maroon clown pairing question?

[ocean.mirage]

I had 2 (3/4" long) maroon clowns (white strip). I put them both In a 90G reef tank 2 weeks ago. They fought alot and after a week, just when it looked like they were getting along. One died, he was swimming funny before he went so I think the othe clown did some permanent damage.

My good local LFS has a 3" gold banded maroon clown that is very healthy and beautiful. they have had it for 6 months, and it is in a tank with no other maroon clowns.

Can you pair a white strip with a gold striped maroon clown?

I don'tt know how I would catch the little guy. So would it work if I put the large 3" clown into the tank? I would think that it is so big that they would not fight, obviously the large one would win.


What are your wise opinions?

 

[smalls383]

I think that it is up to the clown itself, the large one that is, to determine if it wants a buddy or not.....but I would say that might be trouble with two difference color clowns....

 

[davocean]

I have a WS fem and GS male no prob, and I've seen many others do this as well.
Prob is your clowns were fighting for dominance/female, and the 3" at LFS is almost certainly female.
You'll need to get a smaller one, and may even have to wait a little bit.
Intro in specimen container to be safe.

 

[Grunt]

If the current clown is only 3/4 of an inch I don't think you'll have much of a prob. The 3 inch will definately be a female, if she was kept by herself. She will put the little guy into place. Stripe color never stopped any of my maroons. Maroons are very difficult to pair. You might have a good chance since the smaller fish is already in the tank. If the 3 inch was in the tank it would be a different story and she would have to except the smaller.

 

[davocean]

I agree usually 3/4" is usually sexless, my concern is that there has already been a battle for dominance, and survivor won, and if not female already may be in process of change.
If you chance it, be sure to use spec cont and make sure to see little guy do it's twitch, and big one not charging trying to kill it.

 

[davocean]

Pic of mine, GSM is still small, so gold isn't real bright yet;

 

[ocean.mirage]

okay... SO I finally got the 3" GSM yeaterday. I put in a species tank that is drilled with30 holes to let water in and out and it is hung at the top of my tank. unfortunately the species tank (it was the largest I could find) is only 5" wide by 6" deep by 8" long. So not a lot of room in it. two questions for you:

1. How long should I leave it in the species tank?
2. sholud I leave it at the top of the tank, or should I put it down by the polyp colony rock where the little maroon clown has made his home?


I wish I could switch them so the little guy was in the species tank...but I'll never catch him In a 90G. and I think it is better that she is cut off from other tank mates for a while as well. Probably good that she is being introduced in the little guys territory.

 

[MYDRAAL]

Try letting her out tommorrow. This is going to be a hit or miss. Be ready to possably having to take one out. I had a large female and then introduced a smaller one and she beat the crap out of him for a couple of days before she finally settled down ( wouldn't recommend doing this but I didn't want to give up to soon). They may go to each other like long lost lovers (I've seen this happen), or, well you know the alternative. BTW, I have a GSM and WSM, and they don't seem to mind what color their stripes are when they lay their eggs

 

[elegance coral]

Is the female Maroon eating? If she is not eating in the species tank, you need to get her out of it as soon as you can.

If I were in your shoes, I would let the female go in the 90gl. That species tank is to small and will only stress her out even more. The last thing you want to do is stress her out real good before releasing her into the tank. The species tank would have worked fine for the juvenile, but it's no place for a female.

If you are uncomfortable releasing the female, you can try to trap the juvenile. Here's a thread with some different ways to catch clowns in reef tanks. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=372952 I have had to catch fish in reef tanks many times. I always use a bag from the LFS and some fishing line. Just weave the fishing line around the opening of the bag and tie it off like a noose. Place some food and a small rock in the bag, and place the bag in the tank near where the clown hangs out.. Kick back in your favorite chair with the string in your hand, and wait for the fish to enter the bag. A quick tug on the string and the bag will close with the fish inside.

 

[ocean.mirage]

I don't know how I got this lucky....well I ahve done this before...I find that if you try to scoop a fish in the middle of the night with a net...you sometimes get lucky... I got really lucky.....I just reached in and scooped the little guy.... So I put him in the species tank...and I let the large Maroon loose in the 90G tank. tomorrow is gonna be hell in there... I just let her loose with...

1 - adult chocolate tang
1 - adult purple Tang
1 - blue damsel
1 - chromis adult
1 - yellow damsel
1- black damsel
1 - lawnmower blenny
1 - scooter blenny

so a lot of large fairly aggressive fish... I hope it goes well.

So the little guy. ....should I put his little holding cell on the bttom of the tank or hang on the top? and how long do I keep him in there for?