When to separate

blkhawk10 · May 12, 2020

I bought a select pair of mocha storm clowns on divers den 2 weeks ago. Both were 1 3/8” and for the first week were swimming together and everything was good. Now the establishment of dominance began and one is chasing and nipping the other one. The one being chased hasn’t submitted that I’ve seen, but the aggressive one has twitched at the one it’s bullying. The chasing goes on and on and I wanna know how long I should let it happen before I separate them? I’d put the bullied one in an acclimation chamber inside the tank.

GoVols · May 13, 2020

blkhawk10 said:
I bought a select pair of mocha storm clowns on divers den 2 weeks ago. Both were 1 3/8” and for the first week were swimming together and everything was good. Now the establishment of dominance began and one is chasing and nipping the other one. The one being chased hasn’t submitted that I’ve seen, but the aggressive one has twitched at the one it’s bullying. The chasing goes on and on and I wanna know how long I should let it happen before I separate them? I’d put the bullied one in an acclimation chamber inside the tank.

@JoshO

Got any incite?

JoshO · May 13, 2020

How long has the chasing been going on? If there is any separation then I'd try the bully in the acclimation chamber so it gets used to seeing the other fish in the same habitat

fishguy242 · May 13, 2020

agree bully in box

blkhawk10 · May 13, 2020

The bullying has been going on for a couple days now. So bully in the box...got it...thanks guys.

JoshO · May 13, 2020

I would give it a week to see if they settle down unless one has visible injuries, it's how clowns tend to pair up. Are they both the same size?

blkhawk10 · May 13, 2020

Yea they are the same size...I read about trying to get one bigger than the other one but I’m not sure how to do that in the same tank when both eat what’s given to them.

snowhite · May 13, 2020

Bullying or physical abuse... if the lesser is getting visibly physically harmed then time to think about separating, but if just Bullying it's part of the process.

blkhawk10 · May 13, 2020

The fins are nipped a little bit but nothing crazy. I don’t know if that’s overboard or natural. I’m not understanding why the aggressor will twitch at the other one.

blkhawk10 · May 17, 2020

So I caught the aggressive clown today and put it in an acclimation box. I was curious as to how long I should leave it in there? I was thinking at least a day if not longer.

rob taft · May 30, 2020

I took the opposite approach and put the bullied fish out of the tank for 3 days when I put the bullied fish (smaller) back in, it was lovely dovey for at least a month and now the larger one is back at it again. Doesn't bit or nip the smaller one but drives it back into a corner every time he ventures out. Today I taped a 4" diameter mirror to the side of the tank (50 gallon) and the larger clown as well as my yellow coris wrasse have been preoccupied with their image.