Barberi Clownfish aggression

[Calappidae]

Clownfish are nasty little things sometimes I know that.. however being pressured to purchased a pair of barberis over the ocellarus clowns because the barberis were in an anemone already (only to be seperated for quarentine reguardless).. I'm worried if when they're done in the QT they'll cause problems in a 125 reef with tangs, cardinals, basslets, and small crusteceans, like sexy shrimp, harlequin shrimp, peppermint, etc..

Keep or return? It's my understanding barberi are far more aggressive and "bossy" compared to nemo. Just want to know how bad.

Either way I got a beautiful healthy bta in my 125 from them.. just wish tank bred species were easier to get to host anemones.

 

[trackhazard]

I have a pair of barberi. Definitely more aggressive than ocellaris/percula but not any more so than any other in the tomato clown complex. They are pretty mean to each other but leave the other fish alone after a little bit of initial aggression to establish territory.

-Charlie

 

[Calappidae]

Glad to hear they settle down after awhile. Just hope since these are my earlier additions that they won't harass anything newly added.

I'm mostly working around the tiny crusteceans I have now like my sexy shrimp and such.

Isn't them being mean to each other just one earning dominance becoming the female while the others remain males?

 

[trackhazard]

I think in many cases yes. My "pair" ended up splitting the tank between them. The bigger one stays near the front with two BTAs. One of my BTAs crawled to the back and it hosts the smaller one who defends it from the bigger one aggressively. If they somehow meet in neutral territory, they tolerate each other but will chase when one swims near the other's anemone.

-Charlie