Maroon Clown FAIL

[jb61264]

Well...thought it would be cool to find a small maroon clown to try and pair up with my existing larger maroon clown...wow, what a mistake that was. I barely started floating the bag in the water to acclimate the new small maroon and the existing one was attacking it in the plastic bag. Guess the only way to get a pair to mate up is to get them both at the same time really small?

Can someone tell me...is there a difference between a "maroon clown" and a "yellow stripe maroon clown" are they both one in the same or are they completly different? My current maroon has the distinguishing yellow hues in the white stipes...the smaller one does not and I was just wondering if the yellow was just something that showed up after some maturity or if they are completely different fish.

 

[Staceon]

Did you let the fish out of the bag?

 

[asonitez]

Did you let the fish out of the bag?

I hoped not. he might get raped.

 

[bobparker]

I've had a gold banded maroon clown for the past three years and depending on the interpretation of the LFS and their supplier there is no difference. They want the extra buck regardless.

IME I've seen maroons with white bands so yes there is a difference.

 

[jb61264]

I didn't even attempt to let the clown out of the bag so he is in my refugium until I can take him back and exhange for something else tonight...looking at a flasher wrasse instead

 

[luvtolean]

I really liked my yellow striped maroon clown...poor guy was lost in a test kit fail. He was a really aggressive fish though.

Buy them paired, or keep them singly...

 

[Staceon]

I had a mated pair of percs for like 7 years that laid eggs, then moved tanks and put that mated pair in with a single tomato. About a year later the tomato picked that female perc to death leaving the small perc alone. The perc and tomato stayed in the same tank for about another 4 years. I then upgraded tanks and decided to give away the tomato and introduce another perc. It was amazing, after about 6 months this new pair was laying eggs again.

However there was some fighting...its not uncommon to have some fighting when fish first get introduced. If I were you I think I would still introduce the new one.

 

[wrott]

Yeah, as long as the new one is small enough to be sexually undifferentiated, the female will not kill it. It will submit, and eventually (hours), they will pair-up.

 

[xmasia]

ive been told by my lfs that maroons if not bought in pairs that it will be hard to pair even with a non sexed fish. he did say that it can be done tho.

 

[tangtang clown]

I really liked my yellow striped maroon clown...poor guy was lost in a test kit fail. He was a really aggressive fish though.

Buy them paired, or keep them singly...

Plus one on being the most aggressive my I have had. I just got a Blue Jaw Trigger so maybe he can straighten him out.

 

[jimmyj7090]

The trick with pairing Maroons is to have one WAY smaller.

If you have a good sized maroon established, then add a tiny one (like 1/3 it's size) the dominance will get worked out very quickly.

 

[Untamed12]

Yeah, as long as the new one is small enough to be sexually undifferentiated, the female will not kill it. It will submit, and eventually (hours), they will pair-up.

ive been told by my lfs that maroons if not bought in pairs that it will be hard to pair even with a non sexed fish. he did say that it can be done tho.

I did this with Gold Striped Maroon clowns, so it is 100% possible. I wouldn't even say it was really difficult.

You've done the right thing so far in getting one specimen much smaller than the other.

When I added the smaller, the larger set about to kill it immediately. This is the same thing you've experienced.

I protected the smaller fish by containing it in a small cage for a few days. I used one of those plastic strawberry cages. The larger grew tired of attacking the cage after a day or so.

Once released, the smaller found shelter on the opposite side of the tank and there were only a few brief fights.

Within a week, the smaller had moved in to the same 'nem as the larger and I recall their first brood was produced a few months later.