Clownfish bullying

1epauletteshark · Jan 11, 2023

My bigger clownfish suffered a loss as her friend that she had paired with got eaten by a gorilla crab. My anemone has been continuously moving and it might be because of this. My bigger "assumed female" clownfish has been aggressively attacking my new smaller one and I even saw it lock gills this evening. What steps should I take? I would prefer to be able to keep both, any strategies? Should I return the bigger one as she is the only one showing any signs of aggression, or return both and get a new pair that have been kept together? What is the best plan of action in this situation?

1epauletteshark · Jan 11, 2023

They both stay in the anemone but the bigger one is constantly chasing it away and it always comes back

1epauletteshark · Jan 11, 2023

The anemone is even flipping over and its tips are in the sand... anyways that's not the point. Any advice?

1epauletteshark · Jan 12, 2023

Bump
Any ideas at all?

Aaron75 · Jan 12, 2023

In cases of extreme aggression, some people use those clip on acclimation boxes and put the bigger (female) in there, kinda like putting a kid in timeout. This will allow the smaller one to get used to the tank and find their spots to hide or escape routes. As far as the anemone, maybe turn down flow to avoid any disasters and just monitor.

1epauletteshark · Jan 12, 2023

Aaron75 said:
In cases of extreme aggression, some people use those clip on acclimation boxes and put the bigger (female) in there, kinda like putting a kid in timeout. This will allow the smaller one to get used to the tank and find their spots to hide or escape routes. As far as the anemone, maybe turn down flow to avoid any disasters and just monitor.

Thanks! Ill turn down flow, the problem with the clown is that they both want the anemone and they both spend all their time in it and if I take the bigger one out the minute she goes back in she will try to chase him out of the anemone.

blksubykid · Jan 12, 2023

Yup. Put my female in an acclimation box for little over a week when I introduced a wrasse. She “tolerates” him now and occasionally chases him away from anyone of the LPS she hosts.

There were times when my female was super aggressive to my male and they were QTed and introduced into the track together (pushing 3 years) she’s especially aggressive during feeding but it seems they worked things out over time. Now they both mean as hell and I can’t put anything in the tank without them going ape crap

1epauletteshark · Jan 12, 2023

blksubykid said:
Yup. Put my female in an acclimation box for little over a week when I introduced a wrasse. She “tolerates” him now and occasionally chases him away from anyone of the LPS she hosts.

So you recommend that too?

blksubykid · Jan 12, 2023

1epauletteshark said:
So you recommend that too?

It’s worth a shot. Clownfish can get pretty aggressive in my experience. Mine both are assh***s

1epauletteshark · Jan 12, 2023

Alright I’ll look into it thanks, any other ideas?

1epauletteshark · Jan 12, 2023

Just got back home and the smaller clown's bottom fins are shredded and it has been exiled from the anemone + looks super depressed. I can only go out to get a quarantine box tomorrow do you think he will be ok till then?