Clown fish attacking corals

[KrissiIZme]

I have a mated pair of false percs, they currently have eggs and have eggs every few weeks. Anytime I put a new coral frag within a 10 inch radius they attack it. Has anyone else had this issue? I am keeping all new corals on the other side of the tank so it's not an issue I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen...they picked off some nice zoas and attacked the heck out of two new monti frags.

 

[snorvich]

Mating clowns are highly territorial and aggressive. They are also indiscriminate.

:debi:

 

[KrissiIZme]

They also bite the hand that feeds them

 

[Wolverine]

They also bite the hand that feeds them

Yep.
Typical behavior with mating clowns. If you put small enough corals near them, they'll pick them up and dump them in another part of the tank.

 

[NYCBOB]

my clownfish acts the same way. i am not allowed to put any coral where he sleeps or hangs out.

 

[snorvich]

They also bite the hand that feeds them

That is for sure.

 

[GoingPostal]

I'm yanking out my occs tonight because they've killed almost all of my acan lords, took me awhile to figure out it was the fish. Clowns are pains, if they aren't rearranging, picking, trying to host or tossing sand/small rocks around they just aren't happy.

 

[snorvich]

I love clowns in a species tank. I dislike them in a community tank no matter what size.

 

[KrissiIZme]

yeah mine are going to find a new home..soon.

 

[Wolverine]

They also bite the hand that feeds them

Try some maroons. The females will draw blood on the hand that feeds them.

They are, after all, damsels.

 

[velvetelvis]

Try some maroons. The females will draw blood on the hand that feeds them.

They are, after all, damsels.

I actually find clownfish aggression entertaining when they're kept in a species tank that minimizes their ability to wreak havoc, though I had to wear gloves whenever I worked in the tank that housed a female maroon I used to keep. They just seem to have more "personality" than quieter species--but you do pay a price for it!

 

[Sheol]

Yep. Been here, done this! And my ocellaris was just a lonely female ( her mate leapt from the tank after the first year of my old 36 gallon Bowfront, under questionable circumstances! ) . She would knock over ( and actually killed two) entire Platygyra colonies. And any other frags or coral that came near her host "Nem" ( Actually, Xenia first, then Rhodactis 'Shrooms afterwards).
This is another reason I have MAJOR issues with calling fish Reef Safe or Unsafe. The terms are meaningless..

Matthew