b&w clown. purchased a few days ago questions and photos on fins

[skeeters]

I purchased 2 b&w clowns a few days ago for 90 bucks. They get along great but one of them doesn't have a very good top or bottom fins. Looks like someone was bullying him. Even the back tail looks like the white around the edge is torn. They both are eating a little bit, just bites of cyclopeeze and mysis but it's only been 2 days. I didn't notice it in the LFS cause the lighting was dim.

Questions:

1. Will the fins grow back?
2. Could he be sick? He is eating a little.
3. Should I take back or give him a chance? Would be hard to catch.
4. Also, if he dies can I buy another or will they not get along?

It's the one with the orange face who doesn't have good fins.

BTW, these are my only fish. It's a 29 gallon all water paramaters are perfect. 2 months old, only corals so far.

Thanks

 

[greech]

No expert on clown IDs but my first thought is that the male looks more like a saddle clown than an occelaris strictly based off markings and body shape. Could be just how the fish is positioned and the markings could just be a misbar. If the fish seems otherwise healthy, the tattered fins should fill in fairly quickly provided proper care and a good diet. I wouldn't return him but would probably share these pics with your LFS so if something does happen in the near future, you have at least informed them of a potential concern.

Also, the female may be the culprit here. Even if they get along good, clown pairs can still nip at each other now and then especially when they are establishing themselves as a pair or getting used to new surroundings.

Good looking fish though. Love B/W's!

 

[skeeters]

No expert on clown IDs but my first thought is that the male looks more like a saddle clown than an occelaris strictly based off markings and body shape. Could be just how the fish is positioned and the markings could just be a misbar. If the fish seems otherwise healthy, the tattered fins should fill in fairly quickly provided proper care and a good diet. I wouldn't return him but would probably share these pics with your LFS so if something does happen in the near future, you have at least informed them of a potential concern.

Also, the female may be the culprit here. Even if they get along good, clown pairs can still nip at each other now and then especially when they are establishing themselves as a pair or getting used to new surroundings.

Good looking fish though. Love B/W's!

Thanks for the advice. So they orange face one is the male? How can you tell?

Thanks

 

[geaux xman]

i have two that are about 1-1.5", and the only thing they would eat aggressively is spectrum 1mm pellets when it is falling.

tried that?

 

[greech]

Thanks for the advice. So they orange face one is the male? How can you tell?

Thanks

I'm sorry I could have swore that you indicated the orange face was the male in your post but I guess I misread. I may have wrote that while thinking about my pair of B/Ws. My male, in addition to being smaller, has retained his orange face while the female (now 3+") is jet black throughout. Again, sorry for the confusion. You should be able to tell fairly soon which is which. One will get larger and become the more dominant of the two.

 

[Beaun]

I'm sorry I could have swore that you indicated the orange face was the male in your post but I guess I misread. I may have wrote that while thinking about my pair of B/Ws. My male, in addition to being smaller, has retained his orange face while the female (now 3+") is jet black throughout. Again, sorry for the confusion. You should be able to tell fairly soon which is which. One will get larger and become the more dominant of the two.

That is my experience as well; all black female, male still has slightly orange spot on face.

 

[skeeters]

Ok, so the female will get larger and dominate the male? The all black one does seem more active. How long does this usually take?

I tried Formula 1 pellets and they didn't seem to like. They ate a little cyclopeeze and mysis but I figure they are adjusting.

Thanks

 

[greech]

Yes, the female will be fairly large in comparison and be clearly dominant. Not really sure on timeframes but not too long as I recall. Try some frozen mysis and flake. I target feed mine with a medicine dropper or my hand and they both will attack when they see either go into the water. Actually they start a frenzy when the pumps go off. They know what's coming when that happens

 

[skeeters]

thanks for the info

 

[skeeters]

Ok, so the one with the orange face didn't make it. The bigger one. My LFS said that next time he gets a pair I can bring the other in and only pay half for the other one. So 20 bucks for a new pair.

Should I do this or could I actually buy another b&w and try to pair up? He said he didn't like doing that cause they might fight.

Any suggestions?

 

[Tripel_Hornet]

you could actually buy another and pair it up. pairing up clowns are easy when you are still young.
here is what i would do. get a breeder housing and put the new clown in it inside the tank for a week or so. this will allow both clowns to get to know eachother without them fighting or jockeying for position. when you release it after a week or a few days they will fight a little but after a short while they should start to move into their male female roles.

or you could just toss a clown that is smaller than the one you have to make sure the smaller one stays male and the bigger will grow to a female.

it will take a year or 2 till they will be fully female and male mated pair. i hate when people sell pairs as a mated pair. clowns will pair early on, but not be a mated pair. mated for me means procreation. for me pair = dating, mated pair = married. LOL.

do you have another pic of your clown? i agree with greech about it being a saddle clown based on the body structure.

good luck with the clown and you dont need to buy another pair, just another clown to pair it with.

 

[greech]

Yes, what tripel hornet said. You have a perfectly healthy and very nice looking clown there. It looks fairly large as it stands. If you are able to get a small one that would work out best IMO. The breeder net is a good idea. I didn't do that and got lucky. My female took to the little guy I added within minutes of being added to the tank. There was almost zero agression other than a little body shaking.

 

[skeeters]

Here are some pics of the living clown. It was smaller than the orange face. Was the orange face a saddle clown?

They were sold to me as a pair of Australian b&w clowns. The living one is eating. I see him/her picking at pods. Doesn't seem to care to much for mysis. Spits some of it out. Eats a little cyclopeeze freeze dried and doesn't touch formula one pellets. Looks healthy though. Didn't want to get them started on brine shrimp. Rather have mysis.

I would rather buy a smaller one than try and catch a healthy clown. So when my LFS gets more in, just buy a smaller one for 20 bucks is what you guys think?

 

[greech]

That is what I am saying but I might make an argument that the replacement fish should be at no cost. That really does look like a saddle clown so you really didn't get a true pair of B/Ws in the firts place. May not be worth the argument though. I think I would give it a couple weeks before adding another. It may be that the clown died because it was beaten up and/or stressed but there may be other issues that could start to effect the living clown. Keep your water quality up and feed quality foods (adding something like garlic or selcon might be a good idea) but don't overfeed or add food if the clown doesn't want to eat. Just try and leave your fish be for a couple of weeks. If things continue to look good at that point go ahead and add a little guy. If you QT your fish this schedule will work out pretty well or maybe your LFS can hold one for you.

 

[skeeters]

that sounds like a good plan. thanks a bunch.