Clown Pairing Questions???

[duganderson]

I had two paired occerlarus clowns. I removed the bigger female from the tank and added a new black and white occerlarus clown (that is about 1.75" in length) about 30 days ago. The orange male that was left in the tank is 2" long and a little fatter and wider than the black and white.

The orange clown charges at the new black and white occasionally but it does not seem to do any damage. The orange clown will also swim close to the black and white and start shaking. Is the orange clown trying to establish dominance on the new smaller black and white OR is it showing submissiveness by shaking?

Is there anything I should do to help them pair or prevent future aggression?

Within a few days of being added to the tank, the black and white is hosted by my RBTA. The orange clown is not being hosted yet.

Thanks

 

[duganderson]

Any thoughts about this?

 

[JustinGr]

The aggression is part of the deal if the one is Female and the other is a male. If for some reason both are female, the aggression will end when one is dead. If male, and Female, it will need when the male submits to her authority. It could take weeks, most likely a few days.

 

[duganderson]

The orange one originally in the tank is a male because he was paired with a larger female that was removed. I added the 1/4" smaller black and white male when the female was removed.

The bigger orange male is the one charging at the smaller male but the bigger one is also the one that is shaking. I thought the shaking was to show submissiveness.

 

[JustinGr]

It is, and there is no guarantee that the new one will stay the male, it you are sure it was the male.

 

[sparky45]

The bigger of the two will turn into a female.