Clownfish picking fights with royal gramma

[Ocean’s Piece]

May or may not be an emergency but better safe than sorry. Added my pair of clownfish one week ago. Added my royal gramma about a month before. Royal gramma is 1 1/4 times the size of the clownfish and the clownfish won’t stop pestering the royal gramma. They have been great with each other for the last week but now the gramma is starting to defend its territory and opening its mouth at the clownfish when it comes near. Royal gramma hasn’t bitten yet but has gotten right next to him. As I’m writing this, they’re both starting to bug him. What should I do? Separate or let them do their thing and settle it out?

 

[Azedenkae]

May or may not be an emergency but better safe than sorry. Added my pair of clownfish one week ago. Added my royal gramma about a month before. Royal gramma is 1 1/4 times the size of the clownfish and the clownfish won’t stop pestering the royal gramma. They have been great with each other for the last week but now the gramma is starting to defend its territory and opening its mouth at the clownfish when it comes near. Royal gramma hasn’t bitten yet but has gotten right next to him. As I’m writing this, they’re both starting to bug him. What should I do? Separate or let them do their thing and settle it out?

Separate is probably the better course of action. Once such aggression starts, it can get really ugly.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Separate is probably the better course of action. Once such aggression starts, it can get really ugly.

Thing is, I don’t have anything to do it with besides a large net

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Bump

 

[tjohnson3]

If you have a Walmart nearby, go grab a “critter keeper” from the pet section and use it as an acclimation box for the time being… that way they can get used to each others presence in the meantime

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

If you have a Walmart nearby, go grab a “critter keeper” from the pet section and use it as an acclimation box for the time being… that way they can get used to each others presence in the meantime

I can’t tonight but if the problem persists I’ll go tomorrow. I think I have been under feeding. Every time they see a dead critter floating in the water, they all chase after it. Just fed them a little more to see if that helps. Phosphates are around .03 (Hanna) with what I was doing before and nitrates at 0

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I may have over stimulated them today too. My hand was in the tank a lot today, probably in there for about 30 minutes and trying to push them away at the same time because they kept trying to bite me

 

[tjohnson3]

That could help… kill the lights in the meantime so they’ll all hide and leave each other alone

 

[Azedenkae]

Thing is, I don’t have anything to do it with besides a large net

Then for now just have to hope for the best. Long term, you'd either have to return one of the two sides, keep a breeder box or something handy to help protect the lesser party, or just leave them be and hope that it never descends too far.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Then for now just have to hope for the best. Long term, you'd either have to return one of the two sides, keep a breeder box or something handy to help protect the lesser party, or just leave them be and hope that it never descends too far.

They could just be establishing territory. My royal gramma has his territory but the clowns have been all over the tank. The royal gramma may have a spot that they like and so there’s a little conflict. So many things it could be too like food and me playing around a lot

 

[Azedenkae]

They could just be establishing territory. My royal gramma has his territory but the clowns have been all over the tank. The royal gramma may have a spot that they like and so there’s a little conflict. So many things it could be too like food and me playing around a lot

Definitely, but that's the thing. Establishing territory can definitely lead to death. I don't mean to be nonchalant about it, it's just typical of a lot of types of fish. If you are willing to take the risk, that's totally fine. I just initially presumed you wanted to be 100% certain of saving all of them.

To clarify, neither is considered a 'better' option than the other in this hobby, and really, taking a risk is the choice a lot of us make often makes. Even something like pairing two clowns of the same species is a risk one takes, so yeah. Just a warning, but if you want to see if they might somehow work it out, that's fine too as there is a possibility that'd be how it goes.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Definitely, but that's the thing. Establishing territory can definitely lead to death. I don't mean to be nonchalant about it, it's just typical of a lot of types of fish. If you are willing to take the risk, that's totally fine. I just initially presumed you wanted to be 100% certain of saving all of them.

To clarify, neither is considered a 'better' option than the other in this hobby, and really, taking a risk is the choice a lot of us make often makes. Even something like pairing two clowns of the same species is a risk one takes, so yeah. Just a warning, but if you want to see if they might somehow work it out, that's fine too as there is a possibility that'd be how it goes.

This only started an hour ago but I’m all for saving them, I just wanted to know why it’s happening. If it continues tomorrow, I’m going to get one of those

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Ok I’m scared now. The royal gramma is hiding in a corner now. I think he’s sick

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

He keeps hiding up against the corner and now the powerhead. No signs of ich or any visible disease but looks stressed. What should I do????

 

[James M]

He keeps hiding up against the corner and now the powerhead. No signs of ich or any visible disease but looks stressed. What should I do????

You should get a critter keeper or a breeding net

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

You should get a critter keeper or a breeding net

Fish survived the night a looks fine now. I’m going to get one.