Fighting pair of Ocellaris?

[rjsilvers]

I bought a 'pair' of Ocellaris from LFS about 3 weeks ago. They were the only two in the LFS tank and they seemed to get along fine. And they were fine in my tank until today...

One of the clowns (the one being picked on) has taken on a blackened appearance toward the top of its body. And its fins are getting nipped at. I've even seen them lock jaws a few times tonight.

Anybody have any ideas why a 'pair' would fight like this? Did they both morph into females?

 

[Eklikewhoa]

They were probably not a pair and if the LFS is like most LFS's I have seen there is no territory in those tanks in which I would assume your tank has some sort of territory.

They are settling their differences and if they finally get over it they will eventually pair up. If it gets bad you will have to remove one.

 

[Slakker]

Locking jaws is never good...you may have two females on your hand, but if you do they were probably already both female when you bought them.

Are they significantly different in size?

 

[rjsilvers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12535832#post12535832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Eklikewhoa
They were probably not a pair and if the LFS is like most LFS's I have seen there is no territory in those tanks in which I would assume your tank has some sort of territory.

You're right. It was just a 20 gallonish barebottom tank with nothing in it.

 

[rjsilvers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12535873#post12535873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Slakker
Locking jaws is never good...you may have two females on your hand, but if you do they were probably already both female when you bought them.

Are they significantly different in size?

Nope, they are almost identical in size.

The one clown that's doing all the bullying is doing that shaking maneuver where it stays in one spot and shakes itself at the other clown. I read that's what males do, but it doesn't seem like a male since it's chasing the other one around constantly.

 

[vwwanksta69]

my female does the seizure thing as well as does my male....

 

[Slakker]

Hmm...this is sounding more and more like female battling...

How big are they?

 

[SuperNerd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12537403#post12537403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rjsilvers
Nope, they are almost identical in size.

The one clown that's doing all the bullying is doing that shaking maneuver where it stays in one spot and shakes itself at the other clown. I read that's what males do, but it doesn't seem like a male since it's chasing the other one around constantly.

Exactly how big are they?

edit: doh! what Slakker asked!:lol:

 

[rjsilvers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12538179#post12538179 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Slakker
Hmm...this is sounding more and more like female battling...

How big are they?

If that's the case, I could move one of them to my sump until my 180 is set up and cycled, but I hope that's not the case.

Both clowns are about 1.5 inches in length.

How big do do male and female ocellaris normally get? These seemed about the same size as every other ocellaris at the store.

Edit:

And here's pics of the two...
The first one is the one being picked on. The second one is the bully.

 

[rjsilvers]

Well I guess I did end up with two females after all. I came home to find the picked on clownfish sandwiched between some LR and the glass not moving.

She wasn't dead, but looked very bad. I moved her to the refugium and she seems to be doing a lot better.