My ocelaris clown bites! Literally.

rich415

rich415

Member
Recently my clown fish has begun to go after my hand when I am working in the tank. She has been in there since July 2005 and has only recently decided to bite me. This also corresponds with her hosting a patch of mushrooms. There is male clown in the tank that does not bite or really host anything.

This is really annoying and I avoid doing work in the tank because of it. But I have to scrub algea and pull red macro algea sprouting from my live rock.

Anyone else have to deal with violent clown fish?:mad2:
 
Thanks, I really have to battle with her. My girlfreind gets mad at me because i try to hit the fish with my finger (you know to prove I'm the boss) and it ends up in a real stand off between me and the fish. I guess we're both too stubborn.
 
I have a 4in. clarkii that draws blood. I make my hands look as big as possible by spreading out my fingers whenever she comes near to scare/ discourage her.
 
I thump the crap out of one of my clowns that bites. She has drawn blood on many occasions. I have found it helpful to feed the fish before I start putting my hands in, seems to calm her. Also I try and give her food from my fingers in hopes one day she wont bite the hand that feeds her. But no such luck yet :rolleyes:
 
yea but there teeth are rounded.. i get bit by mine(snowflake) all the time(i hand feed) and it is more shocking than painful.. it is around 18 to 20 inches.. i have seen a few maroons that were just absolutely crazy..
 
yeah, thank God for the round teeth,I would hate to get nailed by a Tess or banded though. My clarks's have developed a taste for human flesh too.
 
Thanks, this makes me feel better. I never thought clown fish could be so violent. When I had a White Eye Moray I knew to watch out but I never thought Clown fish were so violent. At least she hosts the mushrooms to makeup for it. They are so much more interesting when they host something.
 
well i was feeding and i got bit by mine(SF EEl) tonight.. so i take back what i wrote.. if your SF was bigger than that it must have hurt pretty bad.. i guess i shouldnt have said anything.. i currently have a white eye moray as well..what did you pay for yours?? i see that they are rather expensive online, and really not in the stores but rarely.. i got mine for a bargain it was listed as an assorted moray, i knew what it was though..
 
mine have always bitten me as well no matter what im doing in the tank. but that really isnt going to stop me cause handfeeding is awesome IMO. and well worth it
my two are about an inch each at the moment so maybe ill change my tune when theyre adults, for now, i consider it cool.
 
I had a CB Ocellaris pair and man the female was so agressive. I couldn't stand getting nipped every single time I put my hands in, so I traded her off. I now have a pair of WC perc's and they are both very , very peaceful.

I agree though, I had watched a tank for a friend that had maroon clowns, and holy crap they know how to nip!
 
I know in JW clownfishes book she says it is pretty common when they are spawning or about to. I know a guy who has a Gold stripe maroon femail that always bit him. Even jumped out of the water once. Then one day he was handing out Bubble tips and found a clutch of eggs.
 
interesting I have a small O. Clown and its like 1 1/2-2 inches and when im in the tank it doesnt come up to me and bite it just comes up, and like pecks at me, kinda like a love kiss... I wonder if its gonna turn into biting when it gets older.
 
my occelaris bites me all the time.. hence the name shark... but to my cousin and everyone else except my brother... his name is Nemo.....



unfortunatly
 
SVXH6,
I had my White Eye Moray back in 2003, Bought it at about 12 inches for $40. I had one of those plastic mechanical arms found at Petsmart to feed it and always kept my hands out of the tank.

The bitings have increased now. Before it happened about every third time I worked in the tank. Now its every time my hands get about 9 inches deep.
 
i hand feed all my fish and have never had any problems with my clowns bitting me even though they are paired up. the most they do is rush and then back off to there mushrooms and sit and watch. i can only hope that they dont become aggressive. one is a true perc(my avatar) and a Black O. clown just for reference.

Mark
 
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