Will they pair or kill each other?!!

[Neptune 555]

I added a pair of maroon juvenile clown fish from my LFS to hose with my BTA. The fish were shipped in specifically for the task. The first 3 days they hosted my filter... and I tried several attempts to catch them and keep them near the anemone so they would host. I was using a plastic colander... They were so tiny they would swim trough the holes to escape the BTA. BUT alas they found the BTA last night!! and immediately started fighting? I know if I separate them the dominance will NOT be established and I will end up with two females. They are circle swimming around each other... and biting. One now has TEARS on his fins and I think maybe his eye is damaged? Are they going to kill each other? They both look beat up? This is my second attempt on a mated pair? My last pair were biting each others necks - so I did separate them... and they can never be in the same tank again.

Should I pull one out and give it back to the LFS before they both die?

Neptune

 

[Neptune 555]

Photo of beat up clowns....

Photo of beat up clowns....

 

[DasCamel]

View attachment 317394

I would use an acclimating container to separate for a few days and then try again. Give them a chance to heal. If you do take one out of the tank, you're right, you'll wind up with two females.
Any idea on their age?

Other option is trade one for a smaller maroon and try again. From what I have read maroons have a very rough courtship. I want to get a pair also.

 

[ThRoewer]

You will have a hard time to make a pair of them because they are (nearly) equal size. With maroons you need a fully grown female and a male that is at the most half her size, better just 1/3rd.
Two equally sized juveniles will fight until one is gone.
The only way to make a pair of equally sized maroons is to have a divided tank with a large and a small compartment. Put the weaker one into the small compartment and feed him just enough to stay alive. The stronger one goes into the big compartment and he gets stuffed to the gills to get him grow fast.
By the time the size difference is large enough you may try to take the divider out and see what happens. If they fight separate them again and continue. Be prepared to spend a year on this.

BTW, I really would like to see a clownfish hosting a filter - must be fun to watch them carry that around with them.

 

[snorvich]

You will have a hard time to make a pair of them because they are (nearly) equal size. With maroons you need a fully grown female and a male that is at the most half her size, better just 1/3rd.
Two equally sized juveniles will fight until one is gone.
The only way to make a pair of equally sized maroons is to have a divided tank with a large and a small compartment. Put the weaker one into the small compartment and feed him just enough to stay alive. The stronger one goes into the big compartment and he gets stuffed to the gills to get him grow fast.
By the time the size difference is large enough you may try to take the divider out and see what happens. If they fight separate them again and continue. Be prepared to spend a year on this.

I agree.

BTW, I really would like to see a clownfish hosting a filter - must be fun to watch them carry that around with them.

Yes, the correct terminology is that the filter (or anemone) hosts while the clownfish associate.