HELP - Fighting Clownfish

Bloodbuzz459 · 07/21/2017, 12:01 PM

Hi Guys,

In desperate need of some help...

I have two Clownfish. When purchased as a pair one was a bit bigger than the other and they have live in harmony ever since - no problems.

So, they are the only two fish I have in a 20G with a cleaner shrimp and two corals. Water params all okay.

The last two days the smaller of the two has literally seemed to try and kill the larger of the two. To the point where the larger is now hiding constantly behind rock on the surface and is quite pale in colour.

I just don't know what to do I don't have a second tank to split them and I'm heading on holiday for two days in the morning.

Thank you all

Cliving1 · 07/21/2017, 03:08 PM

Take one back to your local store?

Bloodbuzz459 · 07/21/2017, 03:39 PM

I would but it's late here UK and I leave at 5am the next day...

oahureefer · 07/21/2017, 07:04 PM

while you are gon put one in the sump, if you don't have a sump then separate them somehow with something like a specimen box or breeder box. Something that will allow the water to get throw but not the fish

Ryan Darilek · 07/21/2017, 09:27 PM

Since its last minute and you likely don't have a sump or a breeder box, use a strainer (maybe called a colander in your neck of the woods?). Wash it really good and put it in your tank so that the handles rest on the rims of your tank and it is submerged in the water enough for the smaller jerk of a fish to fit. Should be good for the two days. Not sure if you have one the right size to make work, but wanted to give you another idea

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Bloodbuzz459 · 07/23/2017, 05:07 AM

Ugh my clown didnt make it :-( Fins were in really bad shape too!

Im gutted! I thought it was normally the bigger female of the two that was aggressive?!

gandolf8 · 07/23/2017, 11:26 AM

try feed them more I have 30 and feed 4x a day no problems

OrionN · 07/24/2017, 06:03 AM

What kind of clowns do you have? The larger of the two may not have been in great health and could not exert dominate on the smaller of the two was what happened. Either that or the smaller one is just a particularly aggressive one.
I have a very beautiful Onyx wild caught A. percula with similar temperament. He is small but really beat up any somewhat larger clowns I try to pair him with. He ripped one of the dorsal fin, resulting in permanent deformity to that clown. I was able to remove him in time so there were no permanent injury to any of my other fish.
I have to pair him with my mammoth female. She was more than twice his length before he did not try to fight her.

Even if he is really beautiful with full color, I don't think I want to raise any of his babies because this mean streak is not want I want in my clowns.

Bloodbuzz459 · 07/24/2017, 01:56 PM

Percula.

Never had a single issue with them - It just same out of nowhere then the larger clown turned a cloudy white colour as the fighting went on.

May have been Brooklynella not sure if the clown started turning colour prior or after the aggression but I didn't notice anything there were always so vibrant in colour I think I would have noticed.

The smaller clown looks absolutely fine.

07/21/2017, 12:01 PM	#1
Bloodbuzz459 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 41	HELP - Fighting Clownfish Hi Guys, In desperate need of some help... I have two Clownfish. When purchased as a pair one was a bit bigger than the other and they have live in harmony ever since - no problems. So, they are the only two fish I have in a 20G with a cleaner shrimp and two corals. Water params all okay. The last two days the smaller of the two has literally seemed to try and kill the larger of the two. To the point where the larger is now hiding constantly behind rock on the surface and is quite pale in colour. I just don't know what to do I don't have a second tank to split them and I'm heading on holiday for two days in the morning. Thank you all

07/24/2017, 06:03 AM	#8
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	What kind of clowns do you have? The larger of the two may not have been in great health and could not exert dominate on the smaller of the two was what happened. Either that or the smaller one is just a particularly aggressive one. I have a very beautiful Onyx wild caught A. percula with similar temperament. He is small but really beat up any somewhat larger clowns I try to pair him with. He ripped one of the dorsal fin, resulting in permanent deformity to that clown. I was able to remove him in time so there were no permanent injury to any of my other fish. I have to pair him with my mammoth female. She was more than twice his length before he did not try to fight her. Even if he is really beautiful with full color, I don't think I want to raise any of his babies because this mean streak is not want I want in my clowns. __________________ 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

07/21/2017, 03:08 PM	#2
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Take one back to your local store?

07/21/2017, 03:39 PM	#3
Bloodbuzz459 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 41	I would but it's late here UK and I leave at 5am the next day...

07/21/2017, 07:04 PM	#4
oahureefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Anaheim Posts: 74	while you are gon put one in the sump, if you don't have a sump then separate them somehow with something like a specimen box or breeder box. Something that will allow the water to get throw but not the fish

07/21/2017, 09:27 PM	#5
Ryan Darilek Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 376	Since its last minute and you likely don't have a sump or a breeder box, use a strainer (maybe called a colander in your neck of the woods?). Wash it really good and put it in your tank so that the handles rest on the rims of your tank and it is submerged in the water enough for the smaller jerk of a fish to fit. Should be good for the two days. Not sure if you have one the right size to make work, but wanted to give you another idea Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

07/23/2017, 05:07 AM	#6
Bloodbuzz459 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 41	Ugh my clown didnt make it :-( Fins were in really bad shape too! Im gutted! I thought it was normally the bigger female of the two that was aggressive?!

07/23/2017, 11:26 AM	#7
gandolf8 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fulton, NY Posts: 1,249	try feed them more I have 30 and feed 4x a day no problems

07/24/2017, 01:56 PM	#9
Bloodbuzz459 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 41	Percula. Never had a single issue with them - It just same out of nowhere then the larger clown turned a cloudy white colour as the fighting went on. May have been Brooklynella not sure if the clown started turning colour prior or after the aggression but I didn't notice anything there were always so vibrant in colour I think I would have noticed. The smaller clown looks absolutely fine.