Attack of the clowns!

[dmorel]

First, let me apologize for the bad Star Wars pun...
I just couldn't help it.

My maroon clown has suddenly decided that I may not move anything or put anything new anywhere in my tank.
It used to be that I couldn't put anything near her and the anemone, and I was ok with that, but now she will come clear across the tank and topple anything that is different.

Short of getting rid of her, anyone have any ideas on what to do? Use more glue?!?!

It's kind of funny to watch, but it's also stressing me out. She is particularly ****ed at my staghorn frag that I got from Dave a few months ago. I was moving it to a new spot and now it doesn't matter where I put it, she knocks it down! (I even tried putting it back where it started, but no go...)

No wonder they call em clowns...

-dm

[Gary Majchrzak]

They call them clowns,but there is nothing funny about Premnas {maroon}species anemonefish, IME! Get out the fishing pole! :p

[drscheck]

Mine, of two years now attacks my hand in I leave it in the water too long. I have to epoxy everything I put in the tank.

[mirski57]

When my clown got too vicious for my tank, he got evicted. I took him to Marine Oasis and he found a new good home.

[dmorel]

I guess if you ask for advice, you have to be prepared to get it.
I love this fish, so it would be very hard to remove and replace her, but I get the sense that it is the right thing to do.
I will try a little more glue and see if that works out.

I was kind of hoping getting her a mate would do the trick, but probably he would just end up being something else she whacked with that tail...

thanks all,
-dm

[drscheck]

I have been told (unverified) that if you place a second maroon in with a well established one, it would get beat up or even killed.

Just what I was told?

[Gary Majchrzak]

Spawning pairs are even MORE aggressive and destructive than single females! This rule applies to ALL damselfish! Beware getting her a mate!

[Guy]

Rearrange a LOT of the rock once in a while. This will make the Clown less territotial and she (must be a she) will be too busy fuming about the "new" rocks to pay attention to a couple frags... in theory anyway.

[dmorel]

Guy,
that's probably a really good idea, it's what I do when my tangs get too nasty in the FO and is certainly tried and true advice.
Redoing the rock work in the reef is the so far from being anything I want to do right now, but alas I am afraid that it is either that or loose the clown.

I need to get a little more rock in there anyway, so maybe the time is right.

Thanks to others that point out that adding a mate is the last thing I want to do. I wasn't sure on that one.

-dm

[Guy]

Originally posted by dmorel

Redoing the rock work in the reef is the so far from being anything I want to do right now

I didn't say it was an easy solution! LOL Moving coral colonies around needs a lot of advance planning and even then the rocks never seem to fit according to plan :(

It should allow you to keep your Clown though. Might also be a good time to frag and glue once everything is moved around.

[ReeferMac]

If you're in the market for some Live Rock Dave, I saw some really nice, well cured Tonga Branch at The Fish Place in North Tonawanda, on Saturday. Joe (SW Paradise) had some too, and it was about $0.25/pound cheaper, but not as nice, and the branches weren't as large.

- Mac