Just added second clown

[booth2010]

So I just added a 2nd fancy vivid ocellaris to my tank. The new one is maybe 1/4" smaller than the original (maybe little more than a 1/4"). The larger one doesn't seem to be picking on the new one yet and they are just swimming happily along with each other the smaller is following the larger. They have been in together for about 10 mins now. The smaller will go explore but always goes back to the larger. I'm assuming that's a good sign for pairing? Might be too early to tell. Also the larger one occasionally will twitch when the smaller comes near, i know they do that as submission but shouldn't it be the other way around?

 

[booth2010]

So 11 hours later they're still just following each other. Occasionally the new guy will explore the tank and stay away for a few but as always he returns. Very little aggression so far, maybe love at first sight? Lol

 

[lisa28]

My much bigger ocellaris twitches some times too, maybe they don't like being in charge 24-7

 

[newjack0000]

well usually you try to add a pair at th same time, not one then one more later. If the first one is already female and the new one is immature male or mature male you will be ok. If there both female they will fight to the death. if the new one is female and the older larger one is still male then its 50/50 they will either kill eachother or pair.

The way it works is awesome. with 2 or more sexually immature males in a tank, when it becomes time, the largest one will become mature male due to the lack of a mature male. Then that same largest one will become the female due to lack of female, then another clown will become mature male because theres no longer a mature male. If the female dies then the mature male turns female then another contestant will be the mature male and so on and so on. 2 females is a battle to the death. 1 larger female mixed with mature male or immature male should be ok.

 

[booth2010]

Well since they aren't fighting I'm assuming it'll be okay

 

[lisa28]

Would two males kill each other too? my two just established dominance, it is a crazy thing to witness.

 

[newjack0000]

Well since they aren't fighting I'm assuming it'll be okay

there suppose to fight. The question is will one submit. When the smaller one does the little dance.. sometimes looks like twitching or convulsing you know its ok.

 

[lisa28]

Well since they aren't fighting I'm assuming it'll be okay

They might still fight, I bought mine together from the same lfs tank it took about a week or two but they went at each other like cats and dogs. now the smallest is doing his seizure dance lol

 

[booth2010]

Alright. I'll keep an eye on em

 

[newjack0000]

2 mature males should be ok, as long as one is obviously a little bigger than the other. The bigger one will win, smaller will submit and the larger male will become female. All clowns are born sexually immature males. If there both the same size then its iffy. One may not submit to dominance at the same size.

Its normal to see a nip fin or a scale as long as there's no serious damage.

clowns are always very territorial so no more than an attempted pair (2) and needs to be of the same species, should be in a tank. Some people have successfully kept 2 pairs in the same large tank but many more have failed.

 

[lisa28]

That's weird that two males will fight then submit but two females fight to the death

 

[newjack0000]

They might still fight, I bought mine together from the same lfs tank it took about a week or two but they went at each other like cats and dogs. now the smallest is doing his seizure dance lol

you should be good then. Its still normal for them to test one another until one becomes female. Its kinda like bringing a new cat into a house with a cat that been there for years. They will keep "testing each other until they love each other.

 

[lisa28]

there suppose to fight. The question is will one submit. When the smaller one does the little dance.. sometimes looks like twitching or convulsing you know its ok.

I would have thought mine had epilepsy or dying if I hadn't been told this, it is really funny to watch now.

 

[newjack0000]

That's weird that two males will fight then submit but two females fight to the death

that's because in nature especially fish, females are the hard working hormone overloading territorial beings. Males are the one that's pretty and submissive.

 

[lisa28]

you should be good then. Its still normal for them to test one another until one becomes female. Its kinda like bringing a new cat into a house with a cat that been there for years. They will keep "testing each other until they love each other.

Yea they are good, they only fought for a couple hours, well my female is still bitchy and headbutts him outta the nem every once in a while but nothing abnormal

 

[newjack0000]

lol yeah but don't be too comfortable. It looks similar. The major difference in submitting "dancing" and stressed or dieing is change in color or curling the caudal fin.

Also if you have ocell or true perc clowns (I say this because no one warned me and stressed me out) they may start to turn black as they mature. Don't be too alarmed if they do as long as there eating and acting normal its ok. Once they sexually mature or change the black usually goes away.

 

[newjack0000]

Yea they are good, they only fought for a couple hours, well my female is still bitchy and headbutts him outta the nem every once in a while but nothing abnormal

They will do that. Its another show of dominance. Eventually they will be hosting the nem right next to each other as if there married.

I also suggest on reading up about clownfish eggs, fry and care if you want to raise the babies. Your really have to be prepared before you can even guess if there gonna lay eggs. If you don't want to raise them then don't worry about they will eat the fry and eggs.

 

[lisa28]

They've been established for a week or so now, I bought my female almost twice his size too. last night the male was going through the motions of fertilizing eggs. i'm curious to see if any offspring survives, there's not really any predators in my tank

 

[lisa28]

They already do host it together, she just gets Moody from time to time, I guess exactly like a married couple! I don't plan on raising any fry, I wanted an invert only tank but my 4yr old wanted "Nemo" so of course I caved.

 

[newjack0000]

ah yes nemo always wins! If your not going to take the eggs out they probably wont survive long. One any light bright enough (more power than a night light) fry is extremely attracted to and will probably ram themselves to death against the glass, if that does not do it then the female clown will probably eat them. I don't have a lot of personal experience on what exactly happens between clown fish and there fry just what I have heard and read from many people.