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View Full Version : clownfish getting attacked - anyone know why?


chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 08:29 AM
I've had this 75g tank for about a month from someone I bought it all from. I just noticed last night that baby Nemo was getting chased around and attacked... no clue why this just started? I have 4 clown fish, french angel, foxnose, flame angel...

the 4 clown fish were always like a family sticking together and all that. then last night the smallest one was getting chased by a medium sized clownfish... he wouldn't leave him alone. at one point i think I saw all 3 other clownfish chasing this 1 small clownfish but that stopped and it was just the one medium sized bully going at him.

I felt so bad for the little guy I ended up putting him in little glass container inside the tank with netting around the top of container.. just so the other guys wouldn't kill it.


do you know what would cause this? the previous owner has had these fish for long time and I had them for 1 month with absolutely no problems, especially from the 4 clowns. every other fish is fine and doesn't attack him... just the one medium sized clown going at small clown.

should I just let him out of container and let nature takes it's course and hope they dont kill him for some reason? this small guy must've really ****ed him off I guess

chrisp074
02/23/2006, 08:55 AM
This is what clownfish do. As they mature and a male/female pair is formed other clowns will be chased off, or in a small environment like a fish tank they get harassed to death. Best bet is to find a new home for 2 of the clowns.

-Chris

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 09:01 AM
damn, that sucks. Is it wise to only keep 1 or 2 of these types of fish? I know some fish you should only keep 1... weird how 3 of the fish are fine together though... I could see 2 of them pairing up and the 3rd clown being the odd-man out... but 3 being fine with 4th one being odd-man out is weird

chrisp074
02/23/2006, 09:08 AM
The 3rd will become a target after the current one is dipatched. Its a pecking order. Keep 2, although they are fine alone as well if you prefer.

-Chris

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 09:11 AM
should I just get rid of the bully since the other 3 are fine together it seems?

I was going to pick up a maroon clownfish tonight... should I not do that now? or since it's not like the 4 other orange/white clownfish in color will he be fine?

RudeBoy
02/23/2006, 09:30 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6807613#post6807613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisp074
The 3rd will become a target after the current one is dipatched. Its a pecking order. Keep 2, although they are fine alone as well if you prefer.

-Chris

No matter what you do... they 3rd fish WILL become a target once the smaller fish is removed. It's human nature for us to want to try and alter this but it simply can't be done. I've kept clowns since I started reefing 5 years ago and I had to learn this the hard way. No matter what you do, the 3rd fish will always be the outcast.

I would suggest that you do some heavy reading on Clownfishes before buying any more. Maroon's have the nastiest temperment of all Clownfishes and may in fact stress your other clowns to death. They don't back down...

Avi
02/23/2006, 09:34 AM
Even though the three seem to get along well now, eventually, you are almost surely going to have trouble. I'd chose a pair...male and female...if you can, and get rid of all the others. If you can't sex them yet, then leave the three that aren't showing aggression and wait for one of those to be a victim...and then take that one out of the tank. After that, don't add any more Clownfish...any kind of Clownfish. If you do, because you like the way Clownfish look, then you'd just be going against nature and that's not going to work out well for you...or the fish.

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 09:48 AM
ok, thanks everybody.... like you've all said, clownfish are best in pairs only I guess... I was just fortunate for a month to not have any fighting.

I will not get the maroon clown knowing this.
thanks

p.s. if anybody is in NH and wants my 2 clowns let me know

Joshthenosh
02/23/2006, 10:32 AM
who knows maybe these clows are up for a threesome!

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 10:40 AM
i wish! why can't they each find a mate and leave the other couple alone.. they could have contests to see who can give it to their partner the most

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 10:41 AM
i think baby Nemo went in for a quickie while the other 2 were sleeping... but one woke up and is now ****ed off big time

6Speed
02/23/2006, 10:50 AM
Buy a nano cube and you can put one pair in there. :)

chiefrokka
02/23/2006, 11:14 AM
how can you tell what is a male and what is a female for these guys?

Greg129
02/23/2006, 11:22 AM
Young fish can't be sexed. When they get older, the female will be larger than the male. I'm pretty sure that's how to sex them.

I recommend reading more too. Scott W. Michael's Marine Fishes has hundreds of species profiles. It's a great reference and fun to read.