Clownfish Help!

[LCashman76]

Hello all,

I ordered a bonded pair of Vivid Fancy Roundtail Longfin clowns. Unfortunately one was DOA. The survivor is the sweet cheeks small baby in the video. He is more white. The store sent me a replacement today, the larger more orange one.

1) Do you the orange one is a regular vivid fancy and not the roundtail longfin?
2) I've noticed the larger one nipping at the baby a few times. Should I be worried? Is this just because they are new together? What can I do to help them bond?

I am very partial to the little one and want him to be safe and happy with the other fish.

Thank you!!
Lorie

 

[exnisstech]

I can't comment on type as I'm not knowledgeable enough. I would have an issue tho since you bought a bonded pair and now your stuck having to hope they bond without too much fighting and there's even the possibility of one being killed. IMO the reason for buying a bonded pair is to not have to deal with bonding a pair yourself.

 

[D-Nak]

The smaller fish definitely looks darker--it might be a mocha or possibly even part Photon. In terms of the nipping, just keep an eye on it. If it gets too abusive or is noticeably stressing out the smaller fish, you may need to separate them.

The problem with longfins in general is that the longer fins are a magnet for nipping, from not just the other clowns but possibly other fish in the tank.

 

[Daz_1978]

As far as the 'nipping' goes... That's kind of how the female is decided. If it gets bad, you might have to separate them. Sometimes the pairing doesn't work... Hope for the submission dance!

We typically mix a larger one and a smaller one, so there's less 'duking it out' for dominance. The bigger one is simply naturally in charge and will most likely become female.

If you see the smaller one have a seizure, don't sweat it. That's how they display that they're willing to be submissive.

If you had a ton of little clowns in a tank, they'll all be prepubescent boys (kinda). The larger and more aggressive one will become female, never to be male again. The second most aggressive will become a mature male.
The rest just kind of stay 'boys in waiting'.
If the female dies, the male will become female... and the next most aggressive one will mature as a male.
The cycle will repeat... Assuming the female doesn't kill all the rest.

 

[BryanM]

yeah, I don't know what I would do in this situation either, as I "paid up" for a bonded pair. I never even thought about the possibility of one not making it. That sucks.

 

[Daz_1978]

yeah, I don't know what I would do in this situation either, as I "paid up" for a bonded pair. I never even thought about the possibility of one not making it. That sucks.

I fully believe that "bonded pairs" are simply where they threw a larger one and a smaller one together and they didn't kill each other. It's more marketing than reality, IMO.

If you were to buy a "mated pair", that would be a different story!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I think they'll be fine, just keep your eyes on the smaller one for nips in the fins. might need to be separated in a breader box, but not yet.
Looks like they're figuring out who's the dominate one is.

 

[BryanM]

I fully believe that "bonded pairs" are simply where they threw a larger one and a smaller one together and they didn't kill each other. It's more marketing than reality, IMO.

If you were to buy a "mated pair", that would be a different story!

Well, in my case, my bonded pair swims together almost all of the time, sleeps together, etc. So they do what I was hoping for :)

 

[Daz_1978]

Well, in my case, my bonded pair swims together almost all of the time, sleeps together, etc. So they do what I was hoping for :)

I had a pair like that once upon a time... They were so sweet. They slept an inch away from each other and were never more than a few inches apart. They weren't even in the same tank when I bought them, just a severe mismatch in size. One was Ocellaris and the other Percula.

Fast forward... The larger of the two I have now has random mood swings! 99% of the time they're cool, and then a psycho moment! They hang out in the same area and sleep near each other. Nothing like the other two. Both are Ocellaris (Not sure if that makes a difference).