How to make a mated pair of clowns

[Neptune 555]

I purchased two young tank raised percula clown fish... to form a mated pair in my 75 Gallon Reef. I started them out in my 55 gallon FOWLR - The two started swimming together *kinda* but when food was introduced I did notice bullying... About 2 months later one was really being beaten up so I separated the pair for about 4 weeks.... Once my 75 gallon reef tank was ready I added both fish back from separate tanks and placed them together in the 75 gallon reef. I had thought that the larger house would keep them happy... NO luck within 5 minutes of being in the new tank they were attacking each other.

Suggestions? I wanted a mated pair in my 75 gallon reef... with a host anemone? Can I add a new percula clown to my 75 gallon...? should it be bigger or smaller then my existing percula clown? At the LFS the guy said 9 out of 10 times this will not work? I have done this before... I had a large percula clown that was on her own for about 1 year.. I was sure she wanted a mate so I added a single small clown and they bonded for about 10 years!!

I want a mated pair again? Suggestions? I assume my existing pair will NEVER mate now? All my fish go through painful QT so I would like at least a 80% chance of success?

Neptune

 

[Eric Boerner]

I want a mated pair again? Suggestions? I assume my existing pair will NEVER mate now? All my fish go through painful QT so I would like at least a 80% chance of success?

You shouldn't have separated them. One is 'bullying' to show dominance over the other and change sex to female. Once that sex change is completed, they'll bond. Since they've been separated, there is a 'chance' that the other may have changed. If the smaller one hasn't grown much, you can try to establish it in the tank again. You will see some major aggression again, but its normal. If all goes well, the smaller will remain male and they'll bond. If not, you'll need to get another Juvenal if it doesn't take in the a few months.

 

[Neptune 555]

I think they were going to kill each other if I let this pair stay together? Biting the neck?? Is this normal or does it end up in death? I could try again.. I would just hate to have one die? I would rather give it back to the LFS? But think that if it works... then I save myself 4 - 6 weeks of another clown in QT.

How much AGGRESSION do I allow b/4 I remove a fish?

Neptune

 

[Eric Boerner]

I realize that it seems harsh to watch, but this is all normal behavior for clownfish (many animals in fact).

Two things to watch for:

1) If they lock mouths when 'fighting'. This is a tell-tale sign that they are both female. You won't be able to pair them. Try to exchange the smaller of the two for another Juvenal if you can.

2) The smaller of the two turns sideways, showing it's belly when the larger rushes to 'attack'. This is a sign of submission. This means they'll likely pair up.

You'll need to give it a month or so. But watch for those two signs. When they both start swimming together in the same general area, then they're starting to pair up. If they stay separated from each other up to that month, then it's likely not going to happen.

 

[OrionN]

When they mature, they will fight for dominate. Your mistake is remove them from each other. It is possible that both turn female now and you cannot put them together. You need to trade the smaller one of the two in for even a smaller one. Them greaer the different in size, the less the fisht. The smaller one just capitulate quickly if he is much smaller than his mate

 

[xCry0x]

My original pair was a black/white ocellaris that was older and a juvi normal ocellaris. The b/w eventually died to some disease and I replaced it with a much smaller normal ocellaris than my original normal one. The first pair established dominance quickly, b/w was alpha. The second pair the older ocellaris beat the crap out of the younger one for weeks. Any time the younger one tried to get near the giant toadstool leather that the first pair lived in the older one would run it off. The younger one would constantly submit but still get beaten up. Then one day it stopped, they started to deal with eachother and just the other day the female layed eggs for the first time.

TBH it might even help to have a smaller tank when forcing them to pair, otherwise I could see the potential risk of having them try to both be dominant on opposite sides of a larger tank. My tank is 25g and they had no choice but to live together (or kill one).

tl;dr it takes time.

 

[ChallengedOne]

Once they pair off how quickly will the female grow? Mine seemed to have paired off but her growth is very slow.

 

[Eric Boerner]

Once they pair off how quickly will the female grow? Mine seemed to have paired off but her growth is very slow.

Depends on the species, but usually after 1 year she'll be full grown. They're still kids at this stage.

 

[ChallengedOne]

Does food/diet improve the growth rate? They have been paired off for a while. The more aggressive fish is the slightly larger one. And they both swim and sleep in the same areas and are not aggressive towards each other. But the aggressive one is towards other tank mates, my cleaning supplies, and my hand. They are black and white occ.

 

[Eric Boerner]

But the aggressive one is towards other tank mates, my cleaning supplies, and my hand. They are black and white occ.

Get used to that. With that color morph, extra aggressive tendencies have been bred into them by accident. Most B&W occy owners report them biting the hand that feeds them.

Regular feedings of silversides will help with growth rate, but as she gets older, so will her bravado. If you don't have a nest for them yet, get one so the rest of the tank knows that her nest is a no-swim zone. She'll stay leashed to it and defend just that space unless something upsets her nesting grounds.

 

[ChallengedOne]

I have been able to get her to stop nibbling. But she has started attempting to tail whip lol.