Picasso pairing??? Please Respond!

[RandysReef]

I have just recently bought a pair of picassos from AlphaCorals. The bigger one is 1.5 in, and the small one is about 3/4 in. The bigger one has already been hosting Some RBTAs, and the little one is in either the top corner or under a rock hiding from the big one. Also when the bigger one sees the little guy he nips and chases him into the corner of the tank. My 2 questions here is if the little guy is always hiding will they not pair up? And if i remove most of the rocks where the little guy is hiding will that speed up the process?:uhoh2:

v v v.. Click On Link To See My Picassos ..v v v

http://alphacorals.com/store/index....d/gradeapicasso/gradeapicasso-11-12-pair.html

 

[ezhoops]

The larger one will show the smaller how to host, give it time. Ive watched mine do it.

 

[jbax]

it's normal, as long as there is not any serious damage to the smaller one. eventually the larger one will let the smaller one come home. IMO, i wouldn't take any rocks out, the little guy needs a place to hide from her.

just give it time.

 

[davocean]

At that size I'm sure you'll be fine, leave them alone to work it out on their own.
If there is excessive fin tearing then you may have to remove one, but I'd be surprised to hear that.

 

[RandysReef]

it's normal, as long as there is not any serious damage to the smaller one. eventually the larger one will let the smaller one come home. IMO, i wouldn't take any rocks out, the little guy needs a place to hide from her.

just give it time.

The thing is he NEVER gets out from under the rock. He doesn't even come out to eat, at his size he needs to be eating quite a lot and he hasn't eaten in 2 days!!:eek2:

 

[RandysReef]

BUMP anyone else??

 

[madean]

The little guy does need to eat. If she is not even letting him come out from under the rock to eat you probably should figure out a way to seperate them. Just to atleast to get him to eat. You could divide the tank with a tank divider or use a good sized tupperware bowl to isolate the clown. I use this method to help acclimate fish especially when introducing another clown to one another. Basically get a 6" x 6" x 6" plastic tupperware container or bigger if possible and drill holes into the sides all the way around the container. Make sure you have a lid for this container and drill holes into the lid. Isolate the clown into the container and spot feed him with small amounts of food many times a day. This will give him his own space, short term, and let the female see him but not get to him. The female might try but she cant. He will learn that she will not hurt him everytime they meet. He will get more comfortable around her and she will get more comfortable around him. This will accomplish two things- he will eat hopefully, and she will start to accept him. This will take time so you need to be patient.
There is a possibility that you have two females. If this is the case they will most likely keep fighting and one could end up dead. Hopefully this is not the case and you only have one female and neither one male or a sexually immature clown which will in time turn male to satisfy the female. I would not seperate into different tanks.
Good luck

 

[madean]

you could put the tupperware box up high in the tank away from the nem and try feeding. Once your hopefully male is eating try moving the box closer and closer each day and slowly get the two used to each other again.
This behavior to me kind of suggests that the pair wasn't bonded that well. Just take the process slow. She is acting territorial and guarding her home. Eventually she should accept "him" and show him the ropes.

 

[Rippinfrags]

Your clown is most likely fine, just leave him alone and keep feeding your tank like normal. Newly shipped clowns sometimes take up to a week before they start eating. Like davocean said unless the smaller clown has noticeable fin damage let him be.

 

[NirvanaFan]

2 days with no eating isn't a huge deal. Make sure the larger clown gets lots to eat. It will feel comfortable and should let the smaller one around.

 

[RandysReef]

Thanks, sorry for freaking out i just love these guys so much!

 

[davocean]

That is common, they seem so fragile at first and that small/young, but they are pretty hardy creatures.
Mine didn't eat much when I first got them and had me concerned, and also my pair were not very tight at all the first week or two.
Now they are insepperable.

 

[velvetelvis]

Same thing happened with my new nigripes clownfish...the female was picking on the male so much when they came into the LFS that the store owner thought he might have to separate them. Just a few days later, they're almost never apart (even though she does still give him a peck once in a while, just to remind him who's in charge).