Very aggressive black clowns

[aww_419]

I have a pair of clowns that will attack everything and anything i put in the tank. Including my hands. Catching them would be fairly difficult. Any ideas on how to lower their aggression without messing up the tank or removing them? They have killed three fish in the last few months and caused a few to jump out. its getting pretty annoying only having 4 fish in the tank.

thanks.

 

[toddmh]

they need to host something,give them something to do all day lol

 

[aww_419]

I think thats part of the problem. They host everything in the tank. They bounce from one coral to another hosting and everything is their enemy, except for a pajama cardinal and 1 little chromis. There was a yellow tang in the tank for a while before they turned on him. They have never bothered the cardinal or a radiant wrasse I used to have. They tolerate the chromis but he was 1 of 3 chromis i put in there last month. Also a fire fish didnt last 30 seconds before it was missing its entire tail.

 

[Scott48]

ha ya...get a nem that way they only defend that section of the tank insted of the whole tank, thats how my maroons were until i got them a nem and they kept to themselves unless something got a little to close to there "area". lol

 

[aww_419]

There is an RBTA thats in the tank also that they take turns hosting. Im stumped.

 

[Scott48]

hmm i dont kno, why dont you get somethin to put them in their place but then again that could give ya another problem to deal with.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

what species of Amphiprion?

 

[aww_419]

Hey Gary, I believe they are TR mis-bar black ocellaris/false perc

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

what size aquarium?

 

[aww_419]

75 gallon

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

does this pair of clowns show any sign of being a bonded (or mated) pair (ie: submissive behavior/ spawning etc.) or are they independent of one another?
How large are they? Were they purchased together at a small size?

 

[aww_419]

Yes they are mated. Purchased from a fellow reefer over a year ago who had them in a 29g all by themselves with a nem. Originally put them in the tank with a radiant wrasse, yellow tang, pajama cardinal, and flame hawk. later I added a blue spot jaw fish and a mandarin. Never had a problem. A few months later I lost the wrasse the manderin and the jawfish in the crash that I had while back. The flame hawk is in a different tank now since he couldnt stay out of the Overflow. Now the clowns massacre and harass any newcomers and the clowns started harassing the yellow tang about 2 weeks ago. By the time I was able to get him out and in the other tank I was too late he was badly damaged.

Yes they were a bit smaller at the time of purchase the male hasnt grown much but the female is almost double her original size.

 

[block head]

i'm in the same boat. mine are extra nasty w a nem, or hooligans without. my potters has a nice chunk taken out of his tail this week. i flick the snot out of them and they still draw blood from me sometimes. the only suggestion i have is to stick them in a corner and stay away

 

[NirvanaFan]

You could always give them to me and then replace them with a couple juveniles. haha

Have they actually laid eggs? Normally once they start doing that the male protects them and doesn't venture too far from them. The female doesn't stray too far either.