Biting Clown

[Tarasco]

My pair of black and white percs are the oldest fish in my tank, over a year and a half old. The female is pretty territorial, and used to try and tail-slap my hand whenever I had my hands in the tank for any length of time. The last two times I've messed around in my tank, though, she has bit my hand. The first time was after a minute or two of tail-slapping, the second time she didn't even hesitate. 5 seconds in the tank, and she got me in the palm.

Realizing that these fish are territorial, is there any way to break her of this habit? I basically had to put a barrier between the fish and my hand by placing a fish net there, which was cumbersome to say the least. The leather that the pair host in is in the middle of the tank, so she can dash across to either side with ease. I just don't want to have to do work in the tank feeling like I'm waiting for a trigger to bite me. Or am I going to have to set up a barrier every time I want to work in the tank? All suggestions welcome.

 

[Gina]

What about trying a pair of rubber maid gloves? That's what i would just do and let her bite you all she wants!

 

[wooddood]

you go gina.good answer.my clowns have never bit me.their clarki's.but i do have a gray damsel that does,but when i move my 120 in the next 2 days he and a few other fish are going to the lfs for credit.i've really been waiting for this day for along time lol.

 

[Tarasco]

So simple. Why didn't I think of that??

It will also keep my beatiful skin from drying out. I mean, uh, it'll look manly. That's it, yeah, manly. :apimp:

 

[wooddood]

lol.lol.

 

[Gina]

And women do love a manly hand!LOL

Hey wood,
Glad the move went well! Now, for the tanks!!

 

[Xanareef]

I've been told that clownfish are like children and they are testing their boundries. When you don't react they don't have a reason to test any longer.

HTH,

Alexis

 

[Tarasco]

Hmmm... this is kind of what I was wondering about. Has anyone tried any sort of behavior modification? Or heard about clowns trying to "test the boundaries?"

I tried shooing the fish away with my hand, but she was having none of it. In fact she looked even more angry, and one thing I don't want her to do is draw blood. Who knows, maybe she'll like the taste of it, then I'll have a little black and white pirhana in my tank, daring me to stick my hand in again. Stalking back and forth, with those wee, beady eyes. I think I'm starting to scare myself now.

 

[cheeks69]

I get the same reaction from my True Perc especially when I try to feed the anemone, I get alot of tail slaps but no biting yet. That's when I'm glad I don't have a Maroon

 

[addict]

I have another solution (that seems to work in my case)... wear a ring with a big black stone in it.

I have a ring with an onyx that's about 1/4" square, and my clowns bit that, thinking it's the big fishes 'eye'... saves me from having to put up with their bites... it's the ring that gets all the hassling.

Funny thing is they used to like my hand and would beg for food, until I removed a pink tree they were hosting in to make room for a BTA... now they hate me...

Glad to see that I'm not alone though...

 

[reefjitsu]

Can a clownfish really hurt you? I thought that their nips were harmless to human skin. Anyone out there ever have one break the skin? Just wondering.

 

[addict]

The bites are harmless, but it feels like a little pinch (sometimes a fairly forceful one)...
I think it's the reaction to the bite that causes the most harm... my flinch reaction took my elbow into my halide one time... and I still have the scar to show for it...

 

[BoomerD]

I dunno about some of you, but several years ago, I had a breeding pair of Clarkii's, and anytime I got too close to their anemone, the large female( over 3") would attack my hand with a vengance. Darned thing would draw blood! you could see the tiny teeth marks in my skin where she would bite. I've never known of percs or ocellaris to get that viscous, but tomatos, clarkii complex & maroons all have been known to attack the hand that feeds them.

 

[Tarasco]

This last time I was bit, she left a little semi-circle imprint. Felt like a rough pinch. The first time I was bit I was so shocked that when I yanked my arm out of the tank I splashed about a gallon of water all over the place. But with the way her aggression is increasing, I don't want to find out if she'll draw blood.

 

[swolfe]

I have a red lip blenny that has taken a sudden dislike to me! My dear husband laughs his a@@ off when I have to put my hands in the tank. I jump 3 feet everytime he hits me & splash water everywhere. I know he's coming, but just can't help myself.
I think I'll go for the rubber glove solution!

 

[ScottT1980]

My maroon doesn't hesitate to bite. In fact, I can't remember a time I put my hand in the tank when it didn't bite me. My peaceful little tank has turned into a brigade of misfits, at least regarding my red-lipped and maroon (and his BTA buddy that has gotten WAY too big). My maroon has even broken SPS frags trying to go after my hand. There was a time it had a constant "hair-lip" from missing my hand and getting the rocks instead.

Ah well, not much I can do about it...

Take er easy
Scott T.

 

[sorcerer]

My female false perc took to biting after never having a problem and since she is now just over three inches can leave blood blisters or break skin. I went the rubber glove route and evidently she doesn't like the taste of them...She does like to attack the turkey baster.

 

[reefjitsu]

Wow! I didn't think that a clown would be able to hurt you a bite. I guess that's one more thing to look out for. I have hurt myself when jerking my arm back when a critter startled me.

 

[fidojoe]

My perc bit me once, didn't hurt or anything, I actually thought it was cool, until she started attacking my hand, then I made a claw with my hand and chased her through the tank, needless to say she steers clear of my hand now, unless I'm holding food, the little mooch.

 

[Westchester]

My clown bites too. Hasn't drawn blood and can be very persistent. More a surprise than a painful event. I have resorted to a "penalty tank" that the fish stays in while maintenance is done.