Are these maroon clowns fighting or pairing (video)

[jcurella]

I bought 2 juvenile maroons today. They have been in the same tank together at the lfs for over a week. I'm not keen to the behavior of pairing and twitching. What do you think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUUK9pPn3so&feature=youtu.be

 

[jcurella]

additional info: the tank is 75 gallons with a 40 gallon refugium.

 

[davocean]

Fighting is pretty obvious among maroons, that there is a pretty peaceful deal so far.
It would help if they had anything to host them, frogspawn or something if not a nem.
Looks like you need to get on some aptasia control pretty soon.
They look nice, maroons are pretty.

 

[jcurella]

Thanks for the advice! I will get that nem. Already got 6 peppermint shrimp. they are doing a good job on the aptasia!

 

[sh0ck]

nice clowns.
have you got some lid? as clowns+that striped damsel can be quite aggresive

 

[jcurella]

Thanks, i got a great deal on them. Like 14 dollars a piece. If by lid you mean a cover for the tank then yes. I have a glass panel that fits over the tank nicely.

 

[yodacroz]

they look pretty good

 

[jcurella]

Today I noticed they are swimming around all over the tank and they are not side by side anymore. Is this a good sign?

 

[worm5406]

They will be just like other creatures, one day they are there all clingy, the next they do not return phone calls or texts.

 

[Winwood]

They look captive bred so they should be a little more tolerant of one another than their WC brethren. When maroons are fighting it's obvious. They will clamp onto fins, gill plates and start removing flesh pretty fast. Yours are pretty much just postering at one another from what I can tell. They should work things out in the days to come.

 

[jcurella]

Thanks for the insight. They are captive bred. I just hope they pair up. I had a breeder pair that I bought about 2 years ago. I had to move and left them in my ex's care until I got my own place. She neglected them and I lost them along with a yellow tang I had for years and a large multicolored wrasse. It was heart breaking. I did a lot of research into rearing fry, and cultivating rotifers, zoo-plankton, rearing tanks, ect. I have my own place now and a good setup. wish me luck!

 

[Tahiti]

They were just dancing to the music

 

[johnnymu]

nice pair

 

[Winwood]

Sorry to hear about your old pair. Best of luck with the new ones though!

 

[jcurella]

lol @ tahiti, thanks for the kind words johnny and wormwood.

 

[davocean]

They will explore the tank and maybe look for their own area, that's why I mentioned something for them would be nice, and it doesn't have to be a nem, any euphyllia like frog or hammer would do and much easier to deal with.
When you do provide that you will most likely see them much tighter.

 

[jcurella]

Update: The Maroons are doing great! No sigh of aggression at all. One of them is slightly larger and a little lighter in color. I suspect she is the female. She likes to explore the tank a little more. The darker/smaller one has a favorite spot he likes to hang out at. They spend a lot of time together. But don't fight at all. I've noticed that the black and white stripe damsel liked to mess with the clown that I suspect a female. But he keeps his distance and makes no contact. I', not to worried about this because if she is in fact a female she will probably outgrow him. Does my observation seem like they are paired? Thanks again! I love this community
.

 

[davocean]

Yes, and it most likely won't be long before she turns the table on that damsel.

 

[jcurella]

lol, funny thing is sense my last post. I looked at my tank. and the stripe damsel seems to be backing down! love it! so does it sound like I have a pair?

 

[davocean]

Sounds like you have a bonded pair, when they spawn that would be a mated pair.