Introducing Second Clownfish Male/Female Aggression Question (again)

[TonysReef]

So I've been reading up on this and I hate to re-ask common questions. But I can't really find a great answer and am curious to hear current wisdom.

My situation first: I have an orange saddleback (wild) that I've had for maybe five or six weeks. About 2.5" at the moment. When I got it, the store apparently had five or six, but this was the last one. So it's safe (I think) to assume it was immature when I got it:

I very much want a pair of them. I recently found three similar wild ones on eBay and ordered them. They were darker than mine, but also wild caught and about the same size. Mine chased them all into the corner and I took them out as they were clearly stressed and just hiding in the top corners of my tank all the time. Also frayed fins and clearly fear in their eyes. So it's also safe to say that my clown in the last month has become quite possessive of this tank.

From what I can discern in doing research is that the typical move would be to get a much smaller clown, and hope that they pair off, maybe through an acclimation box. But I'm also seeing that many people don't believe that clowns really start to transition to female (a one way street or so it's believed) unless they are with other clowns. i.e. maybe my clown is just dominant and not actually female or transitioning yet.

Which brings us to the real question. I just called the store I got mine from and he said they got in six or seven new ones, but they are about double the size of mine. Let's assume maybe 4", although I haven't gone to look yet. Would I be stupid for trying to grab a much larger one at this point and hope that the increased size will make that one end up the female and curb the aggression of mine?

Appreciate any input. Also, another solution is catching mine, but that is about out of the question. It dives into a carpet anemone's mouth any time it gets scared.

 

[scottedontknow]

Few issues here. Clown in the home aquarium shouldn’t contain more then 2 at a time unless the tank is rather large (over 90gal at least) and if you’re going to have more than 2 you should have at least 6-10 and a TON of safe places for them to hide if they need. When introducing another clown to the mix it’s best to add a smaller clown to the mix. Yes they will fight clowns are mean, fins will get bit this happens until the smaller in summits. By adding three other at the same time you’re stirring the pot the wrong way. Also you should aggressively be feeding the clowns to help with their own aggression.

 

[carlos3de5]

According to me, to ensure that they do not fight, the new fish must be much smaller. introducing another of the same size is very risky.

 

[TonysReef]

My thinking in introducing three more at once was that each would receive only a third of the aggression and eventually when two of them paired off I would remove the other two.

One came in too shocked to stay in the main tank though and the other two couldn’t hang with the resident. But I get what you’re both saying.

The question now is really whether or not it’s possible for my clown to have done from being gender free through male to female in the span of six weeks mostly “alone”.


I probably won’t risk it, but I was curious to hear opinions on whether I might have found a large enough one in time. I was hoping to find a second shortly after adding mine, but nobody could source them.

 

[GabeM]

The issue has nothing to do with the size of the fish. It has to do with what sex they are. All clownfish are hermaphrodites and have a 1 way conversion of gender:

Juvenile > Male > Female

A male will become a female once it becomes the most dominant fish in its group for long enough. A female cannot turn back to male or anything else.

If you have 2 females they WILL fight until one of them dies unless the tank is large enough for 2 groups. If yours has been alone for 6 weeks it is definitely female. If you want a juvenile or male clownfish make sure to grab one lower down in the group at your LFS (smaller, passive) to introduce to your female clown. I would keep the new clownfish in an acclimation box for a few days near where your current clown hosts.

 

[scottedontknow]

My thinking in introducing three more at once was that each would receive only a third of the aggression and eventually when two of them paired off I would remove the other two.

One came in too shocked to stay in the main tank though and the other two couldn’t hang with the resident. But I get what you’re both saying.

The question now is really whether or not it’s possible for my clown to have done from being gender free through male to female in the span of six weeks mostly “alone”.


I probably won’t risk it, but I was curious to hear opinions on whether I might have found a large enough one in time. I was hoping to find a second shortly after adding mine, but nobody could source them.

Like i said. you CAN'T add more than one at a time you will start a war and some/all will die. you should pick the smallest of the three and add that one with the current clown. the other two should be rehomed or back to the LFS. the option of a larger one also will end in the death of one or both clowns.

 

[zalick]

The issue has nothing to do with the size of the fish. It has to do with what sex they are. All clownfish are hermaphrodites and have a 1 way conversion of gender:

Juvenile > Male > Female

A male will become a female once it becomes the most dominant fish in its group for long enough. A female cannot turn back to male or anything else.

If you have 2 females they WILL fight until one of them dies unless the tank is large enough for 2 groups. If yours has been alone for 6 weeks it is definitely female. If you want a juvenile or male clownfish make sure to grab one lower down in the group at your LFS (smaller, passive) to introduce to your female clown. I would keep the new clownfish in an acclimation box for a few days near where your current clown hosts.

This exactly.

I lost my female of 8 years two years back. She was much bigger than her male partner. 2 years later, the once male is certainly female but hasn't grown much.

I thought about adding a tiny 1" to pair her with, but even then there can be risks and I didn't want to risk her. She's been happy and single since.

 

[old salt reefer]

I don't have anything to add as other's have given you the answer, the one thing I do have to say is great looking tank and Saddelback clown.

 

[TonysReef]

Makes sense. My real question and the confusion in what I was reading was really: how quickly each transition occurs; and whether it occurs at all without the presence of other clowns.

Will pass on a larger one and let mine mature and hopefully find a small one down the line.

 

[GabeM]

Makes sense. My real question and the confusion in what I was reading was really: how quickly each transition occurs; and whether it occurs at all without the presence of other clowns.

It takes about 2 weeks from my experience, but that is purely anecdotal. If there are no other clowns I think the process happens even faster.

IMO the longer she is established by herself the more territorial she will be.