Need help pairing clownfish

[Sully]

They are actually gender neutral when born and as juveniles. They then morph into males and then females.

http://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/ocellaris-clownfish-male-female/

To my experience and understanding the clownfish are certainly all born male. As they mature, the more dominant and stronger aggressors will become female.

If only one exists in an aquarium, it will become female as it ages. Now if there is a hosting possibility, the clownfish will take host and then turn female if no other more dominant clown exists.

I have had many pairings of babies to older clowns, never the other way around. If I tried once to add a clown even similar in size to my black and white (which has lived alone with her nem) she will kill it ( I removed before happened). She has chased even babies out of the tank.

Clownfish cannot go back to being male, so if one has changed and you add a larger (more than likely female), you are asking for a death.

 

[Sully]

Please read the link in the above post. They are gender neutral when born and as juveniles. A fish can't be both male and female at the same time. They also can't switch from female back to make. It's a one way trip from gender neutral to make and the dominant fish to female. The odds that original posters fish is a female is highly likely depending on the length it's been in his tank. Adding a larger fish at this time is most likely a war.

Not true. They're both male/female. The dominant fish becomes the female. A larger clown can defend itself and will then become the female/dominant. They aren't actually make or female till they actually reproduce.

 

[Liquid360]

All I meant that was until they reproduce you can't know make from female. At least that's my understanding.

 

[Liquid360]

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I thought I had a female, but after adding a larger clown I realized I was wrong. We are all just guessing sex, based on opinions. There's no way to be certain of your clowns sex till reproduction occurs. There's only likelihood. How do you propose pairing then? I'm asking earnestly.

Just to be clear: I'M NOT AN EXPERT. IM LIKELY WRONG. No need to jump on me.

 

[Sully]

Not trying to jump on you and hope it doesn't come across that way. I'm also no expert either. Just trying to hopefully prevent tank casualties for the OP. To give an example of the misconceptions, the link I referred to tells about gender neutral to male then to female. One of the people in my area that a lot of people go to says the gender neutral at birth is BS and they're all born males. Who's right? In this example, Ill go with the article but I'm not going to get into a debate with him. He believes what he does and there's probably no changing his mind. But anyways,back to your question. If you've had an existing clown for any significant time in an existing tank, I'd (just my opinion) only add a smaller fish from a tank that had multiple fish in it where there was no chance of one developing the dominant female trait.

Through other reading, I always wondered, if you use qt, is there a chance the smaller fish takes on those traits in a qt while waiting transfer? Hopefully some clown experts will chime in.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I thought I had a female, but after adding a larger clown I realized I was wrong. We are all just guessing sex, based on opinions. There's no way to be certain of your clowns sex till reproduction occurs. There's only likelihood. How do you propose pairing then? I'm asking earnestly.

Just to be clear: I'M NOT AN EXPERT. IM LIKELY WRONG. No need to jump on me.

 

[Liquid360]

I had two goldflakes. The larger killed the smaller. I added a larger clown who survived her brutal onslaught. The new clown got smaller, not larger. Here they are now. What this means? No idea, except that she murdered every smaller clown I added which is why I went with a larger one. [emoji57]

 

[DeniseAndy]

"So in the most general sense, if you have a very young clownfish, it is likely neither male nor female. If you have one clownfish that is a bit older or has been by itself for some time then it is likely a female. If you have more than one, then the female will be larger and more aggressive. The next most aggressive will probably be male and the rest will most likely either be males or juveniles." From article.

This was my main understanding except the gender neutral part. Have not heard that. I can understand the neutral if they are still in a metamorphasis, but not past that. Then I would assume male. But, I am no expert. Only experience. In aquaria, especially small home aquariums, we would not see this play out as they would be too restricted by space and too territorial. I know some have done a group of babies in a large nem in a large system, but have not heard results over time.

I hope whatever methods you try it does not cause too many casualties. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Liquid360]

 

[D_Reep1106]

Awesome vid. Is that a heteractis magnifica?

 

[D_Reep1106]

"So in the most general sense, if you have a very young clownfish, it is likely neither male nor female. If you have one clownfish that is a bit older or has been by itself for some time then it is likely a female. If you have more than one, then the female will be larger and more aggressive. The next most aggressive will probably be male and the rest will most likely either be males or juveniles." From article.

This was my main understanding except the gender neutral part. Have not heard that. I can understand the neutral if they are still in a metamorphasis, but not past that. Then I would assume male. But, I am no expert. Only experience. In aquaria, especially small home aquariums, we would not see this play out as they would be too restricted by space and too territorial. I know some have done a group of babies in a large nem in a large system, but have not heard results over time.

I hope whatever methods you try it does not cause too many casualties. Let us know how it goes!

Thank you for the input. I have a friend that comes by my shop every now and then. He just finished his masters in marine biology and he did his thesis on this exact topic so I will ask him about his findings of if, when, how they are gender neutral or what. I will get back to both of you.

 

[D_Reep1106]

Not trying to jump on you and hope it doesn't come across that way. I'm also no expert either. Just trying to hopefully prevent tank casualties for the OP. To give an example of the misconceptions, the link I referred to tells about gender neutral to male then to female. One of the people in my area that a lot of people go to says the gender neutral at birth is BS and they're all born males. Who's right? In this example, Ill go with the article but I'm not going to get into a debate with him. He believes what he does and there's probably no changing his mind. But anyways,back to your question. If you've had an existing clown for any significant time in an existing tank, I'd (just my opinion) only add a smaller fish from a tank that had multiple fish in it where there was no chance of one developing the dominant female trait.

Through other reading, I always wondered, if you use qt, is there a chance the smaller fish takes on those traits in a qt while waiting transfer? Hopefully some clown experts will chime in.

Check my reply before this one. Thank you for the input too. I will get back to y'all whenever I get to talk to the "expert" but really I don't think there's a better expert to ask than someone who has done their thesis on gender changing in clownfish. Except add fancy titles but you get the idea.

 

[Goldenvue]

How about a acclamation box so they get used to each other?

 

[Sully]

Lol, all this talk in this thread I've been trying to participate in and it's my own clown having issues. Sounds about right.

 

[Liquid360]

Awesome vid. Is that a heteractis magnifica?

Thanks! And yes it is! Good call!

 

[reefjunkie53]

 

[reefjunkie53]

I have had a pair of clown fish for 3 years and out of the blue one of them died so I just recently paired her with a little snow flake she welcomed him into the coral she host and are doing great

 

[reefjunkie53]

both of them before the one died[emoji17]

 

[D_Reep1106]

both of them before the one died[emoji17]

Sorry to hear that! glad you were able to pair it up again.

 

[D_Reep1106]

How about a acclamation box so they get used to each other?

That is my game plan so far if I have to add the new one to the same tank. Or if I wait to introduce them to my new system just wait and introduce them to a new environment at the same time.

 

[Goldenvue]

That is my game plan so far if I have to add the new one to the same tank. Or if I wait to introduce them to my new system just wait and introduce them to a new environment at the same time.

Sounds like a good plan! Good luck post w updates