Are my clowns fighting or is it normal?

[Thinslis]

I bought 2 Onyx clowns from Rod's Reef last week. The larger of the two goes after the smaller one and chases him around. I don't see any fin damage or anything. Is this normal play or should I be concerned about the smallering being stressed and dieing?

Thanks,

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

They are just establishing a pecking order. The larger of the two will chase and attack the smaller one until it gives in and shows submissive behaviour (some call it the clown seizure). I would not be worried about it unless the larger of the two seriously hurts the smaller one. A few nips in the fins are normal.

 

[Thinslis]

Ok thanks. I'm keeping a close eye on them.

=)

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

You are welcome. If things get too serious between them, I use a clean hamster ball and let the smaller one roam the tank for a day while the larger is in "fishy jail" then let her out and try again.

 

[Thinslis]

I have them both in a small breeder box in the tank. I can put the divider in if I have to. They are in my opinon too small to be released into the tank. They are only about a half an inch. There are no other fish in the tank other then a lawnmower blenny but I would rather be safe then sorry. I want them to get just a little bigger before I let them out to face the flow from my Tunze streams.

Good idea or waste of time?

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

WOW they need to be let out. They will kill each other in there for sure or die from stress. Most of the clowns that I have gotten in the past have been 1/2 inch or even less and have gone into fully stocked SPS reefs with tons of flow.

 

[Thinslis]

Ok, I'll let them out in the morning.

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

Morning they may be dead already. It will be best to let them out after lights out so that they may settle in.

 

[Thinslis]

I let them out this morning, they are swimming in the flow, but they have to swim really hard it looks like.

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

They will be fine. Nothing in our tanks rivals the oceans flow.

 

[Thinslis]

I'm not sure leting them out was a good idea. I've only seen one of the two today =( I can't find the other one anywhere in the tank.

 

[Thinslis]

Thank you for the advice, it would appear that one of the clowns did not survive. I havn't seen him since the lights went out the night I let them out of the box. /sigh

 

[ktar]

check the overflow box or you sump sometimes they get stuck in the overflow box. mine was stuck there a couple times until i got an anemone and now they only stay in the anemone.

 

[Thinslis]

I checked the sump, the filter socks, the overflows and have come up with nothing. I fed the tank to see if he would come out and still nothing.

 

[ktar]

is your tank reef ready if so he might be stuck in the overflow box. check it carefully because at first i didnt see my clown either. you dont want him to get stuck in the sock he will die.

 

[zotzer]

I thought I'd lost a juvie clown..... that my established female had killed him for sure (her original mate had gone carpet surfing). Turned out he was hiding under giant red mushrooms on a big rock.