Aggressive clown fish behavior
Aggressive clown fish behavior
So I've been doing some reading and from what I gather, this is pretty standard behavior... I've got a bigger clownfish that's picking on the smaller one, which I'm assuming is a sign it's trying to change it into a female, so they can be a pair. Just want to make sure this is a good sign, not a bad one. At first, the little guy was trying to get away, but now it just takes the abuse like a pro, although it has been moving pretty slow lately.
Re: Aggressive clown fish behavior
I also got an anemone last week, but my clowns still aren't hosting. I'm a bit surprised, I thought they'd be all over it by now.
Re: Aggressive clown fish behavior
They're finicky and will host the anemone if and when they feel like it. You can't force a clown to host, it's just not gonna happen.flintech wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:02 pm So I've been doing some reading and from what I gather, this is pretty standard behavior... I've got a bigger clownfish that's picking on the smaller one, which I'm assuming is a sign it's trying to change it into a female, so they can be a pair. Just want to make sure this is a good sign, not a bad one. At first, the little guy was trying to get away, but now it just takes the abuse like a pro, although it has been moving pretty slow lately.
Re: Aggressive clown fish behavior
No, it's not trying to turn the little one into a female, it's just seeing it as an invader in its territory.
How long ago did you add the second clownfish to the tank?
At this point, I'd recommend temporarily removing both fish, rearranging the rockwork, and then reintroducing them together. This should help break established territories and reduce aggression. Once things calm down, the smaller one might develop into a male and the larger one into a female.
And yeah, like fleeton said, clownfish host what they want, when they want - an anemone is more likely than a powerhead, but since many clowns these days are tank-bred, they might not even know what an anemone is.
How long ago did you add the second clownfish to the tank?
At this point, I'd recommend temporarily removing both fish, rearranging the rockwork, and then reintroducing them together. This should help break established territories and reduce aggression. Once things calm down, the smaller one might develop into a male and the larger one into a female.
And yeah, like fleeton said, clownfish host what they want, when they want - an anemone is more likely than a powerhead, but since many clowns these days are tank-bred, they might not even know what an anemone is.
Re: Aggressive clown fish behavior
I put both of them in the tank together from the get-go, they were already paired up when I bought them so I figured why break 'em up, right? Thought for sure they'd make a good match and maybe even mate, but doesn't look like that's gonna happen.