Confused clown

[ecotoxlady]

I have a pair of true percs that I purchased about 3 weeks ago and the female seems to have paired up with my yellow coris wrasse and attacks my hand or the other clown if they come near the wrasse. Has anyone ever witnessed this behavior before? Is there anything I can do short of removing said clown? I've owned clowns before but never one so aggressive! Let me know what you guys think

 

[msman825]

sounds like there trying too sort out with one is going too be the female and unhappy with each other

 

[rackyrane]

My female perc is evil incarnate. I can barely put my hand anywhere in the tank and she goes for it. I had to result to aquagloves in order to do any maintenance.
I have a pair also. They are together but are hosting the wellsophyllia that I have. I've decided that clowns are just crazy. How is the wrasse reacting to all the attention from the clown?

 

[ecotoxlady]

It's funny you should ask :lol: I think the wrasse encourages this behavior because when I feed them mysis for example, the wrasse will tear bits off and toss them towards this confused clown. It seems like crazy behavior on the wrasse's part but I guess it feels it is benefitting from the clown's protection and repays it by sharing food with her. The wrasse does not share the food with the other clown so that is why I think this behaviour is specific to the clown who has "paired up" with her. It is all very weird. I think all my fish need counseling :lol:

Does anyone know how long the process of determining which clown will be the female takes? I thought it was almost a definite that the larger clown would become the female and this one seems to have a clear size advantage over the other clown.

 

[weimers75]

I'm not sure on the age that they turn sexes, but it is not always the case that the larger of any 2 clowns is a female. For example, if the clowns were different ages, one could be a full grown male and one could be an unsexed juvi. In this case, the larger will become female. However, if you have 2 that have already become female and are different ages, one will most likely be killed as they cannot become male once they are female. If trying to get a pair, your best bet is to buy small, similarly sized clowns...that way they will establish dominance and one will become female.