How long do clowns terrorize before pairing?

[Matt Miller]

I have 2 great looking frostbites and I'm not sure how long to let the picking go on. I took a little video to show his tattered fins. They both eat well, with the slightly larger one attacking the smaller but they both eat plenty. The smaller one usually tries to hide out somewhere till he gets spotted and chased around a bit.

I've read through tons of these posts about mean clowns but I'm just not sure how long to let it go on.

I can put the smaller one in my 3nd tank if necessary but I really want them to pair up. Their only other tank mate is a firefish that's been in before them. They never mess with the firefish just each other.


I don't think the smaller is on the brink of death, but I'm not sure how long this usually goes on before they make nice

 

[Peace River]

Unfortunately there is not a set schedule or timeframe for pairing. Additionally, the aggression can come up out of the blue, but IME it is most common initially and when mating. Sometimes they pair quickly, sometimes it takes a long time, and still other times it never happens. If there is such a thing as "normal" then it is somewhere in between. I usually wait out the chasing and some fin nipping. The things to watch for that would prompt me to separate the fish is if there is body damage, fin infection, or the smaller one isn't allowed to eat at all for several days. Hierarchy wired into them so aggression is often part of the process - this is part of the mystery, frustration, and miracle of working with clownfish.

 

[Matt Miller]

Unfortunately there is not a set schedule or timeframe for pairing. Additionally, the aggression can come up out of the blue, but IME it is most common initially and when mating. Sometimes they pair quickly, sometimes it takes a long time, and still other times it never happens. If there is such a thing as "normal" then it is somewhere in between. I usually wait out the chasing and some fin nipping. The things to watch for that would prompt me to separate the fish is if there is body damage, fin infection, or the smaller one isn't allowed to eat at all for several days. Hierarchy wired into them so aggression is often part of the process - this is part of the mystery, frustration, and miracle of working with clownfish.

Thanks, this is my first pairing I've been through. I had some paired clowns in the past so I didn't get to go through it first hand like this.

I see a lot of these posts and didn't want to ask but really didn't want to lose my clown with an M on his head lol.

 

[iMi]

Even if they pair, they will require periodic marriage counseling because one will inevitably decide to remind the other who’s boss from time to time.

 

[MJV15]

I have 2 great looking frostbites and I'm not sure how long to let the picking go on. I took a little video to show his tattered fins. They both eat well, with the slightly larger one attacking the smaller but they both eat plenty. The smaller one usually tries to hide out somewhere till he gets spotted and chased around a bit.

I've read through tons of these posts about mean clowns but I'm just not sure how long to let it go on.

I can put the smaller one in my 3nd tank if necessary but I really want them to pair up. Their only other tank mate is a firefish that's been in before them. They never mess with the firefish just each other.


I don't think the smaller is on the brink of death, but I'm not sure how long this usually goes on before they make nice

It took mine almost 7 months before the chasing stopped completely. It would tapper off for a week or so and right about the time I would say “they sorted things out” the big lady one would start to chase the guy around. But it’s now been months with no issues.
Keep the tank well feed as that will help with any possible food aggression issues.

Good luck and enjoy the show as they sort their relationship out.

 

[Matt Miller]

Even if they pair, they will require periodic marriage counseling because one will inevitably decide to remind the other who’s boss from time to time.

Lol this I can handle

It took mine almost 7 months before the chasing stopped completely. It would tapper off for a week or so and right about the time I would say “they sorted things out” the big lady one would start to chase the guy around. But it’s now been months with no issues.
Keep the tank well feed as that will help with any possible food aggression issues.

Good luck and enjoy the show as they sort their relationship out.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I still overfeed and I'll just keep monitoring. I'll be happy when it slows down to the occasional spats.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

I have had three pairs (2 sets were maroons, the last one, unsuccessful, were Fires). In the first instance of Maroons, the two settled down pretty quickly within days and laid eggs for over a decade until the passing of the female. The second pair bonded over time (in a large 125 gallon/6' tank) but never laid eggs. With the third pair I had to eventually isolate the male Fireclown as the female was driving him to hide under the rock until he couldn't handle even that and was severely injured. (That was about 6-8 months after introduction).

So it is a grey judgement call, and one which if you decide to push it could result in a "too late" type of action, or could result in a long lived "happy" marriage of clowns. Generally the more chances the smaller clown has of retreating the better, so in a nano tank like yours you just have to observe carefully to decide when things have gone too far (clouded eyes, not eating, severe injuries, constant hiding, etc). As popular as clownfish are, nobody (who has kept enough of them) ever says they are easy. . Good luck!

 

[shred5]

I have had three pairs (2 sets were maroons, the last one, unsuccessful, were Fires). In the first instance of Maroons, the two settled down pretty quickly within days and laid eggs for over a decade until the passing of the female. The second pair bonded over time (in a large 125 gallon/6' tank) but never laid eggs. With the third pair I had to eventually isolate the male Fireclown as the female was driving him to hide under the rock until he couldn't handle even that and was severely injured. (That was about 6-8 months after introduction).

So it is a grey judgement call, and one which if you decide to push it could result in a "too late" type of action, or could result in a long lived "happy" marriage of clowns. Generally the more chances the smaller clown has of retreating the better, so in a nano tank like yours you just have to observe carefully to decide when things have gone too far (clouded eyes, not eating, severe injuries, constant hiding, etc). As popular as clownfish are, nobody (who has kept enough of them) ever says they are easy. . Good luck!

Yea pretty much the same.
I have a pair right now that showed almost no aggression and bonded seemingly overnight.
Most there is some battling.

I have had dozens of pairs since I used to breed clowns and only had two pairs not bond. It can come down to death sometimes if you do not intervein . I think it may come down to two things for not pairing.
1.) Both started turning female already.
2.) The clown that would become the male is defective. I firmly believe the female can detect a male that would make a bad mate for some reason. Bad genetics or what ever it is.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Hamster balls are your friend. Put the smaller of the two in a hamster ball and just let it move around the tank. Take the fish out when you are home to observe.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Hamster balls are your friend. Put the smaller of the two in a hamster ball and just let it move around the tank. Take the fish out when you are home to observe.

I'm picturing a clownfish moving a Habitrail ball around the house floor being chased by a cat! That is a pretty brilliant idea though to protect the victim clown!

 

[Matt Miller]

I got them both very young so I don't think it's an age issue.

 

[Cell]

If it starts to get real bad, you can put the bully in timeout for a bit in a breeder or acclimation box.

 

[Dunc]

I have 2 great looking frostbites and I'm not sure how long to let the picking go on. I took a little video to show his tattered fins. They both eat well, with the slightly larger one attacking the smaller but they both eat plenty. The smaller one usually tries to hide out somewhere till he gets spotted and chased around a bit.

I've read through tons of these posts about mean clowns but I'm just not sure how long to let it go on.

I can put the smaller one in my 3nd tank if necessary but I really want them to pair up. Their only other tank mate is a firefish that's been in before them. They never mess with the firefish just each other.


I don't think the smaller is on the brink of death, but I'm not sure how long this usually goes on before they make nice

When I read the title of your post, I wasn’t expecting these responses. My Clowns have never bickered or chased each other. They did the shimmy instantly when introduced to each other. Guess I got lucky.

 

[Matt Miller]

If it starts to get real bad, you can put the bully in timeout for a bit in a breeder or acclimation box.

I do have an Evo 13 right next to this tank I could use for timeouts.

 

[Matt Miller]

When I read the title of your post, I wasn’t expecting these responses. My Clowns have never bickered or chased each other. They did the shimmy instantly when introduced to each other. Guess I got lucky.

I started with 3 and they were all nice for about 1-2 weeks then I had to put these two in the 20g.