Ron Popeil
Love them clownfish.
hello again. i made the decision to put the clowns from their QT tanks into the main display yesterday evening. all three nigripes clowns ate aggressively, showed no labored breathing, no stringy feces, clean bodies, fat little bellies, and otherwise....looking great. especially with the knowledge that they had been in dealers tanks for up to two months prior to coming to me. i was pretty sure they were ready.
two fish were sent to me as a pair. a very small pair made up of a barely two inch fish and a one inch fish. they went in the main tank a day before the third fish. it was fascinating to watch them grow accustomed to the tenticles of the magnificas. they began by hovering close, just out of reach of the tenticles. several hours went by and eventually they would lightly dash into the tenticles and then back out, sometimes just slowly sweeping their bodies over the tips. several hours after that, they were immersed into the tenticles.
then they got to work.
immediately they began harassing any fish that came close to their anemone. they would chase away and bite the chromis, even the anthias and fox face. these are very diminutive little fish to have such a temper. i had heard they are terrors, but was very surprised to see how quickly they commanded respect.
the third fish entered the main tank some 24 hours after they did. this fish was much bigger. close to the three inches. and the perfect color. the exact color i had been hoping to acquire. im wondering if its simply a color they grow into, or if collection location really impacts the colors they grow into.
regardless, i was slightly concerned that the first two fish entered would be terribly aggressive to the third nigripes, but this was not the case. immediately the new larger fish fearlessly swam through the tank, with the two much smalled nigripes tailing. this female is very cautious, and still likes to hide under the anemone, unlike the smaller two, which dont really mind my presence, but will use the anemones as back up. the three get along wonderfully, and while i have my suspicions it could be temporary if they ever start to officially pair bond, right now there are three magnificas, 4x2x2 feet of space to escape to, and i have a feeling they should be fine.
at one point i considered adding my juvenile pair of allardis to the main tank, thinking it would work out, but upon seeing the small size of the clowns and how they attacked the five inch anthias....i abruptly changed my mind.
one final observation, these are mostly fearless confident fish. i expected them to stay completely in the anemones at all time, similar to pink skunks. but they dont. they swim all over the tank, dancing between the spread out magnificas, with only the big female cautious of human presence.
the following pictures are of course terrible and blurry, but theyre the best i could muster. the first is the blurriest of them all, but i like it anyways.
two fish were sent to me as a pair. a very small pair made up of a barely two inch fish and a one inch fish. they went in the main tank a day before the third fish. it was fascinating to watch them grow accustomed to the tenticles of the magnificas. they began by hovering close, just out of reach of the tenticles. several hours went by and eventually they would lightly dash into the tenticles and then back out, sometimes just slowly sweeping their bodies over the tips. several hours after that, they were immersed into the tenticles.
then they got to work.
immediately they began harassing any fish that came close to their anemone. they would chase away and bite the chromis, even the anthias and fox face. these are very diminutive little fish to have such a temper. i had heard they are terrors, but was very surprised to see how quickly they commanded respect.
the third fish entered the main tank some 24 hours after they did. this fish was much bigger. close to the three inches. and the perfect color. the exact color i had been hoping to acquire. im wondering if its simply a color they grow into, or if collection location really impacts the colors they grow into.
regardless, i was slightly concerned that the first two fish entered would be terribly aggressive to the third nigripes, but this was not the case. immediately the new larger fish fearlessly swam through the tank, with the two much smalled nigripes tailing. this female is very cautious, and still likes to hide under the anemone, unlike the smaller two, which dont really mind my presence, but will use the anemones as back up. the three get along wonderfully, and while i have my suspicions it could be temporary if they ever start to officially pair bond, right now there are three magnificas, 4x2x2 feet of space to escape to, and i have a feeling they should be fine.
at one point i considered adding my juvenile pair of allardis to the main tank, thinking it would work out, but upon seeing the small size of the clowns and how they attacked the five inch anthias....i abruptly changed my mind.
one final observation, these are mostly fearless confident fish. i expected them to stay completely in the anemones at all time, similar to pink skunks. but they dont. they swim all over the tank, dancing between the spread out magnificas, with only the big female cautious of human presence.
the following pictures are of course terrible and blurry, but theyre the best i could muster. the first is the blurriest of them all, but i like it anyways.
I have a pair myself. You mentioned "stringy feces" would that be caused by a bacterial infection or parasite ? If so how would you treat it ? Just curious ...mine are doing well so far.
