Help, clownfish fighting

[Trinhy]

Hoping to get some advice, I got 6 Ocellaris Clownfish (3 black and 3 orange) 5 weeks ago. All of the Clownfish were the same size (small), from the same batch/shop and introduced at the same time.

The black ones kept to themselves and we're happy, eating heaps and getting bigger whilst the orange ones were establishing dominance over each other. The orange ones sorted themselves out with one that was doing most of the bullying. Once the orange ones calmed down two weeks ago the black ones have started to gang up on the orange ones and have been unrelenting. The black ones are almost double the size of the orange ones now.

The fighting hasn't been biting but chasing and intimidating around the tank, it has escalated to the point that the clowns are trying to hide in the corners of the tank and were even pinning themselves sideways and upside down the the top corners of the tank.

Not sure what to do and worried the orange ones will not make it with the stress. The orange ones were hiding in the rock but have given up hiding now.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Tell us again ... How big is the tank? I know I ask a RS member and Top Clownfish Breeder (Doni - Woodstock) if I could have more than 2 clowns in my 66 gallon & she told me no, they would fight.

but many times... this is what is going on with fighting... All clownfish are born male, they fight to determine who is going to "convert" to female... a very interesting clownfish fact, I remember learning this amazing fact, I was like Wow didn't know that was possible.

See what others think...

 

[DaveK]

Clowns in groups tend to do that. Even in a large tank they tend to fight. I'd pick the group I liked and then return the other group to the LFS. Then pick other species besides clowns. Even so, you might find that two of the fish will gang up on the third.

 

[Oxylebius]

I've seen multiple pairs in tanks over 200gallons, but what makes these successful was that each pair had their own anemone (and a large tank). In smaller tanks it is hard to get more then two. The two fish will pick on the third until it dies or succumbs to disease.

 

[Trinhy]

I have a RSM 250, sounds like the consensus is the tank is too small for that many clowns and we need to find a new home for some of them...

 

[Oxylebius]

Unfortunately, it is true. You are already seeing major issues of fighting between the fish. If the fish are left in the tank, you are going to end up loosing some.

 

[Trinhy]

Thanks for the advice, going to get a bigger net and a little box tank to quarantine the clowns tonight. They were doing so well for the first month...

 

[Trinny]

Happier times when I added them all in at the same time

 

[Trinny]

So I've got the orange ones in a segregation tank now and things are much more pleasant. Now for the hard decision of wether I find a new home for the black or the orange ones... I like the black, wife likes the orange however there is still a little of infighting with the orange ones the black ones don't snipe at each other at all.

 

[soco]

Glad so many people responded so quick for you. It has been my experience that keeping clowns long term they need to be in pairs or by themselves. They will definitely pick on the third.
I tried keeping 2 pairs in a 90 gallon. A pair of maroons and a pair of ocellaris (orange). They did fine when each pair had an anemone on each side. Then something happened to one of the ocs clown, and when the one was by himself the maroons would go all the way over the far side of the tank to mess with the lonely one.

I have seen single clowns of different kinds in larger dt at stores and such, so its possible. they will need a lot of room though Clowns are very territorial.
Good luck choosing which color u wanna keep. I have never had black ones but I have have clarkiis maroons and osc. In my opinion ocs. are the friendliest to others and most people friendly. A buddy of mine had a ocs that would come up to the top of the tank when he walked by hoping for treats lol.

 

[DaddyTLi]

Glad so many people responded so quick for you. It has been my experience that keeping clowns long term they need to be in pairs or by themselves. They will definitely pick on the third.
I tried keeping 2 pairs in a 90 gallon. A pair of maroons and a pair of ocellaris (orange). They did fine when each pair had an anemone on each side. Then something happened to one of the ocs clown, and when the one was by himself the maroons would go all the way over the far side of the tank to mess with the lonely one.

I have seen single clowns of different kinds in larger dt at stores and such, so its possible. they will need a lot of room though Clowns are very territorial.
Good luck choosing which color u wanna keep. I have never had black ones but I have have clarkiis maroons and osc. In my opinion ocs. are the friendliest to others and most people friendly. A buddy of mine had a ocs that would come up to the top of the tank when he walked by hoping for treats lol.

Are we not like "clowns"?

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[Trinny]

Thank you all for the quick responses, feeling much better about it now that the aggression has been removed. Ended up putting the black ones in segregation tank as they were still intimidating the orange ones from the outside. Now the orange ones are free to roam and happy again.

Will keep an eye on the orange ones to see if I need to remove the 3rd wheel down the track...

 

[bwomble]

Glad so many people responded so quick for you. It has been my experience that keeping clowns long term they need to be in pairs or by themselves. They will definitely pick on the third.

I've had 5 clowns (all of the same species, Ocellaris) living happily together for years. They were all small to start with though, no clear female. Over time the dominant became female and became huge. When one died I tried adding another and war broke out, I think the newbie was already female. I moved her to another tank and she became quite large as well. When the first female died a few years ago, I decided to try moving the second female in with the others and the males accepted her willingly. I'm down to three now but they still get along fine. Is my experience really that rare?

 

[soco]

I've had 5 clowns (all of the same species, Ocellaris) living happily together for years. They were all small to start with though, no clear female. Over time the dominant became female and became huge. When one died I tried adding another and war broke out, I think the newbie was already female. I moved her to another tank and she became quite large as well. When the first female died a few years ago, I decided to try moving the second female in with the others and the males accepted her willingly. I'm down to three now but they still get along fine. Is my experience really that rare?

I feel like in the wild they probably hang out in larger groups but in a tank I think it's a territory struggle kinda thing.

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