame hawk nipped his tail the other day and after some epic jumps into my lid, he disappeared. Been working on the tank all day and no sign of him. Suddenly he's just sitting there in the back corner by himself chilling out with his fins folded down. He looks fine. I think the aggression will stop. I expected it from the midas blenny, but he's actually cool. My flame hawk is the big D.

 

[JoJosReef]

Your tank looks great! And I need to get one of those "jail" boxes too.

I think it may be wise to move them just because it seems that you've reached the point where they may feel a little claustrophobic. That's almost for sure why they have become aggressive. I like the idea of keeping clowns in their own specific tank anyway. I could be wrong though...maybe you can remove them for a while them reintroduce?

I am on my second diamond goby right now. We're on the third day now. I thought he was dead and gone yesterday. Didn't see him anywhere all day today. My flame hawk nipped his tail the other day and after some epic jumps into my lid, he disappeared. Been working on the tank all day and no sign of him. Suddenly he's just sitting there in the back corner by himself chilling out with his fins folded down. He looks fine. I think the aggression will stop. I expected it from the midas blenny, but he's actually cool. My flame hawk is the big D.

Sounds like it. Oh well, more room for wrasses in the 40. Will need to get a new ATO for the nano and start cooking some rocks.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

My clowns were breeding every couple weeks and very protective of their space. I put in a small Scopias and it went over to their space and said "Hey this is an awesome space you got here can I hang out?" Without waiting for an answer, just started hanging out in their breeding space. That put the Kabash on playing the Barry White album and the clown aggression died. I also rescued a Blue Throat Wrasse from my LFS and he bonded to the Scopias. Now all my fish hang out in one corner of the tank including a Starry Blenny and a Bangai Cardinal.
Cleaning the tank has never been so peaceful.

 

[Katrina71]

I'd try putting a mirror on the side of the tank where they usually hang out. Easy fix if it redirects the aggressive behavior.

 

[CBonito]

Sounds like it. Oh well, more room for wrasses in the 40. Will need to get a new ATO for the nano and start cooking some rocks.

I want another wrasse too. My melanurus is turning into a fatty. I'm waiting until there are a lot more corals in the tank before adding any more fish though. I want there to be lots more hiding spaces and I need to let my Diamond Goby settle in. I need him to keep the sand clean.

 

[CBonito]

I'd try putting a mirror on the side of the tank where they usually hang out. Easy fix if it redirects the aggressive behavior.

"You guys want to start trouble....start trouble with yourselves! Here's a mirror have at it!!!"
I did this with my german shepherds when they were puppies.

 

[Cdavis66]

How in the world do you guys catch your fish with rock structures? I tried to catch one of my clowns for an hour and just gave up.

 

[kevgib67]

"You guys want to start trouble....start trouble with yourselves! Here's a mirror have at it!!!"
I did this with my german shepherds when they were puppies.

You had German shepherds in your reef tank? It must have been a big tank!

 

[CBonito]

You had German shepherds in your reef tank? It must have been a big tank!

When they were puppies, I should have kept them in a tank! It would have saved me a few centimeters of bald spot, property damage, and one turd that went UP THE WALL. Don't ask me how they did that. I don't even think I could do that.

 

[kevgib67]

When they were puppies, I should have kept them in a tank! It would have saved me a few centimeters of bald spot, property damage, and one turd that went UP THE WALL. Don't ask me how they did that. I don't even think I could do that.

I’ve never had more than one puppy at a time, I can’t imagine!

 

[CBonito]

I’ve never had more than one puppy at a time, I can’t imagine!

Yeah! And I'm a single guy with a restaurant, so it was rough man. All the times, I've sidewalk surfed teaching them both how to walk on a leash at night in the winter took years off my life....and being dragged through the pet store.

 

[kevgib67]

Yeah! And I'm a single guy with a restaurant, so it was rough man. All the times, I've sidewalk surfed teaching them both how to walk on a leash at night in the winter took years off my life....and being dragged through the pet store.

Ya but the unconditional love and the waiting at the door and acting like they haven’t seen you in months when it was just earlier in the morning. My wife and kids don’t do that!

 

[CBonito]

Ya but the unconditional love and the waiting at the door and acting like they haven’t seen you in months when it was just earlier in the morning. My wife and kids don’t do that!

And all the panicked whining when I go within one foot of my keys...