Clownfish locking jaws/fighting

[krak256]

I've had a true percula clownfish living in my 14g biocube along with a sixline for almost 2 months now. I've been meaning to get a pair of true percs, but my LFS just didn't have any in for the longest time. They finally got some yesterday and I bought one.

While I was acclimating the fish (in the bag) in the tank, I noticed that they were fighting through the bag. The were nipping each other at the mouth (locking jaws). I was worried so I turned off the light. I put the new clown in and immediately they went at each other, biting each others mouth and locking jaws. I decided to do a lights out and put a towel around the tank.

What do I do? Is this because both of them are females? Will the smaller/newer one turn into a male? I'm hoping the lights out will calm them down.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Zaita]

The one you had already would've become a female by being alone. If you had purchased the larger of a pair then you'd likely purchased a second female.

2 Females = 1 Live Female + 1 Dead Female OR 2 Dead Females.

Females cannot return to being a male.

 

[krak256]

the LFS that I bought my true percs from always keeps them separated in different tanks or in those cubes within a tank. So I need to separate them?

Crap... gotta run home soon and do that...

 

[traveller7]

How large are the fish in question?

It is not unusual for 2 young fish to both try to establish dominance either.

 

[krak256]

ok, i came back today and took the towel off. they arn't locking jaws anymore, but they are fighting a bit. it's doesnt seem to be anything serious. my original perc instigates fights and both perc "twitch/shiver" and turn to their side.

what does that mean?

they're both about an inch long

 

[Zaita]

If they have settled down and both are twitching, they are both trying to establish dominance/submission. Give em a few weeks and keep an eye on their behaviour.

 

[traveller7]

Some related information:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=215098

 

[krak256]

thanks so much for the link.

so this means that the new one IS a male? he/she/it has been avoiding my original clown and doesn't try to fight back. it just shivers every once in a while. good sign?

 

[Siscim23]

Yes the shivering is a sign of submission. i.e. the male. And it is usually the female who instigates the fighting, if there is fighting.

 

[traveller7]

Depending on the size and level of maturity, they could both actually still be juveniles. It does appear they have or are close to deciding which one will be the dominant specimen, female. The other one, will become male.

fwiw: clowns may stay in the juvenile stage for many years, some level of stimuli is required to push them to mature.

 

[krak256]

ahhh thanks traveller. i thought my original perc, who has been in the tank alone for almost 2 months, was a female. she is only about an inch long, maybe not mature enough to go through the sex change?

 

[traveller7]

At that size, consider them juveniles, with 1 dominant. Expect the dominant specimen to put on a growth spurt and become female. Expect the submissive one to become male.