Aggressive Ocellaris

[magranche]

I have two young ocellaris clown fish…one black and one orange. They have been together now for about two months. I got the black one two weeks after the orange. (The black one is slightly larger) For the first month they were absolutely inseparable and the orange one seemed to be quite submissive (always twitching at the black one). Recently the orange one, who is smaller,has become extremely aggressive. It constantly attacks the black one… so much so that he has a few small bite marks…nothing that looks overly concerning. What confuses me is that after the orange one attacks the black one it is the orange one that will submit and twitch like crazy. Sometimes, post attack, they will both twitch at each other. Then they will ignore each other until the orange one comes darting back for more! I am nervous that this behavior will end in the demise of my black clown fish. At night they still sleep together and seem to really enjoy each other. What are your suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Miranda

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[magranche]

thanks for the bump!

 

[Lockridge49]

thanks for the bump!

I am having the same problem I got mine as a pair and my orange gladiator is bullying the black phantom I am worried also that she's going to hurt him

 

[magranche]

I actually just read your post Lockridge 49! If mine are extremely mean I turn the lights off and that works fairly well. Also, if this offers any comfort my clowns have been doing this for an entire month now and they are still both okay. The black one gets nipped but they are always healed by the next day. I am also afraid though that they will not stop this behavior.

I am having the same problem I got mine as a pair and my orange gladiator is bullying the black phantom I am worried also that she's going to hurt him

 

[Lockridge49]

I actually just read your post Lockridge 49! If mine are extremely mean I turn the lights off and that works fairly well. Also, if this offers any comfort my clowns have been doing this for an entire month now and they are still both okay. The black one gets nipped but they are always healed by the next day. I am also afraid though that they will not stop this behavior.

): yes I have turned the lights off and they are still going nuts, also
They are kind of close in size and I am worried that they are fighting to see who Is female. Although they came as a pair...

 

[Tahoe61]

It's not uncommon for clown fish to go through aggressive periods towards one another. I draw the line at frayed fins, one fish hiding in the corner, not eating, or breathing at the surface. Both fish will shake despite dominace, although the male usually does most of the submissive shaking. If the aggression does not subside in the next couple days or the fish is getting badly beaten up I would intervene. Sometimes a female will reject a male for whatever reason and there is not a thing you can do about it.

 

[Lockridge49]

I have been watching them under moonlight for about 20 min they have somewhat calmed down, if she rejects him would she still hang out with him haha they will be fine then boom she nips him, I have not seen
To much damage,

 

[djoutkast22]

Seems to be the classic who's boss and who's trying to become the female. A good way to to help things is wait till lights turn off and rearrange your tank

 

[JMSKI333]

My black and orange clowns did the same thing for about 2 months and now they have been paired for over a year. I think it's their way of hashing it out. My male occasionally has a nipped fin but nothing crazy. My Male is the black one.

 

[Lockridge49]

How are your clowns doing ?? Any better

 

[magranche]

Still pretty mean haha. I just don't get why the smaller one is so aggressive when the big one is really docile. How are yours?

 

[Lockridge49]

Still pretty mean haha. I just don't get why the smaller one is so aggressive when the big one is really docile. How are yours?

She has calmed down a little bit, stopped nipping his as bad but he won't submit to her and that makes her mad so she runs him into the corner like she's pitting him in time out. Haha but they are both eating very well and not in to much distress so I'm going to let them work it out and keep an eye on them

 

[magranche]

That's good!!

 

[Lockridge49]

I talked to the breeder and he said if they continue to fight take them out and put them in a 10 g for 2 days with no rock or anything and it should help...so if they continue fighting then I will try this