Aggressive Ocellaris

[Ted_C]

I've been steadily stocking my quarantine tank since April and came up with my first issue. The stocking events below are occurring about twice a month

Tank is 150 gallon Oceanic - 60x24x24

Here's the stocking order:
4 Hermits
2 Mexican Turbo's
4 Trochus snails
2 Clownfish (ocellaris) - paired - female a little bigger than the male.
Royal Blue Flasher (didn't make it)
2 neon Goby (one didn't make it)
1 Red firefish and 1 Purple Firefish
1 McCosker Flasher Wrasse
2 Bangaii Cardinal (Either paired or both are female)
1 transitional (to male) Bellus Angel and two skunk cleaner shrimp (yesterday)

The Bellus appeared to go in fine yesterday - around 2 PM. Lights out at 8:30 PM.

Today - the clowns are showing extreme aggression to the bellus - chasing it and nipping at it. The bellus will have none of that and will often turn around and nip right back.

No eggs are visible from the clowns in Quarantine - but they are most likely a bonded pair.

The Mccosker and the two fire fish wont come out of their hiding places.

Should I give it another day or two or will this continue?

 

[Ted_C]

vid of the issue:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dmgpGt3SbSQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Postal]

Since the clowns have been in the tank longest, they have claimed it as their territory. Being ocellaris the aggression might subside quickly. I would give it more time unless you see any actual injuries on the fish.
If it continues to be an issue simply move the clowns into a 10g or something for a day or two with a sponge filter or something if possibke. If you have any structure in the qt tank be sure to move it around before reintroducing the clowns.

 

[snake1]

The clowns have definitely claimed the right side of the tank and close to center ...mine still bite me when I put my hand near their spot in the tank...

 

[Ted_C]

So the aggression continues.

Would you consider:
remove the new Bellus?
Remove the clownfish?

The clownfish did ok with the other fish in the tank. It was only after the addition of the bellus did they start to show aggression and the other fish started hiding.

However - I'm thinking any other large fish addition (tangs for instance) - the clowns would harass that fish as well.

 

[anbosu]

I would consider trying an acclimation box for new additions.

 

[janes_mw]

My experience (and only what I have observed in my tanks over the past), I find the aggressive behavior is way less if they have a host (anemones). Also, if I have moved stuff around, they get super aggressive (guess they don't like change). They are aggressive if you get near their host in my tank, but even when other fish come into their host territory, they just retreat into the hosts.

My tanks that have not had hosts, the pair is most definitely the most aggressive to the point of taking out smaller fish.