What's the next best thing to do? (clowns at war)

[angela1]

Today I bought a beautiful pair of clowns hosting in an LTA (bought on RC, thanks Marilyn) and introduced them to my 210 peaceful reef system that was home to a mated pair of clowns that did not host in anything.

The good news:
The new anemone and clowns appear thrilled in their new tank (after a few hours of drip acclimation) and the anemone seems to have zero stress signs.

The bad news:
My two ocellaris clowns were quite unhappy. I had read online before buying the new pair today that this species is typically ok; though others are more aggressive.

My clowns have never been aggressive but today my existing female attacked the new female in the anemone and wouldn't give up. Then the existing male joined in the fight.

After observing for about 15 minutes it seemed to be getting worse so I removed the pair that had been living in my tank for the past two years as they were the aggressors.

My guess is that I cannot reintroduce this pair with any success. Some lessons for me to learn out of this.

Is there any way to successfully reintroduce?
Is it always a gamble of personalities or are there some general rules to follow with clowns?

I left it to Google to say it would be fine; should have checked here first.

 

[Toddrtrex]

While a small handful have had luck with having more then 1 pair of clowns in a tank, the vast majority of the time it turns out like it did for you.

At this point I see one real option -- decide which pair you like best, and sell the other pair. Or (( and it wouldn't look as nice )) divide your tank in two with some egg create or something similar to keep them separate.

 

[Chuu]

I had 2 Percula clowns, who were a pair and hosted by my LTA. I added 2 pink skunks which took to me Magnifica (which the percs didn't even bat an eyelid at). But the second the skunks went in the Percs attacked them relentlesly and took their anemone too.

I took the Percs back to my LFS and the Skunks went back to their Magnifica.

A good while later I added a single Saddleback and he and the skunks live together very well, no fighting. The Saddleback lives in my BTA's.

It really is down to the individual clowns, but I found percs to be aggressive anyway and Saddlebacks and Skunks to be rather passive.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Chuu --- have your skunks spawned yet? My pair were fairly docile at first, but once they started spawning, all things changed -- they will go after any new fish and pretty much think that 3/4's of my 58 is theirs.

 

[lisafoster]

Your story is pretty typical especially because you already had a pair that figured it was there territory. What size is your tank I have had two pairs in a 125 but they were introduced very close in age. I think one pair was oing to spawn so I put the other pair in another tank. pick which pair you like because if you don't remove a pair they will end up dead.

 

[angela1]

My tank is a 210 gallon. My clowns had never hosted in anything and roamed about the entire tank (so I suppose claimed every inch of it) when I introduced the clowns hosting in the LTA they immediately went to battle.

The clowns that are hosting and still in the tank (I removed the other pair and put them in a separate tank) are otherwise non aggressive to other tank mates. I'm curious if people have better luck introducing clown pairs that are hosting in an enomone. It would seem that if both pairs have claim to their own anemone they may be less territorial?

I don't know enough about clowns, that's why I'm asking

 

[rkelman]

In my experience if they both host a nem (spaced far apart) you MAY be ok. Otherwise its pretty tough to have 2 pairs (especially adult pairs) in the same tank.