Clownfish ID help

[weasel440]

Long story, made short. I bought a pair of clown fish that were labeled "Red Sea" ocellaris. I bought them about 5-6 months ago and they never showed interest in one another. Then about a week ago they started fighting & trying to lock mouths. So i separated them and going to keep the more peaceful one. Which is in the picture. Is it a ocellaris? I'm going to wait awhile and eventually try to pair with a wyoming or platinum. Second picture has both of them in it.

 

[Cheebs]

I do wonder if the fighting was the beginnings of them pairing up. My clown pairs all beat the **** out of each other before tying the knot.

It does look like Occelaris.

 

[ThRoewer]

The "Red Sea" may just refer to the farm they were bred at. I know that Red Sea Fish Pharm Ltd. in Israel had a division that was breeding tropical reef fish, but I'm not sure if that facility is still operational.

The fish in the picture are clearly A. ocellaris - likely the "fancy ocellaris" variety that is found in some regions of the Philippines.
If they are tank raised they are definitely of high quality (= good color and no deformities).
I would keep them both - the fighting will eventually end when they figure out who is the boss. It's a normal part of the pairing procedure if you start out with juveliles of equal size.

 

[Sandberg1222]

:thumbsup: +1 to what was said above.

 

[Rudimenta]

+2

 

[weasel440]

Ok. I will put them back together. But is it normal for them to try and lock mouths? Thought that was a sign of 2 females.
They were approximately 3/4 inch. Maybe smaller when i bought them. What threw me off about species, is when i bought them they were a bright neon orange.
Then the 1 got a lot darker than the other 1.
Here is a good picture of the aggressor...

 

[fredfish13]

if they are that small, they are probably both males still. yes, they will fight occasionally and lock jaws. one is trying to be the dominant one. I have two pairs and they beat each other up when growing. now the one pair is laying eggs. the other pari, the female killed the male after being with each other 2 years. I bought a small male this past summer to pair with her. she used to beat him up at first. i took her out and put her in time out for a few weeks. they are now in the same tank and she is not interested, but at least she is not attacking him. GL

 

[ThRoewer]

Ok. I will put them back together. But is it normal for them to try and lock mouths? Thought that was a sign of 2 females.
They were approximately 3/4 inch. Maybe smaller when i bought them. What threw me off about species, is when i bought them they were a bright neon orange.
Then the 1 got a lot darker than the other 1.
Here is a good picture of the aggressor...

At 3/4" they are not even mature males, let alone females.

 

[pilot.darren]

Let us know how they do when you put them back together.

 

[weasel440]

After being apart for 3 days, they get along much better. They actually hang out together now, and the darker 1 is starting to submit. Hopefully they work it out and live together.
Now my firefish is another story. After 2-1/2 years he / she killed their mate. To bad there wasn't away to determine firefish gender. Would love to pair him / her up again.

 

[b22]

Stinks about you firefish. Glad your clowns are getting along better.

 

[ThRoewer]

After being apart for 3 days, they get along much better. They actually hang out together now, and the darker 1 is starting to submit. Hopefully they work it out and live together.
Now my firefish is another story. After 2-1/2 years he / she killed their mate. To bad there wasn't away to determine firefish gender. Would love to pair him / her up again.

With 2.5 years that firefish is quite old. To my knowledge their life expectancy is about 3 to 4 years.
Sexing them is possible but not easy.

 

[DavidGraves]

Bummer about the firefish.