established clown pair fighting

[_cpate3_]

Yes I know clowns fight to establish their mate, however these fish have been mated for the past year and a half. The pair became aggressive so they moved into a smaller tank and all was fine this was about 6 months ago.

Then my other larger tank emptied out so I moved the clowns in there to hopefully give them a bigger space. From what I saw they hated it and started fighting worse than I’ve ever seen.

Then I moved them back into their small tank where things were fine hoping it would go back to normal but it didn’t. I put the female in an acclimation box, to rest and for a week things settled down, however I just released her and they’re immediately started lip locking and fin nipping.

The lights go off and they sleep together, they have already been established for a long time, I’m not sure what is going on or what I should do at this point. I could separate the 2, but then the male would turn female and they could never be paired again. Thoughts?

 

[Subsea]

This post is not newbie Reefing. I suggest you put it in the fish discussion forum or reef discussion forum.

When you say “they have been mated” does that mean they reproduced.

“The lights go off and they sleep together, they have already been established for a long time, I’m not sure what is going on or what I should do at this point. I could separate the 2, but then the male would turn female and they could never be paired again. Thoughts?”

Assuming that a paired male clown would revert to a female is not likely.

It is true that in clown fish society most fish are immature males. Within that group, an alpha male dominates and mates with the Female. If the female is removed then the male morphs to a female.

 

[exnisstech]

Have they spawned? If not then they are not a mated pair and the male may have decided he wants to be a she. This happens often when people introduce 2 clowns at once and assume they will become a pair.

 

[_cpate3_]

Have they spawned? If not then they are not a mated pair and the male may have decided he wants to be a she. This happens often when people introduce 2 clowns at once and assume they will become a pair.

I apologize for the confusion. They have never spawned, however I ordered them from a breeder may 2023, they have always been in a tank together, did their initial mating fight, and were fine until a few months ago. I’ve had this pair since they were less than an inch big and now they are about 2 inches. There has been a female and male for certain as nothing has changed from when they were first introduced they have always shared a tank for over a year.

 

[Subsea]

I apologize for the confusion. They have never spawned, however I ordered them from a breeder may 2023, they have always been in a tank together, did their initial mating fight, and were fine until a few months ago. I’ve had this pair since they were less than an inch big and now they are about 2 inches. There has been a female and male for certain as nothing has changed from when they were first introduced they have always shared a tank for over a year.

OK you have two clowns that have not spawned and they got along ok for a year, not so much now.

Buy 3 more clowns and put all 5 in the big tank.

I have 3 ocellaris clowns, all males, hosting in a large leather for 5 years and they do have a pecking order.

 

[Tahoe61]

Turn off the lights for a day or two and change up the scape. If that doesn't work put the larger clown in a breeders box for a multiple day time out.

 

[_cpate3_]

Turn off the lights for a day or two and change up the scape. If that doesn't work put the larger clown in a breeders box for a multiple day time out.

She’s been in one for a week, I released her, and she instantly attacked

 

[Peair]

It just seems like it's an ongoing battle till one kills the other, I would sperate before this happens.

 

[dinosaur_1552]

I ordered them from a breeder may 2023, they have always been in a tank together, did their initial mating fight, and were fine until a few months ago. I’ve had this pair since they were less than an inch big and now they are about 2 inches.

Sounds to me they've been together as juvenile all these times (they are not mature when they are 1 inch long) and now they got to the point that one of them want to become female and something might or might not went wrong.

Is there a big size difference? What damage the smaller one suffered? Does any of them submit or did it before? (turn sideways and shaking fast).

Establishment of dominance can be sometimes ruthless, parts of fins bitten off, grabbing the other and shaking it, bigger not letting the smaller eat, even a little bit of ocassional lip locking, smaller eventually one running "for life" and hiding can be all normal and can go on for months with varied intensity.

Its hard to say though what happens in your case, cause you say they instantly lip lock, but in the evening they go sleep together?

So is it then:
a) they ocassionally fight, sometimes quite badly but they are sometimes almost peacefully together and sleep together
b) they constantly lip lock and fight without any pause unless you separate them

If its the latter how they sleep together at night, probably one would kill the other very fast in a CONSTANT fight?

The lights go off and they sleep together

 

[Tahoe61]

Not unusual at all. You added what you presume to be a female to a tank with an existing clown? You might have two females, or maturing females, and that is not going to work out.