Pairing Aggressive Clownfish?

rtcpenguin · #1 09/06/2005, 12:36 PM

I've had a fairly aggressive Ocellaris female for about a year, and I really want to pair her. I tried once before, but she really tore up the juvenile, and it was almost as big as she was. I eventually ended up giving that clown to a friend.

Anyway, I would like to try again, and this time I was contemplating setting up a 10g quarantine directly next to (almost touching) my display with the female in it. Do you think they would be able to see each other from the separate tanks (ie, no reflections) and would this decrease the territorial behavior of the female toward the new clown when I finally added the juvenile/male to the display tank?

Any other ideas/suggestions?

keefsama2003 · #2 09/06/2005, 01:19 PM

i would get a real small juvi clown. get a specimin container. put a little eggcrate ontop to stop anything from jumping in or out. and get some suction cups drill holes in the clip on end of the container and add the suction cups to the top and do the same to the bottom and suction it in the tank. they will be completely seperated but in the same tank. this way he can acclimate to the tank and the female and with the eggcrate attached to the top you can set it below water level some maybe drill a few holes in all the sides for movement to get new water in and out also.

rtcpenguin · #3 09/06/2005, 05:09 PM

Do you not recommend quarantining new arrivals?

keefsama2003 · #4 09/07/2005, 05:25 AM

i would yes just for the fact that you NEVER know. and i wouldnt want to accidentally put something un-suspecting in the tank and have everything go south. its always better to play it safe.

rtcpenguin · #5 09/07/2005, 09:20 AM

So...back to my original proposition?

I don't want to isolate the fish during quarantine. I've read that males can become females in as little as a month individually.

keefsama2003 · #6 09/07/2005, 09:38 AM

make sure the new fish you get is juvinile 1/2 inch if you can small clowns wont change that fast you can put them thru 3-4 week qt with no problem.

rtcpenguin · #7 09/07/2005, 10:35 AM

I'm trying to get a larger juv/male so the female won't be able to beat up on him so much. The last one got his fins nipped really badly in just a few days.

dantodd · #8 09/07/2005, 12:59 PM

The fact that you are getting bigger juvies is the entire problem.

The bigger juvie will not submit to the larger female. Read the FAQ about pairing clowns. Read the part of about pairing Maroons in particular. I would suggest following this procedure as your female seems very aggressive.

Katana_user · #9 09/07/2005, 10:27 PM

Personally I'd put both in a quarantine tank for the duration. The female will have new surroundings and may be more receptive to a mate. Yes there is a risk of disease but given your stated prerequisites the only other option that I see is getting multiple new fish. Then quarrantining same, selecting multiple males to move to a new tank with your female at the end of the quarantine period. Then selling the rest. Good luck!

rtcpenguin · #10 09/08/2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dantodd
The fact that you are getting bigger juvies is the entire problem.

The bigger juvie will not submit to the larger female. Read the FAQ about pairing clowns. Read the part of about pairing Maroons in particular. I would suggest following this procedure as your female seems very aggressive.

Well, I have only tried pairing once, with a fish roughly 3/4 the size of the dominant female.

She is now about 2", would you suggest adding a 1" juvenile, or something smaller/larger?

Quote:

Originally posted by Katana_user
Personally I'd put both in a quarantine tank for the duration. The female will have new surroundings and may be more receptive to a mate. Yes there is a risk of disease but given your stated prerequisites the only other option that I see is getting multiple new fish. Then quarrantining same, selecting multiple males to move to a new tank with your female at the end of the quarantine period. Then selling the rest. Good luck!

Also, an interesting suggestion.

I would prefer to try the specimen container method if she attacks a smaller juv, but if that doesn't work, I may well set up a 10 gal quarantine and place both fish in it. The dominant female is sort of a super fish. She has survived bouts or ich, a VERY serious velvet outbreak (which in my experience are almost always fatal), and even being attacked by a crab. I have to smack her with a toothbrush to keep her from biting my hand.

keefsama2003 · #11 09/08/2005, 12:41 PM

smaller

dantodd · #12 09/08/2005, 09:34 PM

smallest you can find that looks healthy