Clownfish trouble

[Jrco226]

My female clown has recently started to aggressively attack the male, however, she is the one showing signs of some sort of damage. Her mouth seems to be losing color but also deformed in some sort of way, as well as, loss of color in her pectoral fin. I've been researching on brookynella but nothing I've seen seems to match the mucus coating, heavy breathing, or fatigue. Could this just be damage she's doing to herself? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[michellejy]

Heavy breathing and appetite loss were the first signs I saw along with erratic swimming. The mucous coat didn't happen until a few hours before she died.

I'm just sharing that, not because I think it is brook, but so you look for the other signs rather than assuming you will see all at once.

I am sure @Humblefish and @melypr1985 will chime in with suggestions.

 

[melypr1985]

Are you sure they are male and female? Females will sometimes lock jaws with each other when fighting and you may not see this directly. That could be what's happening and why "her" face is taking damage.... she's losing the battles. How long have you had each of these? Do you have a picture of the two by each other. i kind of see the tale of the other and it looks pretty big for a male... at least compared to her.

 

[meir]

I recently bought a pair of young clowns and they paired up did the whole submissive dance and then just recently they started fighting like while the lights are on they are swimming together and all the cute stuff but as soon as the lights go out they start fighting and locking jaws a bit I am rly nervous abt what they r doing

 

[meir]

Are you sure they are male and female? Females will sometimes lock jaws with each other when fighting and you may not see this directly. That could be what's happening and why "her" face is taking damage.... she's losing the battles. How long have you had each of these? Do you have a picture of the two by each other. i kind of see the tale of the other and it looks pretty big for a male... at least compared to her.

Maybe uve heard of this

 

[melypr1985]

I recently bought a pair of young clowns and they paired up did the whole submissive dance and then just recently they started fighting like while the lights are on they are swimming together and all the cute stuff but as soon as the lights go out they start fighting and locking jaws a bit I am rly nervous abt what they r doing

The problem here is that I can't see the clowns and estimate their age. At a certain point clowns, even in a large group, can stop being juveniles and start asserting themselves. I constantly have groups of clowns at the store and they can come in larger than we usually get... about an inch to an inch and a half or so. At this point we start seeing aggression as the dominant ones start vying for the "top spot". I'm often in the position of helping customers pick the clowns they like best and at the same time attempt to steer them away from two clowns that look like they are already transitioning into a female. It takes a while for the "change" to happen but once it starts happening they can't stop and turn back. So if yours had already started that transition then at some point a war would start in your tank. Again, I'm just speculating because over the internet it's pretty difficult to decisively say "you have two females" or "they are just figuring it out".

 

[Humblefish]

Are you sure they are male and female? Females will sometimes lock jaws with each other when fighting and you may not see this directly. That could be what's happening and why "her" face is taking damage.... she's losing the battles. How long have you had each of these? Do you have a picture of the two by each other. i kind of see the tale of the other and it looks pretty big for a male... at least compared to her.

^^I agree, battle damage from two fighting females is the most likely explanation. Unless more evidence of a disease pops up. But from the pic, those two clowns look pretty close in size. Not what you want when pairing clowns IME - the male should be significantly smaller than the female to alleviate the risk of morphing.

 

[meir]

here they r

 

[meir]

Yeah but will a male and female jawlock ever

 

[meir]

Also can bit up lips grow back to normal full lips

 

[meir]

The problem here is that I can't see the clowns and estimate their age. At a certain point clowns, even in a large group, can stop being juveniles and start asserting themselves. I constantly have groups of clowns at the store and they can come in larger than we usually get... about an inch to an inch and a half or so. At this point we start seeing aggression as the dominant ones start vying for the "top spot". I'm often in the position of helping customers pick the clowns they like best and at the same time attempt to steer them away from two clowns that look like they are already transitioning into a female. It takes a while for the "change" to happen but once it starts happening they can't stop and turn back. So if yours had already started that transition then at some point a war would start in your tank. Again, I'm just speculating because over the internet it's pretty difficult to decisively say "you have two females" or "they are just figuring it out".

I brought them as a supposed mated pair and they were rly rly small then the drake clown just started growing and they paired up

 

[meir]

 

[meir]

 

[meir]

And just to be clear I had them special ordered for me and was there the day they came in and they came in the same bag so I just took that bag home when I got them they were very small

 

[Jrco226]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I've uploaded a picture from this morning to try and give a size reference. The aggressor of the two is slightly larger based on this photo. Hard to tell from the picture but I would say probably 1/2" in person difference. The pectoral fins seemed to have faded a little more this morning. They sleep in the same place together every night and the smaller of the two never shows aggression durning the day but I suppose that could change at night.

 

[meir]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I've uploaded a picture from this morning to try and give a size reference. The aggressor of the two is slightly larger based on this photo. Hard to tell from the picture but I would say probably 1/2" in person difference. The pectoral fins seemed to have faded a little more this morning. They sleep in the same place together every night and the smaller of the two never shows aggression durning the day but I suppose that could change at night.

Same with me mine only show aggression at night

 

[Humblefish]

IF the male is starting to morph into a female, it's a slow progression kinda thing. Kind of like when a marriage begins to slowly dissolve. ;) The female will skirmish with the morphing male, but things won't get too bad until the very end.

 

[Jrco226]

I guess we'll see if they can work things out in a civilized manner. New to the hobby so I appreciate all the help. Thanks again

 

[melypr1985]

That is some serious aggression! I think I would separate them and try for a new male. If they are acting like this often, then that's not a good pairing. IF it's just every now and then, then you can probably wait it out and see if they work it out.
- same for you @Jrco226

 

[Jrco226]

I'll try and post a video later of my two but I don't think it's as bad as Meir's. The male or what I suppose to be the male does do the submissive dance every once in a while.