Clownfish battling

[Jrsdaddy]

This is a strange one guys. I have had this pair of true percs together for a little while now and the last week or so it's like there trying to kill each other, more so at feeding time. I've had many clownfish pairs in the past and I know all about the dominant female putting the male in his place and usually the male looks like he's having a seizure and the female stops. This doesn't look like the case cause none of them do the "dance" and give up, they twirl and tumble around for a min or two and then go there separate ways. Could it be I have two females? One is only very slightly larger then the other. If I do have two females will one of them eventually go back to male? Thanks in advance for any input

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[ThRoewer]

Size differences don't need to be significant between males and females of Amphiprion pairs (but usually have to be with Premnas).

I've had percula and clarkii and pairs where the male was pretty much the same size as the female. I even had a melanopus pair where the male was larger than the female. Never any fighting with them

Your two don't look really like true percula, more like semi Picassos or some other designer that didn't get the Picasso gene from both parents.

How big are they? Under a certain size (~35 mm for percula & ocellaris) I wouldn't expect them to be sexually mature.

Also Amphiprion and Premnas can change sex only once, from sexually mature male to functional female. A reversal is not possible.

 

[Jrsdaddy]

Wow very informative post thanks. The larger of the two is about an inch and a half and the other is slightly smaller. It's strange cause they don't constantly fight, they even swim with each other at times with no aggression but when they decide to fight it's pretty intense lol.

 

[ThRoewer]

They are still too small to be female, no worries about that. Right now both are still immature males and try to figure out who is the strongest (see it like a schoolyard brawl among teenagers).
You could lock one away into a breeder box and feed less than the other to get them develop a significant size difference quickly or you can just wait it out.

 

[Jrsdaddy]

They are still too small to be female, no worries about that. Right now both are still immature males and try to figure out who is the strongest (see it like a schoolyard brawl among teenagers).
You could lock one away into a breeder box and feed less than the other to get them develop a significant size difference quickly or you can just wait it out.

Thank you for the info, I really appreciate it! Makes a lot of sense now. I don't think I'll separate them just yet but will watch them closely.

 

[ThRoewer]

Are they alone? If yes maybe add some harmless fish to distract them a bit.

 

[Jrsdaddy]

Pretty much, they are in a 45g and the only other fish with them is a yellow watchman goby who is a recluse which is why I don't count him lol. Been thinking of adding a royal gramma and a fairy wrasse of some type soon.