Clownfish pair

[Danroo]

So I bought two clownfish to cycle my tank. The tank has finally cycled after a month both fish look happy and eating a lot, but I have a new problem of both them swimming separately, when the male gets near the female one. The female one just becomes aggressive and cause of that he’s swimming separately and occasionally might swim together, is there a possibility the pair has been broken? Oh and there is a slight nipped lower fin on the male.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Both you describe, not unusual. Female generally an aggressor and may need a time out in an Acclimation box

 

[Uncle99]

So I bought two clownfish to cycle my tank. The tank has finally cycled after a month both fish look happy and eating a lot, but I have a new problem of both them swimming separately, when the male gets near the female one. The female one just becomes aggressive and cause of that he’s swimming separately and occasionally might swim together, is there a possibility the pair has been broken? Oh and there is a slight nipped lower fin on the male.

Provided only one is female, just let them get used t each other.

 

[Danroo]

Bought them as a pair, one is bigger than the other which is the dominant one, it’s just been a month, at the start I saw them together but now they just apart a few times I would see them together when the lights are off. I had a damsel which was aggressive towards the bigger one and would sometimes see them both together for some reason, but I don’t have that damsel anymore.

 

[CavalierReef]

You lost me at "I bought two clownfish to cycle my tank"

 

[Danroo]

You lost me at "I bought two clownfish to cycle my tank"

Then I would ask give me a reason this person is not credible for the process?

 

[CavalierReef]

Risking a fish's life to cycle a tank is unnecessary and border line cruel IMHO. Will it work? Of course it will. Even if the fish dies you still have your ammonia source, right? There are so many was to cycle a tank without using livestock. Granted there was a time when we acclimated freshwater black mollies to cycle saltwater tanks. But that was 40 years ago before bottled bacteria, live sand, etc. Even hanging a shrimp on a string for a few days works. I'm sure you will find many different opinions on the subject. This is mine and you can decide whether I'm credible or not.

 

[homer1475]

Meh clowns are clowns. If they were paired up before, they are probably just having a lovers quarrel. They will eventually swim together again, just give them time.

I lost my male one time, bought another. While my female never outright attacked the new male(Of course there was some chasing, nipping, head butting, etc), it did take them almost 4 months to pair up.

 

[Azedenkae]

Then I would ask give me a reason this person is not credible for the process?

Honestly to determine that it would take a bit of watching, so I won't get into whether he is credible or not. But the reason why you'd lose a lot of people by saying that you cycle with fish is that they think it is animal cruelty/unnecessary/etc.

I have gotten to the point that I don't care either way. Everyone has their own preferences, and so long as it is not illegal or you are actively trying to hurt fish for the fun of it, yeah I personally can live with it.

So, to actually answer your question. Clownfish pairing are finicky, it is not necessarily permanent. Pairing can 'break' and reform. Generally the best option here is to let it be and hope they 'get along' again. If the female aggression rarely results in harm to the male, that is fine. Otherwise, you may need a breeder box or something to help separate the male and female.

 

[homer1475]

Lol you guys trying to decide if Mark(Mr. Saltwater Tank) Callahan is credible or not is absolutely hilarious.

 

[Azedenkae]

Lol you guys trying to decide if Mark(Mr. Saltwater Tank) Callahan is credible or not is absolutely hilarious.

I literally have never heard of him. I am not going to pass immediate judgment before knowing more about him and what he talks about.

 

[homer1475]

Trust me, he's credible. lol

Look we always used to cycle with dither fish, we just didn't know better back in the day. Now a days with bottled bacteria, it's pretty harmless to cycle with fish.

While I would never do it these days, I would never pass judgment on someone who did, as I used to do it to.

 

[Dempsey941]

Meh clowns are clowns. If they were paired up before, they are probably just having a lovers quarrel. They will eventually swim together again, just give them time.

I lost my male one time, bought another. While my female never outright attacked the new male(Of course there was some chasing, nipping, head butting, etc), it did take them almost 4 months to pair up.

My clowns would do this every few months or so. I think it's just one of those "clownfish" things.