Aggressive Clownfish

[chpolack]

After upgrading to a 55 gallon tank from a 14g biocube, I was told to "unlearn" everything about the behavior of fish. Basically, my LFS told me that with a tank this size, the previously aggressive clownfish would be much happier and would not bother its tankmates. In the biocube, the clownfish was responsible for the death of several fish by repeatedly attacking them (I'm guessing it was a territorial issue) including a green chromis. In the new tank, the clownfish has been getting along fine with 5 other fish. Just yesterday, I added 5 green chromis to the tank. Since then, the clownfish has been harassing and attacking the chormis, causing one of them (the smallest) to hide underneath the algae magnet in the corner of my tank. To save the lives of the new fish, I currently have the clownfish quarantined in a large net inside of the tank. What should I do now? Will a different clownfish not be as aggressive towards the chromises? Or should I just leave out a clownfish completely? Fish list:

- 1 Percula Clown:

~The Fish he gets along with with no problems:
- 2 Kaudern's cardinals
- 1 Firefish
- 1 Flame Hawkfish
- 1 Yellow Tang

~ The New Fish he attacks:
- 5 Green Chromises

I also have a shrimp, serpent star, royal urchin, and several corals.

 

[rssjsb]

Clowns and chromis are all damsels, so the aggression is not really too surprising. You could try another clown, but you'll probably be better off returning the chromis.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I would return all of the chromis. They will more than likely kill themselves off. The above post is correct. You could try with a different clown, but there will more than likely be more aggression. Also return your yellow tang...

 

[snorvich]

After upgrading to a 55 gallon tank from a 14g biocube, I was told to "unlearn" everything about the behavior of fish. Basically, my LFS told me that with a tank this size, the previously aggressive clownfish would be much happier and would not bother its tankmates. In the biocube, the clownfish was responsible for the death of several fish by repeatedly attacking them (I'm guessing it was a territorial issue) including a green chromis. In the new tank, the clownfish has been getting along fine with 5 other fish. Just yesterday, I added 5 green chromis to the tank. Since then, the clownfish has been harassing and attacking the chormis, causing one of them (the smallest) to hide underneath the algae magnet in the corner of my tank. To save the lives of the new fish, I currently have the clownfish quarantined in a large net inside of the tank. What should I do now? Will a different clownfish not be as aggressive towards the chromises? Or should I just leave out a clownfish completely? Fish list:

- 1 Percula Clown:

~The Fish he gets along with with no problems:
- 2 Kaudern's cardinals
- 1 Firefish
- 1 Flame Hawkfish
- 1 Yellow Tang

~ The New Fish he attacks:
- 5 Green Chromises

I also have a shrimp, serpent star, royal urchin, and several corals.

Sexually mature clownfish are aggressive. If you pair the clown and they bond, they will be more aggressive. Chromis are damsels and will almost certainly over time reduce their number to one or possibly two. If it were me, I would not listen to that particular LFS.

 

[velvetelvis]

sexually mature clownfish are aggressive. If you pair the clown and they bond, they will be more aggressive. Chromis are damsels and will almost certainly over time reduce their number to one or possibly two. If it were me, i would not listen to that particular lfs.

What snorvich said.