Ocellaris Clown Biting BTA

[DanHalen]

I just got my first anemone! Its so cool to watch the way my fish interact with it. I have 2 clowns and the smaller one is hosting, but the larger one is acting very aggressive toward the BTA and has even gone as far as to attack the smaller clown. Is there something wrong? Should I be doing something about this?

 

[clowns101]

Its fine,give them time,it should end soon.

 

[niftyjosh]

I gave mine 4 weeks of this behavior. My larger black and white was dominant over the bta, NEVER allowing the smaller to get near it. At first it was small "pecks" but towards the end of the 4th week, it was full out "fin ripping" madness.

Removed the BTA and returned it to my LFS and got a hectors goby and 2 Longspine Cardinals.

 

[SwampyBill]

Josh-How are your clowns aggression issues now without anemone in tank? Is male still getting fins torn up or has she calmed down & took a chill pill...?

Dan-That sounds like normal bonding behavior for your pair. Does smaller one (or both) sometimes do the 'epileptic shake' of submission? My black/white ocellaris pair took months to adopt an anemone. The little guy finally got up the nerve & brushed closer & closer to it; went full on head first soon enough. Female saw it was ok, joined him & promptly kicked male to the curb the next day...LOL! Now I just added another LTA nearby & he dove in within 2 days. Now they both have their own bed about 8"s apart. Facinating behavior to watch--they (& my leopard wrasses) are my 4 favorite fish.

 

[niftyjosh]

Sorry for the late reply...I was on vacation.

But It took alittle less than a week for them to act normal (well as normal as a clown can get...lol)