Maybe I should ask this question.

[ngvu1]

OK,

So I have a big nem and 1 of the clowns is hosting it. She gets more and more aggressive when I put my hand near the nem. It's normal as we all know. I do not like to train myself for the clown's nips, so I attack her first as soon as I put my hand in. This used to work as she got scared and hid leaving me alone to work on my frags.
Now she comes right back so there is no time to work on anything after the chase. Is there a way to train the clowns to ignore your hand? I see the yellow tang swim right by the nem and she does not mind that at all.

 

[CodyRVA]

Not gonna lie i chuckled when i read this lol. Why not invest in some tongs or grabbers of sorts to do the bulk of the work so you don't have to put your hands in there? And just use your hands when 100% necessary?

 

[KorD]

I will take a CF nip over the sail fin nibble I had the other day. I put my hand in a friends tank to do some work for him after his operation, and the booger tried to swallow my whole hand on multiple occasions.
For your CF... try to distract it with food.. I know it teaches another behavior, but it is worth a shot. you could also buy a set of kevlar gloves (ones used for shark diving) LOL

 

[CodyRVA]

I will take a CF nip over the sail fin nibble I had the other day. I put my hand in a friends tank to do some work for him after his operation, and the booger tried to swallow my whole hand on multiple occasions.
For your CF... try to distract it with food.. I know it teaches another behavior, but it is worth a shot. you could also buy a set of kevlar gloves (ones used for shark diving) LOL

lol kevlar gloves... I love it

 

[ngvu1]

The gloves are messy and hard to use IMO (tiny frags ). I only use that once. I do not like salt water dripping on the floor. The food strategy does not work at least for me. These stupid clown fish do not remember. They forget real fast. I don't even understand how they recognize the mate because it seems to me that as soon as they turn around, they forget what they just saw. I have tongs or grabbers too, but they are not as comfortable as my fingers without gloves

I also tried 1 hand with a stick and the other hand moving stuff. I use the stick to hit her if she comes close and that work, but sometimes I need 2 hands and that **** takes the opportunity every single time she gets

 

[scardall]

Just have to toughen up girly girl. ----------just kidding. I had a Marroon clown that had an attitude. chase the fish for a minute for a very short reprieve. A plastic tank divider will work if practical. PS: It only hurts once--each time she bites

 

[Diesel]

Maybe a glove that looks a BIG clownfish............. that would scare the living daylights out of her/him.

 

[ngvu1]

Hmm, That might work, but I think I need to find a big plastic clown fish and put it next to the nem. She will be busy finding that clown and leave me alone

Maybe a glove that looks a BIG clownfish............. that would scare the living daylights out of her/him.

 

[ngvu1]

fighting not "finding"

Hmm, That might work, but I think I need to find a big plastic clown fish and put it next to the nem. She will be busy finding that clown and leave me alone

 

[KorD]

You could always play the part of finding memo when the girl shakes the bag with the clownfish in it, and then tell the clownfish you will do that to them if it bites you again.

 

[ngvu1]

That is not going to work seriously. These idiots don't have good memory. I don't have time to re-run the lecture

You could always play the part of finding memo when the girl shakes the bag with the clownfish in it, and then tell the clownfish you will do that to them if it bites you again.

 

[acidtablockshifty]

what about sticking a net in the tank while your working fish seem to never forget the net

 

[ngvu1]

I can just use a stick but when I need 2 hands to work, she attacks

what about sticking a net in the tank while your working fish seem to never forget the net

 

[NanaReefer]

Just net the fish and release when done.

 

[acidtablockshifty]

oh i was just saying just put the net in leave it sit there use both hands, although i guess all my fish fear me unless i'm feeding them, then they are all like hey whats up hello

 

[acidtablockshifty]

i guess i would say just my current fish fear me, the naso I had would eat nori out of my fingers, could be the beard that scares them

 

[AlexG]

Not much to do unless you catch the fish during an attack and then keep them in a net or container until you are done. When I did maintenance I had several clowns that attacked and one that would draw blood. Catching them and holding them in the net or a container was always the best solution.