Ocellaris female killed the other one

[RyvBoy]

After 3 months of quiet cohabitation last week one ocellaris started to beat the other one without stopping.

I thought at first that they was courting. today when I came home I find the little one almost death on the bottom of the tank.

i pulled it out but I don't think it will survive...

what could cause this sudden aggressivity?

and now what you suggest to do? to pull the aggressive one out the tank?

thank you

 

[ThRoewer]

What size are/were they?

 

[RyvBoy]

about 1 inch the little dying one.. 1,2/1,3 the other

 

[hkgar]

Were they purchased as a mated or bonded pair? If not, did they go in the tank at the same time?

 

[RyvBoy]

no they were a random pair in a crowded group of little ocellaris

yes they went in the tank together


(the only thing that changed last week is the new entry of 3 chromis (1 died 2 days later without any reason) and 1 firefish

 

[hkgar]

My understanding is that a group of Clown fish will have a dominant female and the others are male. Buying a random pair you may have gotten two males. Not sure if the larger will turn female.

 

[ThRoewer]

At that size both should still be immature males.
Some fighting is normal when they try to figure out who the dominant one will be, but usually it doesn't get this bad because the smaller (weaker) one will show its submission to the larger (stronger) one and that should inhibit further violence.

Since you only saw the result, are you certain that this was done by the larger of the two? Was he still pursuing or attacking the smaller one or just going about his business like nothing had happened?
What other fish are in the tank?

BTW, Seachem Stress Guard may help the beat-up one to recover.

 

[RyvBoy]

Was he still pursuing or attacking the smaller one or just going about his business like nothing had happened?

I saw him attacking without stopping for days.. it has to be caused by this.

 

[ThRoewer]

I saw him attacking without stopping for days.. it has to be caused by this.

In that case it certainly was.
Did the smaller one try to show his submission and the larger on attacked anyway or did the smaller one never show submission or even fought back?

 

[RyvBoy]

In that case it certainly was.
Did the smaller one try to show his submission and the larger on attacked anyway or did the smaller one never show submission or even fought back?

he showed submission most of the time. he was always running away poor him

 

[ThRoewer]

he showed submission most of the time. he was always running away poor him

In that case I would say that the larger one may have a problem.
Are you planning on getting another one? If yes, I would keep a close eye on them and intervene as soon as there are signs of undue aggression.
Should the larger one act towards the new one the same way as against this one, then I would start thinking about replacing him.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[RyvBoy]

In that case I would say that the larger one may have a problem.
Are you planning on getting another one? If yes, I would keep a close eye on them and intervene as soon as there are signs of undue aggression.
Should the larger one act towards the new one the same way as against this one, then I would start thinking about replacing him.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

thank you!:beer: