Maroon Clown Pairing

wongkwp · #1 09/29/2002, 07:49 PM

I've a pair of Maroon Clowns, unfortunately the male died (smaller one) recently. I've bought a replacement from my LFS and put the small guy into the tank. When the female saw the new clown, she started chasing it and attacking it. Will she kill the guy???

Periclimenes Lover · #2 09/29/2002, 10:05 PM

She might. If she doesn't quit fighting with him you need to take him out or make something that he can be in that she can't get to him in. I paired two pairs of GS Maroons (in the first pair the female died, she was a recent shipment to the store and it was probably all the stress and ?? factors). The first time I put them in at the same time, they wanted to fight each other while they could see each other in separate bags, I let them go and they fought for about 3 seconds until one went running. Then they started getting closer and closer to each other until the next day they were in the same anemone. With the replacement, I put her in inside the baggie they put her in at the LFS and they kinda looked at each other, then when I let her out there seemed to be no bickering this time. They have been paired almost a year now. If they are fighting more than a very short time I wouldn't let them stay together for long or she will kill him. I tried to pair up my pipefish and one was chasing the other for about an hour, never to see the meeker one of them again after that.

wongkwp · #3 09/29/2002, 10:26 PM

The little guy has managed to hide himself within the live-rocks. The female still swim around once in a while looking for him. Guess I'll keep an eye on them and be prepare to separate them if she continues to 'attack' him.

LargeAngels · #4 09/30/2002, 08:46 AM

IME it is always best to either introduce the two clowns at the same time into a tank. or first let the smaller establish itself in the tank and then introduce the larger one. It can be done the other way but there will be more instances in which the larger will kill the smaller.

HKS · #5 09/30/2002, 05:15 PM

Get a contraption of some sort and cage up the little guy in it. Place him where the female usually frequents and within a few days she will accept him. What i did was cut a two liter bottle in half and poke small holes in it for air and water circulation; make sure they're small enough so the small clown can't escape. Once the female stops charging the barrier or lessens her aggression near the male, then release him and he should be fine.

wongkwp · #6 09/30/2002, 10:17 PM

Great news, I think the female has finally accepted the male. She has stopped beating him. And when she goes near the male, he will shimmer showing the sign of subjection to the female. Hopefully, in the next few days, she will allow him to the bubble anemone she's living in.

wongkwp · #7 10/05/2002, 01:26 PM

Just an update, both the maroon clowns are paired now. The male has finally been accepted by the female and was allowed to the bubble-tip anemone she was living in. Hopefully, one day in the future, they'll spawn. By the way, the male is a gold-striped maroon and the female is just a normal maroon clownfish.

wongkwp · #8 03/09/2003, 03:24 PM

It has been five months since both the maroon clowns are paired and I'm happy to say that both are doing fine.

Rook · #9 03/09/2003, 10:32 PM

Good to hear.

I have just recently introduced a second male gs maroon clown to my female which has been in my tank for nearly a year or so. After a few days the male has started showing signs of giving in to the female (the shudder). Hopefully it will only be days and they will fully become a pair.