clownfish fighting.. need help!

[CollinT]

Hi, I bought a pair of false percs for my 12 gallon aquapod and then one died. After that i just left the one left alone in the tank for a while so he/she became king of the tank i guess. It looked lonely so i just bought another false perc thats a little bigger than the original one. I was afraid that they wouldnt get along and of course they arent. I thought they were just being playful at first but then i saw them trying to rip each others pectoral fins off. Would it work to take both of them out for a couple of hours and reintroduce them to the tank at the same time or will they never be friends?

Thanks

 

[Arati]

your best bet would be to return the larger new one and get a verry small one insted.

The way it works is the dominant clownfish is a female so when you left your little guy alone for awhile he became a she.. She will only accept a male clownfish. Kill all females

Since the new one is bigger it is either a female or will fight with the female because it feels dominant and will want to be a female.

one of your fish will likely die if you dont sperate them. since little clownfish all start off (for arguments sake) Male, just go get a little tiny one.

 

[helmet911]

try staping a mirror on the outside of the tank for 2 weeks .....that worked for me ...on a clown and damsel .....

there just like a betas ( fighting fish ) thinking its a other fish in the mirror

 

[CollinT]

Thanks for the quick replies! I would rather not return it, but I have the old smaller one in a clear breeder right now with the larger one swimming around the tank. Do you think that they will get along through the breeder and the larger one turn into a female? Or is there no hope??

 

[Arati]

If they are both females then they will not tolerate one another.

 

[CollinT]

hmm. so there isn't a possibility of one changing back to a male??? (not sure if that can biologically happen). They cant reach each other right now, but they can see each other through the plastic, could that help in the process? plus all the SW stores in my area have terrible return policies, so thats a last resort.

thanks

 

[Toddrtrex]

There have been some recent reports of female clowns going back to male, but nothing confirmed yet. I wouldn't count on it.

In the end, two females aren't going to get along.

 

[CollinT]

that really bites!!!

ill give them a few days.....

thanks

 

[rkelman]

It really depends on if that first clown has become female. How long were they together before the other one died? If it has become female its not going to work out. One will end up dead.

 

[CollinT]

i think your right rkelman, i let the little one out and they did a little dancing but no biting or anything, that was this morning and now lights off and they are both sleeping next to each other on the rock! OR one switched back to male over night... who knows

the little one must have just been territorial, protecting his little aquapod lol

thanks for the help everyone

 

[rkelman]

It sounds like they worked it out. Congrats