Clownfish Pairing/Introductions Sizes

[SeaHorseQueen]

Hello! I bought two clownfish from a breeder that just came today. I was trying to pair my small common clown with one of them. The one I truly wanted to pair him with, is way more bigger than I thought. He was supposed to be about 2" but he looks very much like 3". The other one is actually the same size if not slightly smaller than the one I have established in the tank. The big one is a helmet piccaso and the little one is a black storm. How do I go about doing this because I was trying to get a smaller one to pair him with but this came out wrong in size comparisons. I feel like the big one is going to be super aggressive with him and he's just investigating them as they're floating in the tank without offering any aggression of his own. My common clown is roughly 1.5-2". I have a breeder net to keep everyone separated until I can figure this out. I spent good money on these two so I'm not really to quick to just throw them in and look away. It's a 20 gallon tank.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hello! I bought two clownfish from a breeder that just came today. I was trying to pair my small common clown with one of them. The one I truly wanted to pair him with, is way more bigger than I thought. He was supposed to be about 2" but he looks very much like 3". The other one is actually the same size if not slightly smaller than the one I have established in the tank. The big one is a helmet piccaso and the little one is a black storm. How do I go about doing this because I was trying to get a smaller one to pair him with but this came out wrong in size comparisons. I feel like the big one is going to be super aggressive with him and he's just investigating them as they're floating in the tank without offering any aggression of his own. My common clown is roughly 1.5-2". I have a breeder net to keep everyone separated until I can figure this out. I spent good money on these two so I'm not really to quick to just throw them in and look away. It's a 20 gallon tank.

You are smart to be cautious. Tiny is best when trying to mate them up. Size is usually an indicator of sex, and it is not like they un-female. Watch how they behave thru that breeder net. I'm thinking if you've already gotten to 2" territory, its already risky and 3" suspect you need to stop saying "he" as likely "she"

20 gallons does not give them much room to get away from each other. Three is also not an ideal number unless one or more is tiny so they can use aggression to keep it as juvenile... but that timeframe is over...

You don't want my guess, which is whichever one is most female will select what they think is best male and the remaining male may get killed. I'm hoping I'm wrong. Keep an eye on them. Clowns ARE aggressive because it is how they determine breeding, but you will be watching for major aggression. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

You are smart to be cautious. Tiny is best when trying to mate them up. Size is usually an indicator of sex, and it is not like they un-female. Watch how they behave thru that breeder net. I'm thinking if you've already gotten to 2" territory, its already risky and 3" suspect you need to stop saying "he" as likely "she"

20 gallons does not give them much room to get away from each other. Three is also not an ideal number unless one or more is tiny so they can use aggression to keep it as juvenile... but that timeframe is over...

You don't want my guess, which is whichever one is most female will select what they think is best male and the remaining male may get killed. I'm hoping I'm wrong. Keep an eye on them. Clowns ARE aggressive because it is how they determine breeding, but you will be watching for major aggression. Fingers crossed for you.

Thank you for commenting. They were just fine through the mesh today then I released one and the smaller one is beating up on the bigger one. Lots of nipping but no locking jaws though. Mostly harassing the bigger one. The bigger one isn't even fighting except to face the smaller one when it nips. How can you tell if they're rejecting each other verses just the dominance fighting? How long does the dominance fighting last? At first they were just fine then the little one just started nipping. He's charging but not ramming into him but he's swimming up and showing dominance. The bigger one is just doing it's own thing and not fighting with the smaller one. I don't know what to make of that except maybe the smaller one is female?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Thank you for commenting. They were just fine through the mesh today then I released one and the smaller one is beating up on the bigger one. Lots of nipping but no locking jaws though. Mostly harassing the bigger one. The bigger one isn't even fighting except to face the smaller one when it nips. How can you tell if they're rejecting each other verses just the dominance fighting? How long does the dominance fighting last? At first they were just fine then the little one just started nipping. He's charging but not ramming into him but he's swimming up and showing dominance. The bigger one is just doing it's own thing and not fighting with the smaller one. I don't know what to make of that except maybe the smaller one is female?

dominance fighting lasts forever

competition fighting is the even more aggressive. You can try holding a mirror up to the glass and let the one fight with its reflection.

If you can re-seperate them for the night so you can keep an eye on them it might be best especially trying to figure out if they are going to work out together.

I've used my acclimation box for three weeks, and at that point when the serious aggression didn't let up and fish was still body slamming box with new fish, I had to rehome a fish.

You've got time to work this out if you stay cautious and keep an eye on them. Time will tell.