Time to re-pair or separate?

CoralsAddiction · 07/04/2019, 06:10 PM

I’ve had two Nebula (A. Percula) clowns for 5 months that were acquired as juveniles. One has established itself as the dominant of the two. It lives in a rose BTA and doesn’t let the other one in the anemone.
They don’t fight. They just do not act as a “bonded” pair. The clowns live in the opposite corners of my reef tank.
Option 1: leave them be.
Option 2: move them both in a quarantine tank for re-pairing
Option 3: separate them.
Which is better and why?
Thanks.

ratienza80 · 07/04/2019, 10:38 PM

I think if you really want them to pair, test them out in the quarantine tank and see how they do. if the dominant one is too aggressive then maybe they are not a good pair for one another.

ThRoewer · 07/05/2019, 12:50 AM

Be patient. Them not fighting is actually a good sign.
My first percula pair didn't really get along well for the first year.

CoralsAddiction · 07/14/2019, 08:57 PM

The main problem is that the dominant clown wouldn’t share the anemone. I chased the submissive clown with tongs towards the anemone and the other clown wouldn’t let him in. So, I removed both of them from the main tank and placed them in QT with a flowerpot. The dominant clown has accepted the flowerpot as a host while the submissive clown hovers above it. Still no fighting and they seem to do okay. Sharing a host anemone is what’s been an issue. I’ll observe them in QT for 3-4 weeks to see if anything changes. They are still very young and not that big in size.

OrionN · 07/14/2019, 09:22 PM

They are not mature yet. They will be fine later. I am sure when they mature there will be a small battle then everything will fall into place.

CoralsAddiction · 07/14/2019, 11:07 PM

On the other hand, a newly formed pair of wild caught clowns has shown progress. They've been paired for only 8 days and started to share a flowerpot today without any issues.

07/04/2019, 06:10 PM	#1
CoralsAddiction Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: L.A./Tahoe Posts: 6,003	Time to re-pair or separate? I’ve had two Nebula (A. Percula) clowns for 5 months that were acquired as juveniles. One has established itself as the dominant of the two. It lives in a rose BTA and doesn’t let the other one in the anemone. They don’t fight. They just do not act as a “bonded” pair. The clowns live in the opposite corners of my reef tank. Option 1: leave them be. Option 2: move them both in a quarantine tank for re-pairing Option 3: separate them. Which is better and why? Thanks.

07/05/2019, 12:50 AM	#3
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	Be patient. Them not fighting is actually a good sign. My first percula pair didn't really get along well for the first year. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

07/14/2019, 09:22 PM	#5
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	They are not mature yet. They will be fine later. I am sure when they mature there will be a small battle then everything will fall into place. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

07/04/2019, 10:38 PM	#2
ratienza80 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: So Cal Posts: 185	I think if you really want them to pair, test them out in the quarantine tank and see how they do. if the dominant one is too aggressive then maybe they are not a good pair for one another.

07/14/2019, 08:57 PM	#4
CoralsAddiction Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: L.A./Tahoe Posts: 6,003	The main problem is that the dominant clown wouldn’t share the anemone. I chased the submissive clown with tongs towards the anemone and the other clown wouldn’t let him in. So, I removed both of them from the main tank and placed them in QT with a flowerpot. The dominant clown has accepted the flowerpot as a host while the submissive clown hovers above it. Still no fighting and they seem to do okay. Sharing a host anemone is what’s been an issue. I’ll observe them in QT for 3-4 weeks to see if anything changes. They are still very young and not that big in size.

07/14/2019, 11:07 PM	#6
CoralsAddiction Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: L.A./Tahoe Posts: 6,003	On the other hand, a newly formed pair of wild caught clowns has shown progress. They've been paired for only 8 days and started to share a flowerpot today without any issues.