Domestic violence!!!

[elegance coral]

What would you do?

I have had a pair of maroons for, I don't know... 10+ years??? They were a wild caught pair when I got them, so I have no idea how old they really are. They've been living together relatively peacefully all this time. This morning I heard some splashing, and looked over to see the large female chasing little man all over the tank. I quickly got the isolation chamber and put the little guy in it. All of his fins are shredded.

Would you consider them divorced and keep them separated, or would you attempt a reconciliation?

 

[davocean]

That's just weird for that to happen after that long of time together, but then having had maroons I'm not totally surprised.
Maybe float the lil guy in a container just to observe her actions?

 

[deangelr]

It happens.. I have had to re-pair a few pairs after similar situations.. Sometimes it takes several attempts, so no, I would not give up.

 

[davocean]

^^ Several attempts for pairing w/ a new male I would understand, but a pair that have been together for 10 years seems a little odd, even for maroons.

 

[thomasC]

just like my marriage!

 

[vaporize]

divorce is required get to it soon before you need to call in homocide

 

[BonsaiNut]

Female maroons are very fickle. What you describe I have heard happening as well. One breeder I know was very careful about walking within visible range of a pair of maroons because the female was very aggressive and skittish and would get mad if something happened outside her tank that she didn't like and she would take it out on the male. He used to block the front of the tank with cardboard so she couldn't see out.

You could try my method of sinking him in a container next to her anemone (repairing exercise for A. latezonatus).

 

[BonsaiNut]

By the way, one trick I have learned with skittish/aggressive clowns - see if you can train them to hand feed. If they associate you with food they are a lot less "emotional" when you approach the tank. Oh, and try dither fish (bulletproof species like blue damsels). They take her attention off the male.

 

[david_lee]

One breeder I know was very careful about walking within visible range of a paid of maroons because the female was very aggressive and skittish and would get mad if something happened outside her tank that she didn't like and she would take it out on the male.

man she need anger management or some counselling...lol

 

[elegance coral]

Thanks for all the input.:beer:

Female maroons are very fickle. What you describe I have heard happening as well. One breeder I know was very careful about walking within visible range of a pair of maroons because the female was very aggressive and skittish and would get mad if something happened outside her tank that she didn't like and she would take it out on the male. He used to block the front of the tank with cardboard so she couldn't see out.

The only time my maroon has been aggressive towards the male in the past, is when I skipped a day of feeding. The next day at feeding time, she'd get overly excited and attack the male, taking big, mouth sized, chunks out of his fins. They always grew back though. I try not to skip feedings anymore, and she was fed very well yesterday.

I think you may be on to something though. Back in 08 I noticed her throwing a rock around. After seeing this, I started keeping a few small rocks in her tank, just to give her a little exercise and something to do. She would pile them up in one corner of the tank, then I'd move them back near her hang out. I've been doing this for almost three years. A couple of months ago, I moved this pair to a new tank, with no rocks to throw around. Maybe the rocks gave her something to take her aggression out on. Now little man has to take the brunt of her hostility???????

You could try my method of sinking him in a container next to her anemone (repairing exercise for A. latezonatus).

This is the first thing I did. He's still in this isolation chamber, in the same tank with the female.

Here she is throwing a rock around three years ago.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9KMOcpoVrDc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[elegance coral]

By the way, one trick I have learned with skittish/aggressive clowns - see if you can train them to hand feed. If they associate you with food they are a lot less "emotional" when you approach the tank.

I've been doing this with all my clowns, for years. I got tired of getting bit. Now that my clowns associate my hand with food, they don't bite any more.

Oh, and try dither fish (bulletproof species like blue damsels). They take her attention off the male.

That's a good idea! I'll have to find some good sized ones though. She'll just kill the tiny ones my LFS typically carries.

 

[mr9iron]

By the way, one trick I have learned with skittish/aggressive clowns - see if you can train them to hand feed. If they associate you with food they are a lot less "emotional" when you approach the tank. Oh, and try dither fish (bulletproof species like blue damsels). They take her attention off the male.

I've got to try this. My clowns were pretty docile until they decided to accept their RBTA as a host. When I put my hands in the tank the male continually attacks me. Any tips on having them eat from your hands?

 

[davocean]

2 weird things I noticed when I had my maroon, mine too would move rocks too close to her nem, and if they were too big to lift, she would head butt them.
Also, I had a GF that had bright red hair, and every time she was close to the tank, my females cheek spines would flare and she would go nuts, so much so that this GF would always say, " I don't think that fish likes me very much"
I never told her, but I agreed!LOL

 

[Psirex]

By the way, one trick I have learned with skittish/aggressive clowns - see if you can train them to hand feed. If they associate you with food they are a lot less "emotional" when you approach the tank. Oh, and try dither fish (bulletproof species like blue damsels). They take her attention off the male.

Totally F'ing cool!

 

[mr9iron]

2 weird things I noticed when I had my maroon, mine too would move rocks too close to her nem, and if they were too big to lift, she would head butt them.
Also, I had a GF that had bright red hair, and every time she was close to the tank, my females cheek spines would flare and she would go nuts, so much so that this GF would always say, " I don't think that fish likes me very much"
I never told her, but I agreed!LOL

It must have been a red head thing.:lol2: