PLEASE HELP!!!! Ocellaris Clowns fighting

[HenHouse]

Hello. I started a tank about 6 months back. I added the first Ocellaris black and white clown (maybe 1.25") right away. About a month later a little smaller orange and white one. They always got along and always slept together. 3 days ago the black and white (bigger) got very aggressive and chases the other one around and they go head to head all the time now. The smaller is submitting by shaking and moving away, but the other one is relentless.

So far we have a small dorsal fin nip and 2 small tail rips on the smaller. I know this is mating type behavior, one becoming female, but how do I tell when enough is enough. How long will this last, and what is the likely hood in them bonding. Please any advice would help. I feel so bad for Tigger. Thank you.

 

[HenHouse]

The only interesting thing is watching my Yellow Tang swim around them trying to break it up. By being the nosiest fish I have ever seen he is doing some good.

 

[gone fishin]

Sounds like the clowns have hit puberty and are figuring out who the boss will be in the family. It should subside once it is worked out. My money is on the larger female

 

[HenHouse]

Thank you Tony. I definitely agree with the puberty part. My main concern is does anyone know relatively how long this takes. I understand nature and want them to bond, but I don't want Trigger to be killed by Bozo in the process. Anyone have insight/experience in time frames?

 

[FortyFour]

You might have to rename Bozo to, I don't know, Large Marge?

 

[gone fishin]

Thank you Tony. I definitely agree with the puberty part. My main concern is does anyone know relatively how long this takes. I understand nature and want them to bond, but I don't want Trigger to be killed by Bozo in the process. Anyone have insight/experience in time frames?

I seem to recall when mine were going through this it lasted maybe a week to 10 days. It was about 4 years ago. It looked pretty brutal though while it was going on.

 

[HenHouse]

I know FortyFour. Definitely feels like a Bozo though, maybe Boza???

Gonefishin, you just let them work it out and then they were fine? They get along good since?

 

[Sounds Fishy]

Thank you Tony. I definitely agree with the puberty part. My main concern is does anyone know relatively how long this takes. I understand nature and want them to bond, but I don't want Trigger to be killed by Bozo in the process. Anyone have insight/experience in time frames?

I cannot speak for your pair of clowns,but in my case it was seasonal,and it involved Tomato Clowns,about 10years old each.The large one whom is the female ,would,out of blue ,every October,would literally shred and attempt to kill the smaller...
And yes,my Yellow Tangs would attempt to break up the massacre.This happened every year around the same time and I can see it was hormones,..
I always ended up removing the big one for several weeks,till,I thought it was safe to reintroduce her.She has a strong bite and has attacked my hand ,drawing blood.My blood.(I wear gloves now).

 

[gone fishin]

Yes I just let them sort it out and have been together ever since.

I personally have not seen this but I have read that sometimes the female will not tolerate the male for whatever reason and he will be killed off.

 

[HenHouse]

A Maroons bite can draw blood??? Wow I would have never thought. I can't imagine my little guys getting big enough to do that.

 

[HenHouse]

Sorry meant Tomatoes.

 

[b1ink]

try changing your rock work - redoing it. Most clowns will get territorial but once you redo your rock work they should settle down which allow for them to get comfortable with each other. The same thing happened with my 4 clowns and i redid my rock work and now they dont fight as much.

 

[HenHouse]

I saw that was an option. I have everything epoxied together, like 4 pieces of reef saver rock and I really like it. I have a fug in the sump so if it gets too bad, I will put Bozo the bully down there!

 

[2una]

I had 2 doing this,not long after was their 1st drop of eggs

 

[HenHouse]

Can you see the eggs? How do you know when they have been laid?

 

[ClownFishGuy6]

I think its because they're figuring out who is the more dominant one changes to a female gender and they may have babies. But this fighting should stop within a couple of days. If it continues remove one from the tank I guess.

 

[shifty51008]

Ive had my female ocy clown draw blood on me once when i got to close to her eggs. You learn fast to wear gloves when going in tge tank.