Help!!!!.....My clown fish are fighting

[Larry101]

I bought a pair of ocellaris clownfish at my LFS on Thursday. Currently it is Sunday, but today is the first day I have seen such behavior like this. One fish is slightly bigger and the bigger one is nipping the fins on the smaller one. My LFS told me to put the aggressive one into the net for 10 minutes if this were to happen. I did as directed, but it didn’t help a bit. What do you guys propose. I want 2 healthy and loving fish that will be able to live peacefully in a soon to be reef tank, not 2 fighting aggressive fish. What should I do?

 

[Intense37754]

They’re fighting for dominance. Take one or both back and get 2 from same clutch or if only one than make sure it is way smaller than the one you keep

 

[C_mo97]

I would take the bigger aggressive one back and get one that is smaller than the one you still have that way it’ll become the dominant one and hopefully less aggressive.

 

[Peace River]

Clownfish are amazing creatures and they are wired for dominance even to the point where that is part of how one of them emerges as a female and one as the male. It is not unusual for this process to include aggression. Once the dominance is established they typically will interact well although nothing is guaranteed with clowns. If you want peaceful fish that never demonstrate aggression then clownfish may not be your best option. If you would like help on how to redirect and manage the aggression then we are glad to help and share with you what we have learned over the years about the beauty, frustration, and mystery of these really neat fish!

 

[scottedontknow]

Let them go. This is totally natural behavior, one is just establishing them self as the female. Keep them a lot

 

[scottedontknow]

They’re fighting for dominance. Take one or both back and get 2 from same clutch or if only one than make sure it is way smaller than the one you keep

This is not correct. This will happen no matter what, it’s what clowns are programmed to do. They fight it out until one gives up and becomes the male again this totally natural.

 

[Intense37754]

This is not correct. This will happen no matter what, it’s what clowns are programmed to do. They fight it out until one gives up and becomes the male again this totally natural.

It is correct and yes that is true that one will give in and a most will but there is always a chance neither will give up, battle till one dies or sit in the corner and starve to death and the way the OP worded his post they did not want to see the worst outcome.

 

[Jagg]

Try playing this to them

 

[scottedontknow]

Again it’s natural. And one a very very small percentage end up in death of one clown. And 99% of the time if because two females were put together without knowing and they will always fight to the death. Or if they are both the same size and of equal strengths.

 

[scottedontknow]

Try playing this to them

Link doesn’t work :-(

 

[Intense37754]

Again it’s natural. And one a very very small percentage end up in death of one clown. And 99% of the time if because two females were put together without knowing and they will always fight to the death. Or if they are both the same size and of equal strengths.

video is sooo fiting

We need to remember that they are in the same family as Damsels lol

we have a tank with two ocellaris that after over a year are starting to sort things out
another tank has 2 clarki that the larger keeps chasing and torturing the smaller and even attempts to bully a yellow tang

 

[Jagg]

May need to separate them.

 

[OrangeCountyReefer]

Mine did the same thing when I got them, they are just trying to figure out who is gonna be the dominant one. It’s just how it goes. Eventually they will calm down but there will always be some sort of fighting between them.

 

[scottedontknow]

Pair on the left and the pair in the middle use to fight all the time. The pair in the middle I actually thought I was going to lose the male as his fines got ripped up really bad before I noticed what was happening. Now they all lay eggs every 14 days lol and haven’t fought since.

 

[scottedontknow]

I happen to know a thing or two about clowns Also my oldest pair going on 6 years old and still thriving

 

[KrisReef]

I've been married for 31 years. The behavior you are seeing is totally natural.

If you don't want a fight then don't keep a pair.

Now, for dominance issues, you should assert your dominance in the tank by being "The Hand." Clownfish are notorious for setting up pecking orders of dominance. If you don't like the larger fish chasing the smaller fish then put The Hand in the tank and chase the offender around. If it attacks you, swat it with your hand and let it know you are the boss. My fish all respect The Hand and by being the dominant predator in my tank I keep order and fighting to a minimum. This will also help later when you are introducing new fish. If the tank knows you don't like fighting they can be trained to stop.

Most people train their dogs, right? Be The Hand & Good Luck.

 

[pseudorand]

Now, for dominance issues, you should assert your dominance in the tank by being "The Hand." Clownfish are notorious

You can't be serious. How do you make sure you don't injure your fish?

My Clarkiis viciously attack my hand when I clean the substrate. It doesn't hurt, but it's quite surprising when they get in a good hit. And it's getting worse. At first only the female had the guts to attack and she mosly tried to get the gravel vacuum. But now they both bombard me relentlessly, and they've figured out that my hand is the thing to go for.

I try to shoo them away, but they still always get in a hit or two. I'm always afraid I'll jerk my hand and knock one of them senseless. Or that they might actually draw blood while my hand is too close to a zoa. Then I guess we'd find out who's really dominant in the tank.