Gold Stripe Maroon Clown Pairing?

[villious]

Hi all. Looking for someone that has some knowledge on Gold Stripe Maroons. I have one GS maroon that is about 2". I don't know if it's male or female. How would I tell? It has a rather large BTA that it lives in.

I'd like to add a second GS maroon to pair with the first one. Can I do it? How do I tell the sexes? Will they pair?

I'm not going out looking for another GS maroon until I'm sure it can be done and that I know what I'm looking for.

Thanks all,
Woody

[gberry]

If you have a single maroon, it may not have sexed yet or it could possibly be female. As far as I know, there's no way to tell the sex by simply looking at one. If you'd like to try and find a mate, I'd find the smallest maroon you can find and introduce them. In my experience, the larger the size differential between your fish and it's potential mate is key. The larger fish should be able to assert it's dominance easily and not feel intimidated by the smaller newcomer, thus becoming the female, and the smaller fish should become the male. Be aware that pairing maroons is not always a happy event, there are fatalities. If your clown does not accept the potential mate you provide, you need to be able to seperate it from the larger one lest it be killed.

[davocean]

Agree w/ that^
Find a small one, and if you really want to play it safe, intro the new guy in a specimen container, and preferably close to your hosting nem.

[davocean]

This is how I did mine.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e141/mermail/Tankupdate0807026.jpg

[villious]

Thanks Dav.....great pic!!!

[seapug]

I did the exact same thing when I introduced my little male except I did it the other way around. Big Momma had to sit in jail for the night and watch the new Little Man hang in the anemone. That way she knew he wasn't a threat to the BTA and was more receptive to his presence. Their relationship was a little rocky at first, but they are fine together now.

[zma21]

In my experience, i would get a mature GSM, relatively 4" and have her for a while. Then i would get a juvi, in my experience before the bars are 100% yellow, and put their rock+nem and both clowns in the QT. That way, if they don't pair, you only have one rock to fiddle with while trying to catch the clown.

I have succeeded in every attempt with this size ratio.

Good luck. :)