clarkii clown behavior and whitespot issue

[_bloomer]

Just a few days after noticing my flasher wrasse's frayed fins, my female clarkii clownfish is at it again - this time chasing him away rather than nipping his fins. I've observed the wrasse spending most of its time hiding behind my skimmer pump over the past couple of days. Upon closer inspection, I've also spotted a few white spots on its body and fins, around 5 or so. My Coflake Beauty might be showing similar symptoms, but I'm not entirely certain.

Honestly, I'm at my wit's end - I'm seriously considering taking the clownfish back as this behavior is getting out of hand. Should I hold onto the male in the hopes it'll become a well-behaved female or return both?

On a more pressing note, do you guys think this sounds like white spot or another disease, or could it just be stress-related? I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow for a better assessment.

[rusticfox]

To be honest, I'd get rid of both if I were you, mate. If the male does turn, chances are he'll pick up her temperament as well, and you don't want that. Fingers crossed those spots on your wrasse are just stress-related from the angel's introduction and the clown's aggression. If you do end up removing the clowns, keep a close eye on your tank to see if everything settles down before considering any white spot treatments.

[_bloomer]

To be honest, I'd get rid of both if I were you, mate. If the male does turn, chances are he'll pick up her temperament as well, and you don't want that. Fingers crossed those spots on your wrasse are just stress-related from the angel's introduction and the clown's aggression. If you do end up removing the clowns, keep a close eye on your tank to see if everything settles down before considering any white spot treatments.

Yeah I think I should get some nice false percs when everything is sorted, maybe a nice pair to add some calmness to the tank, but first I need to sort out this clownfish situation and get my wrasse healthy again.

[rusticfox]

Keep an eye on those spots for a bit before bringing in any new fish, mate. False percs can be little troublemakers too, I've got a pair and they're always up for a fight, plus super defensive of whatever they're hosting.

[_bloomer]

To be honest, I'd get rid of both if I were you, mate. If the male does turn, chances are he'll pick up her temperament as well, and you don't want that. Fingers crossed those spots on your wrasse are just stress-related from the angel's introduction and the clown's aggression. If you do end up removing the clowns, keep a close eye on your tank to see if everything settles down before considering any white spot treatments.

Yeah, I get your point about percs being feisty, but I'm thinking since they'd be the last ones in, they'd be less likely to cause trouble, right?

[rusticfox]

I chucked a pair of orange percs in my mate's nano at the last minute and they went mental, attacking the other fish, including a lionfish, and even nipping at me, lol. If you get 'em small they're not too bad, but once they pair off, it's game on. I know a few people who keep 'em with no issues, like tins, who's got a pair with a flasher wrasse and they all get along.

[_bloomer]

To be honest, I'd get rid of both if I were you, mate. If the male does turn, chances are he'll pick up her temperament as well, and you don't want that. Fingers crossed those spots on your wrasse are just stress-related from the angel's introduction and the clown's aggression. If you do end up removing the clowns, keep a close eye on your tank to see if everything settles down before considering any white spot treatments.

To be honest I'm getting really frustrated with my Clarkii situation. I just can't seem to catch a break - first my flasher's frayed fins and now these white spots. I'm seriously hoping it's just stress and not white spot, that would be just my luck.

[rustyfox9]

Fingers crossed it's just stress spots for you, mate. I'm hoping for the best. When it comes to feeding, I'd recommend small amounts up to 10 times a day, just the same as you normally would. New Era is a great choice for building up your fish - it's top-notch. That spray for frozen food is also excellent.

I've got a flasher and percs myself, and they're doing alright. If you get them small enough, you'll have a better chance of avoiding any issues. Mine are just starting to get territorial over their hosting site, but they're not too bad yet. The flasher actually scares the clowns off when he does his thing, flashing around them.

I've been told that this won't last, that they'll either calm down or become more aggressive - we'll see. At the moment, they're only a bit feisty towards the blenny if he gets too close. I added them when they were about an inch in size, and now they're approaching two inches. They've got a lot wider, but the female is still only slightly bigger than the male.

My juvenile tang is the real boss around here, and the clowns were added first, but like I always say, my fish don't follow the rules. As Buddy says, they don't read the same books we do.

[_bloomer]

My clarkii clowns are tiny, less than 2" I think. I've got some Tetra marine flake food and frozen stuff for them. If I need to get a supplement, should I go for the standard liposome spray or one of the immune-boosting ones? Not sure if I can afford both, it depends on how much I get for my clowns when I sell them, probably won't be much.

[rusticfox]

When buying the sprays, make sure to check the sell by date first, as they often stay on the shelves after expiring. Either one would be beneficial, but if you can afford it, I'd recommend getting both and using them alternately.

Just came across this interesting bit of info - seems Clarkii clowns can be quite feisty, even when small. Apparently, they're capable of defending themselves against larger tankmates and can even draw blood if they feel threatened. Guess that explains why my little clown is causing so much trouble.