Do I Have a "Pair"

[Eldredge]

I purchased a system a couple of months ago. Included in the livestock were two clowns and a bubble tip. I never saw them interact very much before I moved the tank to my house (very limited observation). They both spent several weeks in the sump without the anemone (lots of rock) when I got them home. One of them took up residence on one side of a glass baffle, and the other on the other side. they would interact through the glass a little. I put them in the display tank with the anemone yesterday. One is a little bigger and definitely meaner than the other one. It chases the smaller one, and will sometimes even shoot across the 6' tank to harass him. Last night they both slept in the anemone. The smaller one seems to want to interact with the bigger one. Is this normal behavior for a male and female, or do I have two females or two males? If they are two of a kind, will one change? And, should I just let them work it out? Thanks for the help.

 

[tpdpercula]

I can tell you if they are both in a hosting anemone things look to be good but it does not mean they are paired up. Sometimes especially with younger clowns one will mature into a female and produce adult coloring (don't know what type of clowns you have) while one will retain its juvenile coloring and still be tolerated by the female but not be paired up. Give it sometime and also details on what type of clowns and pictures might help.

-Ian

 

[Eldredge]

Thanks for your help Ian. I think they are Sebae clowns. The larger one is probably about 3.5-4", and the smaller one is about .5-.75" smaller. As far as I can see, they have the same markings. They were both sleeping in the anemone this morning, but shortly after I turned the room lights on the big one ran the little one off. I will try to get a pic, but I'm not sure I can with my camera. Thanks again for the help. I will give them some time.

 

[tpdpercula]

Your chances of pairing are good with them that size but I CAUTION you to keep an close eye on them. A clown the size of the large one can really do a number possibly causing a fatailty on one so much smaller. If they are indeed Sebaes then of course the female will have her adult (darker) coloring and the male should have similar (dark) coloring and not have its juvenile (light tan) coloring.

-Ian

 

[Eldredge]

Thanks again Ian. Based on your description (thanks, I didn't know what to look for), they do appear to have adult coloration. They are both in (acutally under the tentacles hanging down) the anemone now, and seem to be getting along. They are in my home office where I work, so it will be easy for me to keep an eye on them.

Update: the big one just chased the little one clear across the tank (rather violently). Then they both returned and are hanging out again. I'm just not experienced enough to know what is normal. I will keep an eye on them. I assume that if they are both female I will need to separate them, is that correct?

 

[garygb]

If one is signficantly smaller than the other, then the small one will likely be the male and the larger one will become the female. In your initial post, you mentioned that one is larger and more aggressive, that one is currently or likely will soon be the female. The smaller one will remain the male. Clowns are all male when juvenile, then some become females. Were these clowns together for a long time before you purchased them? If so, likely you have a pair.

 

[garygb]

I just read a subsequent post stating the larger one is almost 4 inches long, I would feel confident saying that one is already a female. The one that is almost an inch smaller is the male.

 

[Eldredge]

Thanks Garygb. I think they had been together for a number of months. I was assuming that the larger one was a female, and was hoping that the smaller one is still male. I guess I was just a little concerned that the smaller one might possibly be a female too because of the aggression of the bigger one to the smaller one. So, I will hope that you are right and I have a male and a female. If that is the case, is this type of behavior normal? I guess I assumed that the agression would end once there was a male and a female.

 

[garygb]

It is typical for the female to be dominant--clearly the boss. If the female is actually harming the smaller one, then that is not normal.

 

[Eldredge]

I guess it's probably normal then. In spite of the chasing etc. I haven't seen any signs of actual injury. I'll keep observing and learning. Thanks for the help.

 

[bamack2]

as long as fins not ripped they should be ok dont let them roughhouse to much