I have a pair of common clownfish that I've had for over 5 years. They spent 4.5 years in a Red Sea Max 130 and were mostly happy together, in January I upgraded to a Red Sea Max 250 and again they were fine for about 2 months. However the last 6 months the larger clown has none stop been bullying the smaller clown. It literally searches the tank for the small clown and chases it around, the small clown spends all the time in the top corner/bottom corner of the tank or deep behind the live rock but even then it's not safe. It still eats ok but is very washed out and has splits in fins.
I don't understand why after all this time the intense bullying has started, I guess it was the upgrade to the bigger tank but I would have thought that would give them more room. I thought it might stop after a while but it's just getting worse. Tonight it got so bad I have caught the bully in a net and left him in the tank to give the small fish a break but this isn't going to work long term.
Any ideas what I can do long term apart from give away the bully? Rearranging the tank isn't an option. The tank is lightly stocked, would adding more fish or even another clown distract it a bit more? I also have a small 15ltr tank I was thinking of setting up and moving the aggressive clown to for a couple of weeks, would that work?
I don't understand why after all this time the intense bullying has started, I guess it was the upgrade to the bigger tank but I would have thought that would give them more room. I thought it might stop after a while but it's just getting worse. Tonight it got so bad I have caught the bully in a net and left him in the tank to give the small fish a break but this isn't going to work long term.
Any ideas what I can do long term apart from give away the bully? Rearranging the tank isn't an option. The tank is lightly stocked, would adding more fish or even another clown distract it a bit more? I also have a small 15ltr tank I was thinking of setting up and moving the aggressive clown to for a couple of weeks, would that work?