How can I tell if my percula is male or female?

[ratienza80]

Hi guys. I had a pair of onyx perculas. One was about 2" and the other was 1.5". The larger one was living in the magnifica and would not let the smaller one in. He/she was very aggressive toward it. Three weeks ago, the smaller percula just vanished overnight. I looked in the sump, on the floor and what I can see between the rocks. It was always healthy and was never sickly so I don't know what happened to it (2nd perc vanishing).

So I have three questions:
1. What the h&$& happened to the clowns? I have blue, yellow, powder blue tangs, lawnmower blennie, pseudochromis, h. Mag, rbta (where it lived).

2. Is my 2" surviving percula a male or female? How can you tell?

3. What is the best way to pair him/her? If I get a small percula, I'm afraid that he won't be able to handle he aggression. If I get a larger one, I'm afraid of its a female and the one I have is a female, he'll fight to the death.

Here is a video of my percula in the mag.

Thanks for the help!!https://vimeo.com/162225071


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[Rudimenta]

1) it might still be around, hard to say. 2) bigger one most likely the female from your description, could be sexless because not really adult size 3) most clowns you buy are still sexless and they will change if needed. There is always aggression in the beginning when clowns meet, no matter small or big. Btw 2" is still small and not likely adult yet.


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[Dkuhlmann]

IMO ALWAYS when replacing clowns when they are about the size you have is to get a replacement of about an inch, this guarantee's you a male or one that hasn't changed yet to female. Two males or sexless won't fight badly accept to figure out who's female. In your case I would say that the one you have is a female.

 

[ThRoewer]

At 2 inch it is likely not yet a female, but at best just a mature male - the overly aggressiveness towards the smaller supports this too.
That said, it could already be on the way to become a female. But I would say to be a functional female it needs to be at least 3 inch - I've never seen a smaller one laying eggs.
In general it is best to add a smaller one, simply because that's how it works in the wild. It is also the safer approach.

 

[Turbosreef]

The nasty ones are usually females protecting the anemone I have seen this first hand buy a baby clownfish and try it out it's up to her weather she tolerates it or not.

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[shanesreef]

I would recommend adding several clownfish smaller than the one you have. This should stop the one on one aggression. When a pair is formed they will likely drive other fish away from the anemone. You could also end up with a trio. Good Luck!

 

[ratienza80]

Thanks everyone for all the replies! I did not know that males are aggressive when they are in an anemone. Is it because he does not want any other fish in it? I wonder if that's the case.

Having two males is better than having two females. So I think I have to assume that she is a female and it's probably better to get a smaller one.


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[ThRoewer]

The nasty ones are usually females protecting the anemone I have seen this first hand buy a baby clownfish and try it out it's up to her weather she tolerates it or not.
...

I put percula pairs together from adults and there was hardly any aggression. Mature females usually do not get overly aggressive to their mates.
If they do, something is wrong.

But I always tried to pair 2 from the same shipment that looked alike (same color pattern) and not to do any "fancy" pairings. That may have some influence on the acceptance.

The aggression is part of the sex-change process and to some degree required to release the right hormones. A reason for too much aggression could be that both partners are too close in size or that there are not enough external threats that make it necessary for them to gang up (Pseudochromis are great to provide that part)

I would recommend adding several clownfish smaller than the one you have. This should stop the one on one aggression. When a pair is formed they will likely drive other fish away from the anemone. You could also end up with a trio. Good Luck!

One is enough. Any additional will just get killed.

Thanks everyone for all the replies! I did not know that males are aggressive when they are in an anemone. Is it because he does not want any other fish in it? I wonder if that's the case.

Having two males is better than having two females. So I think I have to assume that she is a female and it's probably better to get a smaller one.
...

As outlined above, the aggression is part of the bonding and sex-change process.
It also might be that the fish thinks the anemone is a bit too small for two. I usually paired my pairs with flowerpots before moving them to anemones. It takes one incentive for fighting out.