Adding second Maroon to tank

[RiverOtter]

I picked up a little misbarred maroon to mate up with the one I had. It was only a 1 1/2" and the one I got was 1". After watching the fighting for a couple min. and seeing my new fish all most jump out of the tank. I came up with a plan.

I pulled out a livebreeder cage and pulled everything out but just the cage walls and floor. I cornered the new one and put it in the cage. I then placed the cage in the tank near the others HOB it is hosting. As I am watching the new one is nice and calm and the other is trying to tear the cage appart from the outside.

Do you think it will work to leave the little one in the cage for a couple days and then release it once the other gives up?

 

[RiverOtter]

Wow fancy that, I read the FAQ and it said to do just this. I really should know to read all the stickies first......

 

[Avgou]

I recently put a pair together where one is about 2 to 2.5" and the other is about an 1"... there was some bullying and then submissive behavior by the small one.

Yours are very proportional in size and still relatively small, both are probably still males...

Did you notice either of them twitching? That's the submissive behavior, the other will turn female.

Read the FAQs some more.

 

[RiverOtter]

I read through the rest of them. Most of what i saw was swimming and jumping. Now that I am looking at them the smaller one is twitching when ever the other is near.

 

[Lmecher]

Just in case, when you do release it. If the fighting gets too intense, turn off the lights, they will stop immediately. Good luck, keeping my fingers crossed for a successful pairing : )

 

[RiverOtter]

Thank you, I had wanted to wait until the first one was a little bigger, but the LFS was only getting huge ones in. When this shipment came in of tank raised maroons that where misbarred, I jumped the gun.

The funny thing is the Maroon I had was the only named fish in the tank. The kids called it Elmo, well I did not have the new one out of the bag when my 8 year old girl named it Zoey. I tryed to tell them that the little one was going to be a girl, but it went over there heads.

 

[Toddrtrex]

In case you don't already...

But some egg create or something similar over the tank (( if you have an open top )) to prevent any more jumping.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thanks we had the top covered. I removed it when I put the fish together so I could get the net in fast if I had to.

 

[dexterd]

I paired 2 prs of maroons by using 1 inch young fish and 2 inch females. They got along great from the git go and by the way the larger one will be the female and the male will most always be the smaller of the two.

 

[RiverOtter]

Well the agro is a little less today. Or the larger one is getting worn out. I am going to leave it in the cage today wait until the other one is just not paying it any mind.

 

[davocean]

My female refused to accept the first 2 males I tried, and I did spec cont w/ 3 seperate releases for both over a few days.
On third try, it was obvious she was more curious, and not just thrashing at cont.
First 2 even did the twitch, but she was the one who made the decision as to who she would accept.

 

[tufacody]

I ordered a med marroon and small maroon from LA about 3 months ago. Unfortunately the larger was DOA. So they replaced it with another small.

The first smaller one has already starting hosting in the BTA, and he beat the crap out of the new one. Both had shredded fins. But after about 2 weeks the fighting just kind of stopped, and they each hung out on different sides of the tank.

Then, after about 6 weeks, I wake up one morning and both are snuggling in the BTA, and now appear to be paired. I was very happy. I think I got away with it because they are in a 180.

 

[RiverOtter]

Well I let the little guy out for a bit tonight. She still beat on him, but no where near as bad as the first night. I let him swim for about 20 min then put him back in the breeder. No new fin damage tonight and the nip he got yesterday is healing.

 

[RiverOtter]

I think I have a pair!

She is coming to him and hanging out near his rubble pile he has been hiding in. They are swimming side by side, but he will not go with her yet when she swims away. When she sees that he is still there she comes back to him.

 

[Mariner]

Ahhhh...true love!
Does anyone know if a pair is likely to be more aggressive or less aggressive toward other fish in the tank than one by itself?
thanks,
Mariner

 

[RiverOtter]

Hmm..counted my clowns before they danced...

Now I have a vary beat up boy back in the breeders cage.

 

[pIankton]

I paired up my maroons like this:

First off, my "female" was the only clown in my system for around 2-1/2 to 3 years and she's about 4-1/2" long.

I bought the smallest maroon I could find - "he" was probably around 1" long max. Tiny guy for sure.

After QT, I put him in a gerbil ball from the pet store and placed him in the tank with my female. I left him in there for a week and there was no apparent aggression and after the week, I opened the ball's small door and let him swim out on his own.

As soon as he swam out he was rushed by the female and instantly submitted. No bullying, no nipping, no nothing. Instant pair. They haven't laid eggs or anything yet, but they do share the same sleeping area and they never venture too far from one another.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thats great plankton.
I think I am going to leave the guy in the cage for a week and give him time to heal. The gerbil ball is a great idea!