Clownfish flipping dominance

[DomT92]

Hello,
So I have 2 onyx Picasso clownfish that were bought as a pair around June. They seemed on the smaller side when we got them so I don’t exactly know how old they were or how long they had actually been bonded. From the start Clown A took over the dominant role while Clown B showed the signs of submission. I was able to tell them apart because Clown B has a little more white on its belly. Clown A started to host an anemone while B sort of stayed away and when B would get close A would chase away but nothing aggressive B would flutter and go back to the anemone but at some distance. This continued for a bit and over time A was fine with B around the anemone during the day. At night B always went to a corner in the tank, I think it just liked it there. The last couple days there had been no issues between the two and were both swimming around the anemone and not doing anything aggressive towards each other. Friday night I noticed B was also staying in the anemone with A, with an occasional outburst from A but they would settle in. By the morning though B was back in its corner. Then later in the afternoon we noticed B had started being more aggressive towards A and actually had chased A out of the anemone. B would then go out of its way to chase and attack A on the opposite end of the tank I noticed A start to have some sort of marks on it and it was looking like it was tired and couldn’t catch a moment. I took B and placed it in an acclimation box. Sorry for the long story but I guess my question is can the submissive one flip and take over ? If the original dominant one is already female what will happen if the submissive one keeps trying to take over. One more point to add while A was in the anemone during feedings it really wouldn’t swim far out to get food it would eat I would always watch it eat something but B would join the rest of the fish and eat and also chase down more. Is it possible B got bigger than A because A wasn’t eating as much. If that’s the case while B is in the box do I try and target feed A more food to get A bigger again? I have videos I will post as well.

 

[Tahoe61]

Throughout their life cycle you will see incidents of the likely male displaying dominate behaviors, there will be nipping and sparing. Ninety-nine percent of the time this passes in a few days and they go back to their stereotypical roles.
If one clown shows torn fins, or clinging to the corner or surface you may need to intervene by putting the aggressor in the breeder box.

 

[DomT92]

 

[DomT92]

Here is a link to the video.

Clown B is in the anemone Clown A is by the wave maker

 

[KrisReef]

Classic description of juvenile (sexually immature) fished purchased as a LFS "mated pair."

The problem with young fish is that they may tolerate each other, with the weaker fish running the show for the first half of the relationship. THEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS!

The fish hit the magic age of puberty as a result of homonal cascades inside of the maturing fish. Those hormones are powerful intoxicants, and maturing fishes under the influence of hormones have been know to suddenly become insanely aggressive so that a once gentle little fish becomes a monster, biting, fighting, and ripping a new hole out of any other fish that looks like it might want to be the Queen.

I have seen many juvenile queens get dispatched by formerly docile subs once the hormones start flowing. This transition period causes a lot of fights to the death until the meanest queen ascends to the thrown. Any non-submissive clowns in the neighborhood will be beaten into submission or death until the new queen is comfortable with her court of men, or often with only one sub male left swimming.

 

[exnisstech]

You were sold two juvenile clown fish not a pair. Unfortunately that happens all the time and people are told they'll figure things out. Now yours are figuring things out. Sometimes its just a little squabble but I've seen it in in death.

 

[DomT92]

So will the separation help or once I let it out will it immediately go to try to kill the other one

 

[DomT92]

To Kris’s point with the sudden flow of hormones will those need to balance out and then it will be able to establish a hierarchy without trying to kill the other.