Clownfish attacking Flame Hawkfish help

[fessoclown]

I just added a flame Hawkfish to my 60G and my 2 clowns are totally ganging up on it and pinning it into a corner. They are relentless. Nipping at the Hawk ect...
The Hawk actually has defending its self pretty good... too good. I found the clown and the Hawk on the sandbed, the Hawk had the clowns fin in its mouth and wouldn't let go. I intervened with a turkey baster, the clown seems OK but its fin is injured, it's kind of favouring the fin a little....

Not sure what to do. The way my rockwork is set up I have little to NO chance of catching the Hawk. I may be able to catch the female clown and put it in my fuge for a turn....

The clowns are back at it now... hunting and pinning the Hawk.... I thought maybe the female clown would have learned her lesson.... guess not...

[snorvich]

What species of clownfish? Sounds like GSM or Clarkii

[fessoclown]

They are black snowflakes, so Percs I guess...

[snorvich]

They are black snowflakes, so Percs I guess...

Wow. Usually they only need to protect about 25 gallons of tank space. Must be bonded.

[moe458]

just a thought maybe get an anemone sometimes it helps them in terms of being aggressive against other fish....once they are hosted to anemone then they don't bother others USUALLY...

forgot to add.. you tank have to be old enough to carry anemone and lighting has to be good...otherwise you will have more issues to deal with.

[fessoclown]

Yes I am sure the clowns are bonded. I am pretty sure the larger one is the female. I have 3 anemones in the tank. (one Just split) The clowns host one of the anemones.

There are loads of places for the Hawk to hide, I have ceramic rock walls all along the back of the tank with lots of platforms....everywhere she goes she gets pinned in by the 2 clowns.

Now my Starry Blenny is getting in on the action, guarding the Hawk into a corner of the rock wall...

I am hoping this is just a territory establishment game and they figure it out... it got pretty serious there with the Hawk actually grabbing the clown's fin and pinning it to the sandbed. I thought maybe the clown would have learned it's lesson there but alas they are still at it.

[Dmorty217]

The clowns will be mean as they come from here on. You will have to decide what you like more them or the hawk for now. You will have this same problem when you add any new fish as long as the clowns are in your tank

[davocean]

Snowflakes are ocellaris.
I'm sure they see the hawk as a threat and potential egg stealer, and he probably is.

[RJT]

I have a pair of snowflakes that attack my flame angels and flame hawks but only them. There are 15 other fish in the tank the clowns don't acknowledge.

[snorvich]

Snowflakes are ocellaris.
I'm sure they see the hawk as a threat and potential egg stealer, and he probably is.

In that regard, the hawk is definitely an egg stealer. I love hawkfish but keep lots of various shrimp and they are mutually exclusive.

[MrTuskfish]

I'd put the clowns in your QT for a couple of weeks. When they go back, they will no longer have the whole tank as their territory and usually settle for what they can claim. Paired clowns are incredibly territorial, not the same as aggressive.

[nmbeg]

I am having the same issue... just added a flame hawk to my 125 which already has 2 clowns, a larger and a smaller; possibly they are mated.

anyway, the clowns are going out of their way to attack the hawk--literally swimming 6 feet from corner to corner to get at him--this seems more than territorial... it seems personal.

hawk is definitely losing for now--only been a couple hours though. if he swims into a cave they leave him alone, but the idiot keeps coming out of the caves and sits in the open. hope they sign a peace accord soon... although I am not sure if the hawk will survive the night. I am not about to take apart all the rockwork tonight to net anyone out of there.

fessoclown what happened to your battle?

[arashsheikhpoor]

could you rearrange the rocks? That could work... I have two maroons and when I put them in the larger one kept nipping the smaller one, but after a little rearrangement they calmed down and now are always together in the anemone. I also have a flame hawk that they pay no attention too at all.

[nmbeg]

24 hours later, and they are best buddies. All 3 hanging out together. Only the small clown is missing a piece of tailfin--nothing that won't grow back.

[Moort82]

When i had a Flame hawk with my pair of breeding percula clowns there was certainly tension between the female and the hawk. It did come to a bit of flashing and minor chasing/defending but only because the hawk would wind the clown up by deliberately perching just in eye shot. That went on for years and i think the hawk was the troublemaker, just doing it for fun. I first thought the dispute was because hawks are poor swimmers and look a bit like a clownfish, well tomato complex anyway. They soon settled down but were always each other nemesis.