Ocellaris Pairing

[fluidimagery]

Another Fight Occellaris Thread - Please Help I picked up an Ocellaris (Nemo, yea I know) when I first got into this hobby about 2 1/2 years ago, he/she's my wife's favorite fish. About a year ago I added a 2nd Ocellaris (Doug) to attempt to pair them up. Doug was only about an inch when I got him. Nemo I feel has stunted growth and is only about 2 inches.

Nemo has always been dominant towards doug. Doug would always be submissive and do the typical seizure like motion. Slowly but surly Doug has grown to the same size as Nemo in less than a year and I've noticed a bit more agression towards both of them. Some nipped fins etc... mostly on Nemo.

Tonight I came home to find Nemo cowering in the corner behind some rocks. I fed the tank and Nemo came out to get some food and Doug kept charging him and for the first time I noticed Nemo submissing to Doug. Nemo's fins are nipped here and there and the black on his fins is a little faded. I don't see them sparring but there is a little black (bruising?) around his mouth.

My wife would be heartbroken if Nemo were to be killed.

I'm thinking about fuging Doug until Nemo heals up a little unless you guys think I should just let them be and they'll work things out.

 

[deelucky]

i think seperating them i a good idea mainly the aggresive one to give the both a break and let nemo heal good luck

 

[fluidimagery]

I'm going to give it until tomorrow and see. I haven't seen Nemo fight back yet so Doug isn't nipping him. Nemo just immediately submisses.

Thank you.

 

[deelucky]

submission is a sign of showing the other clown (shaking) as a sign of the less dominant clown.usaully when my bigger clown goes near the smaller one the small guy starts his shaking.

 

[fluidimagery]

yup, it used to be the other way around though until tonight. Doug used to submiss to Nemo, but now Nemo is the submissive one because Doug has outgrown him.

 

[Salesbig]

I dont mean to be insenstive.. but i like it how you gave your fish names

 

[fluidimagery]

haha!, we only have 4 fish so it makes it easy. It makes it a lot easier to describe instead of clownfish 1 and clownfish 2.

 

[deelucky]

yup, it used to be the other way around though until tonight. Doug used to submiss to Nemo, but now Nemo is the submissive one because Doug has outgrown him.

well one will be a female(larger one) and the male will stay small.if they were the same size when introduced then one will outgrow the other.for the future if you only have 1 clown always get the new guy smaller.

 

[fluidimagery]

I did. Nemo was 2" when I got Doug who was 1" at the time. Now Doug has outgrown Nemo by a hair.

 

[deelucky]

hmm:scratch: could doug have been a female before you got her.and was nemo the only clown you had?or had you had one before?

 

[fluidimagery]

Nemo was the only clown that I had for about 1 1/2 years then I added Doug. I would assume since Doug was only 1" that he was still unsexed.

They always sleep together and there was little hostility until recently.

 

[deelucky]

dont understand the aggresiveness there usually good natured towards each other.i have exhausted all my thoughts.someone will chime in who'll know alot more then me.but for the time being remove and re-introduce as you planned.and if doug has a favorite spot in the rockworks try to rearrange before putting doug (name change.lol)back in.good luck

 

[DEEPWATER]

How big is your tank ? do you have anything that the clowns can host?

Also my suggestion is not to add another clown unless you know its sex and i wouldnt let doug back in house ,if he.she is attacking nemo ,it will kill him sooner or later ,i would take him out and sell or give him away JMO


clown can be aggressive btw

Ronen

 

[Deanos]

2 females clowns will likely fight to the death. For their sake , please separate them. Had 'Doug' been a male or unsexed at the time of his introduction, his growth would have been stunted. Obviously, this was not the case.

 

[fluidimagery]

Thanks for the replies.

Last night I came down to check on them and they were sleeping right next to each other like normal. This morning, Nemo was on the other side of the tank but being a little more courageous and coming out in the open a bit more.

The tank is only a 25g, I have a 95g that I just received and in the process of setting up to replace the 25.

I don't see how Doug would've been sexed when I got him since he was only about 4 - 5 months old but I could be wrong. Nemo was just as small when I got him, but he stopped growing after he reached 2" (if that) is there a chance that he could still be unsexed after 2 1/2 years? If Nemo was a Female wouldn't Doug's growth have stunted?

 

[fluidimagery]

Just to re-interate...

They had been fine for a year in the same setup before this.

 

[Deanos]

If Nemo was a Female wouldn't Doug's growth have stunted?

Not if Doug was a female already. :tired:

 

[fluidimagery]

I thought Occellaris need to be at least a year old before they can become sexed?

 

[Deanos]

I thought Occellaris need to be at least a year old before they can become sexed?

My understanding was it took between 12-24 months for A. ocellaris to become sexually mature. For example, a clown could be female, but not yet old enough to produce eggs.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i'm curious to know what other fish you have in your tank?