Clown fish growth

[Gaines69]

i have had Princess Leia for almost a year now. She was tiny when I got her and she’s a slow grower. About 3 months ago I finally found another clown fish that was smaller than her. Well, Luke is now bigger than Leia but she’s still the boss as far as I can tell. When I added Luke they went through the “getting to know you and I’m the boss” ritual and they get along fine. I thought that the female was bigger and that as long as she was a she the other would remain a male and stay smaller. Is this normal? Are clowns in general slaps growers. They are fed twice a day. Nutra diet marine flakes in the morning and a variety of frozen in the evening. I usually mix two different frozen foods. I have brine shrimp, fish eggs, cyclops, mysis shrimp, and frozen copepods. They beg every tine I sit in front of the tank. They eat like they are starving every time food is offered. Just wondering if I should add anything else to their diet.
Thanks

 

[DeniseAndy]

What type of clownfish, how large is she/he, and how large a system? The female is usually larger than the male, but if young, it is possible she did not change to male and they are working it out still. I raise babies (.75") (from a breeder in my travel tanks) until they are 2-2.5yrs and then move them to new home to grow up. They have usually decided on male and female, but they are not usually much size difference at that point.

 

[Gaines69]

They are both Ocellaris clown fish. She was less than an inch long when I purchased her almost a year ago. They are in a FOWLR 29 gal cube. Cycled with live rock, live sand, and bottles live bacteria. System has been cycled for two years. This is her the day I put her in the tank. They are both a little over an inch long now.

 

[Gaines69]

Here are Luke and Leia during feeding time this evening I turn off filter during feeding of frozen foods

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would say they are still juveniles and not much size difference. They should be fine being ocellaris in a 29g. They will work out the dominance and should pair fine. Keep watch though, sometimes there are issues.

Keep fed well and they will be good. Also, if you plan to add any more fish, make sure to do it prior to them breeding. They will take over the 29g and not let other fish in. Granted, with a 29g, you are limited anyway. Maybe firefish, goby, blenny, those little passive guys. They do well with a pair of clowns.

 

[Gaines69]

My plan is to get a aquacultured blue manderian here isn’t he next couple of months. That was my orgional fish for this tank and I stocked according to what could safely be with him. Unfortunately with my tank being at someone else’s home for 8 months, not being able to purchase nutramar ova, and purchasing a sand sifting goby who was a aggressive eater of pods, my Kermit was starving. I returned the sand sifter and purchased 6 bottles of live pods but it was to late. He ended up passing. I was heart broken and determined to never buy a fish again without making sure it would be ok with a manderian. I’m getting an aquacultured one so it will eat frozen etc. eventually I would love to have a rose BTA for my clowns but that will happen later in the future. I have learned not to take advice from my local fish stores because I was told peppermint shrimp would be ok with a CBS and I wondered why they kept disappearing. My CBS passed so I will get a couple more peppermint shrimp because they keep things clean and one of them is always carrying eggs. Free fish food. Lol.
Thanks for all the info.