The people that work at my LFS aren't the most knowledgeable so I figured asking here would probably generate some answers from more experienced people rather than just dumb looks. I'm sorry this post is so long.
I've had my "mated pair" black perc clowns for about 8 months now. I use the term mated pair loosely because they have yet to get along long enough to mate. I bought them from the LFS once I had what I believed to be a sabae anemone already established in the tank. Neither clown took to the anemone for a month and I traded it in and purchased a BTA which the female (the larger of the 2) took to right away. After a few months the BTA split and both ended up dieing due to what I believe were temperature fluctuations. So for the last 4 months there has been no anemone in my tank, nor do I wish to try that excursion again anytime soon. I do however have a large (5 heads) frogspawn that takes up the majority of the tank (14g) and a small fox coral that both clowns semi-host, if that makes sense.
The point of this post is that after 8 months these clowns still do not seem to be getting along. The larger of the 2 (2x the size of the smaller) has rarely stop picking on the smaller. The picking does not seem that harmless since I will notice from time to time that the smaller (male) has pieces missing from his fins. I've read that she is trying to establish dominance and the aggressive behavior will stop if he gives into her, but when is enough enough? He hides from her the majority of the day and at nighttime when both fish are asleep they are usually sleeping together. At times I notice them sort of vibrating at one another which I've come to believe is part of the mating process. I keep saying to myself "wait and see what happens" but since it has been 8 months I've about given up hope. Should I take her back to the LFS and just keep the male? Or maybe my tank is too small for these 2 to get along successfully...
Also my tank is very well established (>4 years now) this is just a new project.
I've had my "mated pair" black perc clowns for about 8 months now. I use the term mated pair loosely because they have yet to get along long enough to mate. I bought them from the LFS once I had what I believed to be a sabae anemone already established in the tank. Neither clown took to the anemone for a month and I traded it in and purchased a BTA which the female (the larger of the 2) took to right away. After a few months the BTA split and both ended up dieing due to what I believe were temperature fluctuations. So for the last 4 months there has been no anemone in my tank, nor do I wish to try that excursion again anytime soon. I do however have a large (5 heads) frogspawn that takes up the majority of the tank (14g) and a small fox coral that both clowns semi-host, if that makes sense.
The point of this post is that after 8 months these clowns still do not seem to be getting along. The larger of the 2 (2x the size of the smaller) has rarely stop picking on the smaller. The picking does not seem that harmless since I will notice from time to time that the smaller (male) has pieces missing from his fins. I've read that she is trying to establish dominance and the aggressive behavior will stop if he gives into her, but when is enough enough? He hides from her the majority of the day and at nighttime when both fish are asleep they are usually sleeping together. At times I notice them sort of vibrating at one another which I've come to believe is part of the mating process. I keep saying to myself "wait and see what happens" but since it has been 8 months I've about given up hope. Should I take her back to the LFS and just keep the male? Or maybe my tank is too small for these 2 to get along successfully...
Also my tank is very well established (>4 years now) this is just a new project.
