New clowns nipping fins!

[JohnnyMartinez]

Hello all, I recently bought a snowflake clown and a black and white Clown in my 75g reef, both same species just different color, and they are both about 1.5-2 inches big. They were fine the first few days, but now they both have nipped fins surely from each other. They also both do the submissive behavior and I have never seen them lock jaws or anything, they seem to get along most of the time, except for when they nip each other when I'm not looking apparently. Do I have 2 females? Or are they trying to figure out who's boss? Please reply ASAP so I can figure out whether to leave them in my DT or move one to my sump, much appreciated!

[Sk8r]

You know they change gender to accommodate. They can do this once. They are born male, but the dominant will become female...and grow bigger. They may be sorting this out which in some species is violent: a 75 tank should have room enough to let one get a retreat. If both have become female you have one problem fish.

[JohnnyMartinez]

Ya I knew they change gender, and that once they are female they can't go back, I just can't tell if they are trying to pair up or if they are both female already.

[hotelbravo]

I thought that they were not born male they are born without gender. They will have a male and female per tank if the female dies the male turns into the female and the most dominate of the genderless turns male. Atleast thats what I have read on them

Im not trying to call you a liar sk8r. That would be foolish of me you are clearly more knowledgeable and experienced than I am. I am just confused

[JohnnyMartinez]

Yes that is true, but slightly off topic =(

[hotelbravo]

Yes that is true, but slightly off topic =(

Well two posts before me had information I believed was incorrect. I thought that was one of the things this site was supposed educate and correct people in a non aggressive and friendly manner. I am new here so let me know if I am in the wrong.

[JohnnyMartinez]

Over your information, you are right. A clown is born sexless and then likely becomes a male, then only becomes a female when the need arises and then stays as a female until death

[hotelbravo]

How long have you had the pair and can you post a video of their behavior?

[JohnnyMartinez]

The pair is only a week old and behavior, I would have to record for quite a while to actually get anything. Most of the time they are just together, either doing the submission behavior or just together not bothering each other. BUT somehow they both have nipped tails fins, and dorsal fins

[Big Dave PDX]

What size are your clowns? Also, can you list the other fish you have in your tank?

[kwsjimmy]

Sometimes mixed breeds of clowns don't always get along, I have a photon clown who will fight with my onyx clown.... :(

[JohnnyMartinez]

The clowns are both 1.5-2 inches each. And I also have a yellow tang, foxface, lubbocks wrasse, smith blenny, striped cardinal, and hi fin Goby. And Ya I knew mixing different species of clowns was a no no, but same species just different color had never heard having issues =(

[joshky]

The clowns are both 1.5-2 inches each. And I also have a yellow tang, foxface, lubbocks wrasse, smith blenny, striped cardinal, and hi fin Goby. And Ya I knew mixing different species of clowns was a no no, but same species just different color had never heard having issues =(

I say give it time, nipped fins could be from something else altogether though.

[JohnnyMartinez]

Awesome, I woke up this morning and they where together, I imagine they slept together. But thanks for your advice, they seem to be healing the fins quickly also which is a plus

[Big Dave PDX]

Ya, I think you're fine. With them being close in size, it sounds like they are just playing out the whole dominance thing. I'm sure you know but the female will grow larger than the male eventually.