DragKnee
New member
I've had these 2 Ocellaris clowns in my 10 gallon for a couple weeks now.
I bought them from the same tank at the LFS, and from day 1 in my tank, I thought for sure I was on the right path to a future pair. The smaller of the 2 would always "twitch" to the larger one, constantly, so I called him Twitch :lmao:
I read that that was him giving in to the larger, which I thought was great. They would usually always be swimming together, they'd both eat together - the larger would eat more but the smaller one would hold his own.
However, last night as I was going to bed, I heard almost like a "bang" and noticed the larger one pretty ferociously attacking the smaller clown. Slamming into his side, and he would "skip" along the surface of the water from one side of the tank to the other. It went on for a while, but I noticed this time around he wasn't twitching/seizing anymore. I figure the larger one didn't like that.
So I got home from work today and noticed them swimming together, they both ate together when I fed them, and while they "fought" for food, they weren't doing anything out of the norm.
Then tonight rolls around and the smaller guy is sitting at the top of the water in the corner. The larger keeps nudging him, but I figured at least it wasn't all-out attacking like the night before.
But... then it started again. The larger clown (lets say "she") again was beating on the little guy, chasing him around, wouldn't let him have any spot in the tank. He finally rested on the main piece of live rock (It spans the majority of the tank) and he laid there breathing very heavily, motionless. After a while, he tried lifting off of the live rock and she came rushing back over and started beating on him again till he rested back on the rock.
As he rested on the rock, she would go about swimming around near the top of the tank, but as soon as he dare start moving from his rock, she'd be right over looking at him, inspecting him to make sure he wouldn't move.
I probably sat there for about 20 minutes, and this was the theme for tonight, and still is (As I look over at the tank).
At this point, he's hovering by the rock, she's swimming around everywhere. He isn't laying on the rock anymore, but she still keeps coming over to make sure he doesn't leave the area. She doesn't seem to be attacking him anymore, though making her presence known that he better not move.
I've noticed earlier today his top fin and tail find are slightly frayed.
Would this be considered normal? I know the male has to give into the female, and there would be chasing, but I thought the female wouldn't actually do damage to the male? He's definitely been breathing very heavy after the attacks and looks completely drained.
I bought them from the same tank at the LFS, and from day 1 in my tank, I thought for sure I was on the right path to a future pair. The smaller of the 2 would always "twitch" to the larger one, constantly, so I called him Twitch :lmao:
I read that that was him giving in to the larger, which I thought was great. They would usually always be swimming together, they'd both eat together - the larger would eat more but the smaller one would hold his own.
However, last night as I was going to bed, I heard almost like a "bang" and noticed the larger one pretty ferociously attacking the smaller clown. Slamming into his side, and he would "skip" along the surface of the water from one side of the tank to the other. It went on for a while, but I noticed this time around he wasn't twitching/seizing anymore. I figure the larger one didn't like that.
So I got home from work today and noticed them swimming together, they both ate together when I fed them, and while they "fought" for food, they weren't doing anything out of the norm.
Then tonight rolls around and the smaller guy is sitting at the top of the water in the corner. The larger keeps nudging him, but I figured at least it wasn't all-out attacking like the night before.
But... then it started again. The larger clown (lets say "she") again was beating on the little guy, chasing him around, wouldn't let him have any spot in the tank. He finally rested on the main piece of live rock (It spans the majority of the tank) and he laid there breathing very heavily, motionless. After a while, he tried lifting off of the live rock and she came rushing back over and started beating on him again till he rested back on the rock.
As he rested on the rock, she would go about swimming around near the top of the tank, but as soon as he dare start moving from his rock, she'd be right over looking at him, inspecting him to make sure he wouldn't move.
I probably sat there for about 20 minutes, and this was the theme for tonight, and still is (As I look over at the tank).
At this point, he's hovering by the rock, she's swimming around everywhere. He isn't laying on the rock anymore, but she still keeps coming over to make sure he doesn't leave the area. She doesn't seem to be attacking him anymore, though making her presence known that he better not move.
I've noticed earlier today his top fin and tail find are slightly frayed.
Would this be considered normal? I know the male has to give into the female, and there would be chasing, but I thought the female wouldn't actually do damage to the male? He's definitely been breathing very heavy after the attacks and looks completely drained.
