2 Percula Clowns fights for 3 weeks now! Help!

[jad1217]

Tank history:
29 Biocube about 8 months old. I added 2 juvenile Percula clown fish about a month after start of the tank. for the last 6 months things have been fine and dandy. They have been best friends not leaving each others sides. Starting 3 weeks ago they starting fighting non stop. They are about they same size with one being a bit larger than the other. The small clown is starting to get pretty raw around it gills and face.

How long should this dominance dance last??

 

[Nembo]

I'd replace the slightly smaller perc with a much smaller one.Not a good idea if they are a similar size as these fights can get nasty and there isn't that far to run in a glass prison.

 

[jad1217]

I was thinking the same thing. I want peace in my tank again

 

[snorvich]

I think they will work it out once one submits.

 

[jad1217]

The issue is that they have been fighting for 3 weeks straight. I thought this is supposed to get worked out faster than that.

 

[davocean]

Hard to say for sure w/out seeing, but I usually say as long as the small male is eating and no excessive fin tearing, all good, keep going.
I think in the years I have been on here, and mostly clown forum, I have heard only twice that a male turned female despite having a dominant female already and seemingly already worked out, so it is fairly rare, but does happen.

 

[snorvich]

Well, there is one circumstance that I have run into where it was a problem. Two clownfish were put together where both of them had started down the path to "femalehood". That did not end up well. But if you start with tiny fish, usually it works itself out.

 

[jad1217]

Anybody else wana chime in?

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

They pretty much summed it up...

I purchased my maroons a couple of years ago, and they were very tiny. One changed to a much larger female, the other remained male. The female still picks on the male (even in my 225g tank) from time to time, but it's more or a push than biting, but it's not very violent. I said that to say that your female may forever push the male around from time to time. Just keep an eye out to make sure they both haven't converted (or started to convert)...

Do they have an anenome, or do they just hang out in a corner of the tank? Surprisingly, my clowns fought less without an anenome...

 

[jad1217]

They pretty much summed it up...

I purchased my maroons a couple of years ago, and they were very tiny. One changed to a much larger female, the other remained male. The female still picks on the male (even in my 225g tank) from time to time, but it's more or a push than biting, but it's not very violent. I said that to say that your female may forever push the male around from time to time. Just keep an eye out to make sure they both haven't converted (or started to convert)...

Do they have an anenome, or do they just hang out in a corner of the tank? Surprisingly, my clowns fought less without an anenome...

They do not have an anemone. They seem to claim the back left corner as their corner

 

[davocean]

Frogspawn or hammer make great alternatives to a nem.
It could help settle things, maybe.
W/out actually seeing what is going on we are all shooting in the dark as much as you, so hard to say.
I agree, if it was a juvy and they were getting along for that long, should be fine, but once in a while weird circumstances end in unusual patterns.
At least post pics if you can't do video, maybe we'll see something.

 

[ViktorVaughn]

Mine went at it pretty hard for about 5-6 weeks before things settled down and the dominance issue was worked out.

 

[jad1217]

Mine went at it pretty hard for about 5-6 weeks before things settled down and the dominance issue was worked out.

That's what I wanted to hear. I wasn't finding a timeline for how long this situation should last.

 

[dirk_brijs]

9 out of 10 times 6 weeks intense fighting will result in the death of one of the Perculas. First thing you will see go is its tail fin

 

[crissie]

5-6 weeks seems too long to let them fight, the stress as well as potential injury could be fatal.

If I were you I would keep watching them for another week, two at the most, if the smaller one gets damaged beyond a reasonable amount then you'd be better to swap with a much smaller one. IMO 6 weeks is too long, I wouldn't allow it to continue any longer than 5 maximum.

 

[Fishy 1]

I'd swap the smaller one, with a even smaller one. Try and get one that is 1/2"- 1" smaller than the big one. Maybe try putting the new fish in a separation box for a few days, so they can get use to each other.