How much clownfish aggression is too much?

[dach]

sometimes fish just don't get along... Personally, I would return the bullying one, and get a smaller than your current to add to the tank (if you still want two). Just my two cents.

It sucks im growing attached to them both, i just wish they would get along.

 

[Reef.]

I think they are too small to be female, or at least the one. Idk if the tank is making them look big but this is a 20g, the bigger clown is about 1.75 inches where the smaller is 1.25-1.5 inches long. Here is a picture next to my tailspot blenny which is at most 2.5 inches long

In that case I would be a little worried as the male does look beaten up, I would find it hard keeping them together for much longer, if it doesn’t calm down soon I would be removing one.

 

[dach]

In that case I would be a little worried as the male does look beaten up, I would find it hard keeping them together for much longer, if it doesn’t calm down soon I would be removing one.

Yeah i think I’m going to give the breeder box method a shot but after that I’m not sure what I’ll do, they’re both beautiful fish:(

 

[Reef.]

Yeah i think I’m going to give the breeder box method a shot but after that I’m not sure what I’ll do, they’re both beautiful fish:(

yeah maybe the female in there would be best, so she doesn’t see all the tank as hers.

Do you keep the lights off at night?

 

[Goaway]

It sucks im growing attached to them both, i just wish they would get along.

Not going to happen. As someone said, both female. If they could establish territories, it would be different. They want the whole aquarium though.

 

[dach]

yeah maybe the female in there would be best, so she doesn’t see all the tank as hers.

Do you keep the lights off a night?

My light schedule right now is
9:30am:begin 1hr ramp up
10:30am: lights fully on (ai prime BRS recommended settings at 50% power)
7:30pm: begin 2hr ramp down
9:30pm: lights off

at night when the lights are off the fish sleep separately, usually one on each side of the tank, but right now the male is hiding while the female is in her usual spot

 

[Reef.]

Not going to happen. As someone said, both female. If they could establish territories, it would be different. They want the whole aquarium though.

you could be right, I don’t know when they change to female, but I know when mine were very small, even then it was clear which was going to be the female, it could have just been the more confident one, or that it turned female very young?

 

[dach]

Not going to happen. As someone said, both female. If they could establish territories, it would be different. They want the whole aquarium though.

You think they’re both female at under 2 inches each? And they still do the shaking at each other, just the chasing is excessive. For reference, i got them a month ago now and when i first got them the black storm still looked mocha. The chasing started about a week or so ago.

day1 in tank:

 

[Reef.]

My light schedule right now is
9:30am:begin 1hr ramp up
10:30am: lights fully on (ai prime BRS recommended settings at 50% power)
7:30pm: begin 2hr ramp down
9:30pm: lights off

at night when the lights are off the fish sleep separately, usually one on each side of the tank, but right now the male is hiding while the female is in her usual spot

good they get a good dark period, As that can cause aggression if they don’t.

Not sleeping together is not a good sign, I can only speak from my experience but mine near enough slept together from the start, especially when you consider they would be nervous in a new tank so being together you would think would be natural for them to do.

 

[flyfisher2]

I have 2 in large display and 6 in 60 cube. This can go on for months. Sometimes its best to just walk away. My daughter couldn't stand it. I'd tell her to walk off. Now they are ALL alive and well. An occasional quarrel but for the most part there is peace. I think its harder on you as the observer. Just my .02...

 

[Reef.]

I have 2 in large display and 6 in 60 cube. This can go on for months. Sometimes its best to just walk away. My daughter couldn't stand it. I'd tell her to walk off. Now they are ALL alive and well. An occasional quarrel but for the most part there is peace. I think its harder on you as the observer. Just my .02...

would that advice still be good for the OP with their 20g tank though?

 

[flyfisher2]

 

[dach]

I have 2 in large display and 6 in 60 cube. This can go on for months. Sometimes its best to just walk away. My daughter couldn't stand it. I'd tell her to walk off. Now they are ALL alive and well. An occasional quarrel but for the most part there is peace. I think its harder on you as the observer. Just my .02...

yeah I’m just wondering when i would need to actually step in, i know that sometimes the pairs don’t work out and the female will kill the male, so if that’s gonna happen, I’d rather intervene

 

[dach]

good they get a good dark period, As that can cause aggression if they don’t.

Not sleeping together is not a good sign, I can only speak from my experience but mine near enough slept together from the start, especially when you consider they would be nervous in a new tank so being together you would think would be natural for them to do.

one interesting dynamic in my tank that I’ve noticed is that my helfrichi fire fish is territorial, and i will see the black clownfish submitting to the fire fish if the firefish is ever bothered. I’m thinking maybe it’s taking it out on the orange clown fish. I’m not sure if that’s totally relevant tho

 

[flyfisher2]

If the fish are not torn up badly then yes. It's the nature of the fish. They are nothing like Finding Nemo. LOL
Clown fish look to dominate. the female will be the larger and the male will almost stunt in growth. NEVER being bigger than the female. just the way it is. They beat themselves silly. Sometimes to the death or til one jumps out. Then they bond or the president calls a truce and everybody's good like my tank. Six months ago it was a civil war in there. Now they're fine. Started with 7. One jumped and the rest are fine.

 

[flyfisher2]

Great book
Says a lot about them and corrects some false information

 

[dach]

If the fish are not torn up badly then yes. It's the nature of the fish. They are nothing like Finding Nemo. LOL
Clown fish look to dominate. the female will be the larger and the male will almost stunt in growth. NEVER being bigger than the female. just the way it is. They beat themselves silly. Sometimes to the death or til one jumps out. Then they bond or the president calls a truce and everybody's good like my tank. Six months ago it was a civil war in there. Now they're fine. Started with 7. One jumped and the rest are fine.

what do you think of the picture of the orange clown on page 1? Is that torn up badly or just moderately? He’s still eating and everything, just being bullied to no tomorrow lol

 

[jaganshi066]

I got a pair of juvenile storm clownfish about 3 weeks ago, the black one has begun relentlessly chasing the orange one. How much aggression is too much before i need to remove/return the black one?

The orange one seems to submit or run or hide when chased, but it’s all day and every time the black one spots the orange one it charges at the orange one. Here are some videos :



Also another thing that happened is when i put a net in the tank all of the sudden the black storm is submitting to the smaller orange?? Weird..

As of now i need to go to work but the orange storm is hiding while it seems like the black storm is looking for it.:(

Well I thought my two clowns were the most peaceful thing but once they started breeding they were so aggressive and attacked everything. I wanted to say your tank is beautiful though.

 

[flyfisher2]

yeah I’m just wondering when i would need to actually step in, i know that sometimes the pairs don’t work out and the female will kill the male, so if that’s gonna happen, I’d rather intervene

Intervening is sometimes just delaying the inevitable. They aren't dogs. It's instinct and what they do. It's kinda like trying to stop Salmon from swimming upstream.
I'd provide hiding places and cover the tank and let them sort it out. Worst case scenario get them a marriage counselor.

 

[flyfisher2]

what do you think of the picture of the orange clown on page 1? Is that torn up badly or just moderately? He’s still eating and everything, just being bullied to no tomorrow lol

In all honesty to me he doesn't look that bad. Mine would tear each other up and then the female grew and kicked the male's butt up and down that tank. He lived in a 4" square area behind a flow pump for like two months. Came out to grab a food pellet when she wasn't looking and got his butt kicked for doing it. Now they are perfect couple. She tells him what to do and he does it. Case closed