Clown Pairing Issue/question.

[QBang]

So these are my Snowflake Long Fins purchased as similar juveniles and added to Display in August, so about 5 months ago.

This is literally how they sit every day. One has started hosting with the anemone a couple months ago. At that time, she (seemingly more dominant) would chase the other away every time he tried to get close.

Now they really don't fight and he stays in this general area all day and she stays in anemone unless it's feeding time. At night, he goes in and they share and sleep in the Anemone together like they were paired but by the next morning it's like she kicks him out again and they are in this position all day until the next night. LoL

So apparently they haven't fully paired and are similar in size. Will they ever mature and pair and share the Anemones all day? Or is this a lost cause and is everyone's experience here that at this point they won't fully pair and if I want that, I need to replace the vagrant one with a new smaller juvenile that she would let pair with her?

Just curious cause I never had this issue with previous clowns...

 

[TX_REEF]

This is normal. I often see one member of the pair more actively stay in the nem with the other nearby, then both "share" it at night. Both my ocellaris and maroon pairs behave like this.

 

[Euphyllia97]

Not abnormal in my opinion :)

 

[Tahoe61]

You have perfectly normal clowns. It doesn't seem practical to risk introducing a new fish that has the potential to introduce disease, or potentially not be accepted by the dominant female.
Clowns live along time, the dynamics of their interactions change. Clowns don't wander far from their territory.
If you do anything get an entirely new pair, not of designer style and quarantine prior to introduction to the display.

 

[QBang]

Thanks for the replies. I guess it's not really an issue but it does seem like the other clown is not happy just swimming in one little area all day. Haha. Glad to hear this is pretty normal.

 

[QBang]

You have perfectly normal clowns. It doesn't seem practical to risk introducing a new fish that has the potential to introduce disease, or potentially not be accepted by the dominant female.
Clowns live along time, the dynamics of their interactions change. Clowns don't wander far from their territory.
If you do anything get an entirely new pair, not of designer style and quarantine prior to introduction to the display.

Thanks! Yeah I would always QT before introducing a different clown or new pair. I agree this is probably normal and will be fun to see how this behavior may change over the next couple years.