Clownfish Aggression

[kathya0321]

So I have 2 Percula Clownfish, I bought them from the same tank at LFS a month or more ago. I know that they need to establish who will be female and male, but the aggression of the larger one is ridiculous. "She" makes the "male" stay in the corner of the tank behind rocks constantly, if he ventures out she picks until he returns. Also when I need to put my hand in the tank she attacks me. I'm wondering if I should remove her and just have the one clownfish. I'm afraid the constant picking will eventually kill the male. Thoughts?

 

[Lyss]

If he knows what’s good for him he’ll submit

I think it depends on just how aggressive. Do you have a video of her in action?

Mine have bonded, but my female occy still bosses the male around when she wants. He likes to ride the current at the top of the tank in the evenings — some nights she’s fine w/it and others she nips and bullies to make him come down and swim with her. She also started biting my hands a while back, and I changed where I was feeding them so now it’s the front of the tank, and make sure she saw my hand had the food. That seemed to work, at least for now. She gets very excited and comes over when I approach or put my hands in now b/c she thinks she’s gonna get food.

 

[kathya0321]

If he knows what’s good for him he’ll submit

I think it depends on just how aggressive. Do you have a video of her in action?

Mine have bonded, but my female occy still bosses the male around when she wants. He likes to ride the current at the top of the tank in the evenings — some nights she’s fine w/it and others she nips and bullies to make him come down and swim with her. She also started biting my hands a while back, and I changed where I was feeding them so now it’s the front of the tank, and make sure she saw my hand had the food. That seemed to work, at least for now. She gets very excited and comes over when I approach or put my hands in now b/c she thinks she’s gonna get food.

I don't have a video, wish I did. She just seems to lunge at him and chases him, sometimes biting. I would like to be able to see them both without him having to hide in the corner lol.

 

[Lyss]

I don't have a video, wish I did. She just seems to lunge at him and chases him, sometimes biting. I would like to be able to see them both without him having to hide in the corner lol.

Is he eating, or is she keeping him from the food?

Mine were always together from the start — they came in as babies, w/one a bit larger and already bossy towards the smaller one. I’d see some mild aggression from her sometimes before they bonded but there was def biting going on when I didn’t see b/c he’d show up w/torn fins some mornings. That said he never hid from her and pretty soon was doing the submission shakes to her.

You may need to intervene if the male is being attacked and hides from her/is afraid to come out.

 

[Uncle99]

When a clown “pins” another like that, she may not want him.
If the “pin” is constant, with very little let up, the clown should be removed and replaced with another, 1/2-3/4” which ensures male, maybe he will be accepted.
If it’s just short term, they both eat, and no physical damage, just keep an eye on it.
A minor bite is OK, but any mouth thrashing would turn out bad for the smaller one.

 

[kathya0321]

Is he eating, or is she keeping him from the food?

Mine were always together from the start — they came in as babies, w/one a bit larger and already bossy towards the smaller one. I’d see some mild aggression from her sometimes before they bonded but there was def biting going on when I didn’t see b/c he’d show up w/torn fins some mornings. That said he never hid from her and pretty soon was doing the submission shakes to her.

You may need to intervene if the male is being attacked and hides from her/is afraid to come out.

She does allow him to eat and when the lights dim, she is less aggressive when he comes out. I am leaning on rehoming her and just going with 1 clownfish, I hate bullies.

 

[kathya0321]

When a clown “pins” another like that, she may not want him.
If the “pin” is constant, with very little let up, the clown should be removed and replaced with another, 1/2-3/4” which ensures male, maybe he will be accepted.
If it’s just short term, they both eat, and no physical damage, just keep an eye on it.
A minor bite is OK, but any mouth thrashing would turn out bad for the smaller one.

What does "Mouth thrashing" look like?

 

[Uncle99]

One grabs the other in the mid body area with their mouth and literally “thrashes” it back and forth.