Are they a pair?

[Ocicat]

I just bought my first clownfish - 2 saddleback clowns. They were together in a tank at the store and seemed to be hanging together, so I assumed they were a pair. However, now that I have them home I am wondering if I should not have made that assumption, because they look to be pretty identical in size, maybe 2". I always hear about the female being noticeably larger.

They are staying close together in the QT tank, following each other around as they explore. They seem happy and healthy (knock on wood), were eating flake and mysis in the store, and are already eating in the QT. Mostly they seem quite harmonious, but I saw one make a few small nips at the other.

From what I read, saddlebacks reach about 5", so at 2" could they still be juveniles, and a fight is in store as they mature? Or could they already be a pair despite being identical in size?

 

[GSMguy]

a clownfish can be 8 years old and sexless if it came from a large group there is a guy who has an onyx/jigsaw pair with a smaller female

 

[phender]

At this point neither one is likely a female, however since their size is similar, they may have a few disagreements in the future as to who is going to become the female.

FWIW: in nature the size difference between the male and female in a breeding pair is often almost non-existent.

 

[Ocicat]

Thanks, guys. Next to a mated pair, two juveniles/sexless seems like the best possible scenario. I assume that if the worst possible case were true - two females - they would not be getting along at all. One of them is plainly trying to dominate the other with little nips now and then, and the other is not fighting back, which I imagine is a good thing.

This morning the more submissive one was covered with ich, so I've started dosing with cupramine... Most of the ich dropped off him/her/it within a couple of hours. I know I need to keep treating for the duration to kill all of the ich in the tank, but I was relieved that it seemed to help him so quickly - I was worried about him dealing with ich + the nips from the other clown + a new environment all at once.

 

[MoCha920]

they might be.. i would lose the plants and add in live rock. i raised these clowns before it was a black saddle clown.

 

[MoCha920]

but the male was small that the female by half the they wur laying eggs like it was a farm of tadpols

 

[Ocicat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8659010#post8659010 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MoCha920
they might be.. i would lose the plants and add in live rock. i raised these clowns before it was a black saddle clown.

That's the QT tank. I put in fake plants to give them some cover and make them more comfortable, and I don't think you're supposed to put LR in a QT.