Maroon clowns and cheek spines

TriggerFinger

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I’m wondering if all maroon clownfish have cheek spines. I have an ORA gold x lightning maroon hybrid measuring at about 3” and I don’t see any spines. Do they develop with age? Or maybe it’s a lost trait from being captive bred?
35E774D4-9655-4DC2-B583-42B97B6609F9.jpeg
DBC363B9-C466-4FC8-9BA1-84A17FF3C81A.jpeg
 
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TriggerFinger

TriggerFinger

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Bump...asking because I want to transfer her to another tank and I’m scared to net her and damage her spines.
 

Nick Steele

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If you look right under its eye you can see a small protrusion that is the check spin. Some are more pronounced then other. I’m not too sure if they grow with age or not.

They will for sure get stuck in a net. Using a fine net is best to avoid them getting stuck.
 

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I’m wondering if all maroon clownfish have cheek spines. I have an ORA gold x lightning maroon hybrid measuring at about 3” and I don’t see any spines. Do they develop with age? Or maybe it’s a lost trait from being captive bred?
35E774D4-9655-4DC2-B583-42B97B6609F9.jpeg
DBC363B9-C466-4FC8-9BA1-84A17FF3C81A.jpeg
Beautiful markings...
 

andrewkw

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Thanks @andrewkw!! How big is your lightning?

Maybe 3". I got her in October 2018 I believe.

Here are a couple of pictures. They aren't great. The tank lights aren't on and because I stressed out her BTA's shes been hanging out more out of view than normal.

IMG_1712.JPG
IMG_1716_LI.jpg
 

andrewkw

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It is a beautiful maroon.

Clowns tend to grow bigger spikes if they use them a lot, like flexing a muscle but genetics does play a part also.

She is a mean mean mean girl. Killed her first male, took many attempts to pair her with the second male. They both live in relative harmony in a 90 gallon with no tank mates. Eventually I will probably add some semi aggressive fish, but I spent a lot of time and effort pairing them up. I have to wear those thick coralife gloves when I work in the tank because she will attack me until my hand bleeds.
 

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God those maroons sound like they are a big project to deal with, well done!

I don't keep maroons but I am in love with the polymnus. They have less soft tissue on the dorsal spikes and they raise their spines a lot when they are defensive or aggressive but the female I keep, almost never raises her spines. Her male tended to flee from her in the beginning and she stopped chasing it as much and focused on luring the male.

After that her dorsal spines stopped growing as much and now she has a bigger tail than normal and smaller spines than normal.

I would guess that if a female maroon had 14 kids all flocking around her and pecking her on the cheek, she would be flexing them a lot more than what usually happens in our aquariums.

I have never gotten bitten but I have gloves ready in case I get a cut on my hands and have to clean the tank. Good to hear that you use gloves, there is no need to get marine bacteria into an open wound. Can they bite through thin gloves?
 
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She is a mean mean mean girl. Killed her first male, took many attempts to pair her with the second male. They both live in relative harmony in a 90 gallon with no tank mates. Eventually I will probably add some semi aggressive fish, but I spent a lot of time and effort pairing them up. I have to wear those thick coralife gloves when I work in the tank because she will attack me until my hand bleeds.
I can clearly see them where you circled, thank you!! I think I need a new pair of glasses bc I can’t see mine with my own eyes!! She hasn’t developed the classic maroon attitude yet but I’ve only had her 1 month. I don’t want to have a pair though so maybe she will remain kinda docile without a mate? ;Smug;Hilarious
 
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Oh so maybe hers are small due to no momming. Thanks!! I think she’s a beauty too. She had a mouth wound when she came in from divers den and wouldn't eat for over a week; I was really upset. She’s all good now though :) kinda derpy lol
It is a beautiful maroon.

Clowns tend to grow bigger spikes if they use them a lot, like flexing a muscle but genetics does play a part also.
God those maroons sound like they are a big project to deal with, well done!

I don't keep maroons but I am in love with the polymnus. They have less soft tissue on the dorsal spikes and they raise their spines a lot when they are defensive or aggressive but the female I keep, almost never raises her spines. Her male tended to flee from her in the beginning and she stopped chasing it as much and focused on luring the male.

After that her dorsal spines stopped growing as much and now she has a bigger tail than normal and smaller spines than normal.

I would guess that if a female maroon had 14 kids all flocking around her and pecking her on the cheek, she would be flexing them a lot more than what usually happens in our aquariums.

I have never gotten bitten but I have gloves ready in case I get a cut on my hands and have to clean the tank. Good to hear that you use gloves, there is no need to get marine bacteria into an open wound. Can they bite through thin gloves?
 

andrewkw

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I have never gotten bitten but I have gloves ready in case I get a cut on my hands and have to clean the tank. Good to hear that you use gloves, there is no need to get marine bacteria into an open wound. Can they bite through the gloves?
1588511831122.png

Nothing can bite through these, at least nothing we keep in our tanks. They are a pain to put on and even though they go way up the shoulder water inevitably gets in, then its a week of drying to clean them out. I recently redid the aquascape in their tank and I wouldn't have been able to do it without these. Prior to the aquascape redo I killed a ton of aiptasia with aiptasia x. Part of the reason I let it get out of control in here is I just didn't want to deal with her attacks. At first she would attack the syringe, but later realized she got more of a reaction from the hand.

I can clearly see them where you circled, thank you!! I think I need a new pair of glasses bc I can’t see mine with my own eyes!! She hasn’t developed the classic maroon attitude yet but I’ve only had her 1 month. I don’t want to have a pair though so maybe she will remain kinda docile without a mate? ;Smug;Hilarious

I got mine in October of 2018. There was a size difference but they were still quite young. I used a divider when they were in QT and they still got through. The poor male healed maybe 10x and the last time I introduced them together when I found them (despite checking frequently) she was beating his dead body!

After that she lived alone until summer 2019. It was a similar scenario this time but eventually I did get them to pair up. So she was alone from about November to July and just as mean in that time frame.
 

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1588511831122.png

Nothing can bite through these, at least nothing we keep in our tanks. They are a pain to put on and even though they go way up the shoulder water inevitably gets in, then its a week of drying to clean them out. I recently redid the aquascape in their tank and I wouldn't have been able to do it without these. Prior to the aquascape redo I killed a ton of aiptasia with aiptasia x. Part of the reason I let it get out of control in here is I just didn't want to deal with her attacks. At first she would attack the syringe, but later realized she got more of a reaction from the hand.



I got mine in October of 2018. There was a size difference but they were still quite young. I used a divider when they were in QT and they still got through. The poor male healed maybe 10x and the last time I introduced them together when I found them (despite checking frequently) she was beating his dead body!

After that she lived alone until summer 2019. It was a similar scenario this time but eventually I did get them to pair up. So she was alone from about November to July and just as mean in that time frame.

How are these gloves for handling tangs? I know they also have barbs too...I really worry about the tangs as well. Not even trying a fox face...
 
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TriggerFinger

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Great gloves, I have the same. No saltwater bacterial infections for me!! A LFS employee was hospitalized here because he sliced his hand aquascaping and got a bad infection
 
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TriggerFinger

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How are these gloves for handling tangs? I know they also have barbs too...I really worry about the tangs as well. Not even trying a fox face...
No tangs here but they’re serious gloves. I think they would hold up fine
 

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