Aggressive Clownfish

[bReefedBaker]

I purchased a pair of clownfish from the LFS. Both clowns were in the same tank at the LFS. I brought the pair home and all seemed well for a few days to a week. Then mysteriously one clownfish went “ghost”, just gone.

I’m trying to determine if possibly the surviving clown caused the death. I didn’t see aggression at the LFS, I didn’t see anything that raised suspicion when I brought the two home.

The only thing I can say is that when I do my tank maintenance and w/c the clownfish is really aggressive towards me and my hand in the DT.

Any guesses that maybe the clown did take out the other one (I know it’s possible). What can I do about the bad butt clown in the tank? I want to add another clown, but I’m hesitant. I want to add more fish to my DT, but again I’m hesitant. Thank You R2R friends for any guidance.

 

[jfoahs04]

I purchased a pair of clownfish from the LFS. Both clowns were in the same tank at the LFS. I brought the pair home and all seemed well for a few days to a week. Then mysteriously one clownfish went “ghost”, just gone.

I’m trying to determine if possibly the surviving clown caused the death. I didn’t see aggression at the LFS, I didn’t see anything that raised suspicion when I brought the two home.

The only thing I can say is that when I do my tank maintenance and w/c the clownfish is really aggressive towards me and my hand in the DT.

Any guesses that maybe the clown did take out the other one (I know it’s possible). What can I do about the bad butt clown in the tank? I want to add another clown, but I’m hesitant. I want to add more fish to my DT, but again I’m hesitant. Thank You R2R friends for any guidance.

How big is the tank and do you have a lid on it? How much rockwork? What do you have for coral and cleanup crew?

There's a good chance the clown bullied the other to death. Especially if they were the same size. Rejection is often fatal. If you have a decent cleanup crew, they could have made quick work of the body. Some coral can quickly consume the body of a small dead fish too. If you're lidless, it could have carpet surfed while being chased.

The remaining fish may always be aggressive. If you bring a new clown home, make absolutely certain it's not the same size as your existing clown. Smaller is better. If they're the same size, you may end up with another dead fish. If you go larger, you risk having two females and more violence. Another thing you can do is, when you get a new fish, put the existing fish in a bucket for 1/2 hour or so, move the rockwork around, and add the fish back in. Sometimes the look/feel of a new territory can level the field a bit.

The experience with other fish may vary. A larger semi-aggressive or aggressive fish may have no issue with the mean clown (and may temper its behavior). Smaller, peaceful fish may struggle. Especially if the occupy the same regions of the tank. It's really a case by case situation.