Adding another maroon

[vid660]

I purchased a 2" maroon clown and a RBTA a week ago for my 75g mixed reef tank. The maroon took right to the RBTA. I wanted another clown, so I purchased a 1.5" maroon clown and added him yesterday. LFS said they would most likely pair up since I was adding a smaller one. Since I've added the smaller one, the larger one won't let him near the anemone (as I suspected). He isn't extremely aggressive, just chases him away with a few nips of the tail, then ignores him. Should I return the smaller one today or wait it out?

 

[vid660]

Nevermind. The larger one is now beating the crap out of the smaller one. The smaller one is trying to hide up in the corner. I'm taking the poor little guy out.

 

[Avgou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14614651#post14614651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vid660
Nevermind. The larger one is now beating the crap out of the smaller one. The smaller one is trying to hide up in the corner. I'm taking the poor little guy out.

You have to get the smallest clown you can find. I bought one that was about an inch to an inch and half and I have 75g tank.

The big one beat up the little one a lot but the little fellah was able to go to the other side of the tank to get away...

This happened for a couple months and now they are both in the Anemone and the big one is ready to mate.

Is the little one exhibiting submissiveness? They will twitch and rub against the big one when they exhibit this. This will take some time and some beating up.

My big GSM was in the tank for 6 months hosting the anemone. It's a lottery luckily it took one for me to make this happen and now they get along great.

 

[vid660]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14614918#post14614918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avgou
Is the little one exhibiting submissiveness?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. The smaller one was up in the top corner of the tank and looks all stressed out. Almost like it's trying to get out of the tank. The larger one keeps going up to it and biting it real quick, then returns to the anemone. The larger one won't even allow it to move out of that far corner of the tank. The smaller one is now in the fuge til I can figure out what I'm going to do.

 

[Mike31154]

Pairing Maroons can take weeks. It helps if the smaller one has a place to escape and hide from the aggressor. It's harrowing to watch but that's the way it goes. Your 'Current Tanks' show a 75 and a 29g. I paired my Maroons in a 75 with plenty of live rock. The two were juveniles and actually close to the same size, somewhere just under 2 inches I reckon. The original clown had been hosting in a GBTA for some time, so the newcomer was also not welcome at first. Took about 3 weeks for the newb to be allowed close to the nem. He took a little damage but nothing serious.

Some people have placed the new clown in a separate container into the main tank to allow the aggressor to slowly get used to his presence.

 

[vid660]

I ended up taking the little guy back. I'll just stick with one maroon.

 

[dalilgriffith]

Put the smaller in a bottle or something, cut a hole in it small enough for him to get out but the big one cant. He will come out when hes comfortable.

 

[vid660]

I already took him back (see post above yours).

I'm not sure I would be able to make a hole that would have worked anyway. The big one is only 2" and the small one was 1.5". But if I ever try this again, I'll definitely try that.

Thanks!

 

[dalilgriffith]

You would want to buy one from a breeder...


saltwaterfish.com's are VERY small.

Thats the route i took.

 

[vid660]

I may try that. I had to do the same for my false perc. She killed two smaller ones I added to the tank and I almost gave up. Then someone told me to put a really tiny one in there. Worked like a charm!