Problem with agressive Percula Clown

[Minh Nguyen]

bhanson,
I am sorry if this offended you. I don't mean to be. Over the internet, it is hard to really know the person I discuss certain topic with.

Are you aware that Clownfish don't just happen to be male or female. They are all born un-sexed. The dominant fish mature, develope and become a female. She exert ther dominace to keep other fish from conver to being a female. The next dominant fish mature, develope and become the male. The rest in the group stay imature and sunsexed. If either the male or female died, then the next fish inline mature and take it place. Once a clown fish become a female, there is no turning back and it cannot revert fo being a male.

When I keep 5 Ocellaris in my tank with my H. magnifica, the mature pair keep the other three away from the anemone unless there is some thing threaten the group (like my hand in the aquarium) or at night. If any of the imature clowns venture close to the anemone durring the day, the male would dart out and deliver a blow to the smaller fish and chase it away. The three smaller clownfish would hang around in the general vicinity of the anemone but not in it.

Minh

 

[Anonymous]

....also i think 2 females would settle down together eventually.... .

Two female will kill each other eventually rather than settle down. Two inches is large for A. percula. If the two Percula were the largest in their group, then you have to females (or two that start to become female).
It is best to return one to the LFS and get a smaller, if not the smallest in their tank. If the size different is large and if the smaller of the two was not the largest (or the only one) in the LFS's tank, you should have no problem with them fighting.

I agree with you, Minh. Although, from my readings, as I understand it all clowns are born male, and upon taking position as dominant fish in the group change sex to female - thusly the female is the dominant member of the group. I also agree that 2" is indeed large for A. percula or A. ocellaris. It's my opinion that, especially if coming from a group (large or small) where they became the dominant members, their change from male to female is taking place, if having not already taken place. This phenomenon is well-documented, and as such goes a bit beyond the realm of "just opinion".

 

[shr00m]

funny how you didnt quote me completely try going back and reading what i recomended, some people are either blind or just plain stupid.....

 

[shr00m]

"also i think 2 females would settle down together eventually.... but i wouldnt really recomend that, a pair is ideal...."

 

[shr00m]

also it is totally dependant on being tank raised or not, if the two clowns were the biggest from the groups yes its likely they are both female, no where did the poster state that this was fact though. also, 2 females if they were from tank raised clowns would not for sure kill each other, wild caught its almost a given....still i said i wouldnt recomend it, if your gonna quote , please dont just quote what you feel supports your argument, i said I DONT RECOMEND IT, you conveinantly left that part off.

 

[bhanson]

bhanson,
I am sorry if this offended you. I don't mean to be. Over the internet, it is hard to really know the person I discuss certain topic with.

Are you aware that Clownfish don't just happen to be male or female. They are all born un-sexed.....

Yes I am aware of the social classifications and sexual determination of clownfish. I currently breed two different species of clowns A. percula and P. biaculeatus (Maroon) at home, which is fun but almost too time consuming.

And I am not offended this all in good fun, I am sorry if my responses seem too forward. I do like hearing everyones opinions it is a great way to learn different things.

Regards,

 

[johns120]

Wow....Now for an update. The following is a summary of the fish behavior observations. Do you think that they are 2 females?

1) Three Percs from two different tanks and shipments wild caught swam together nicely in my 75. Each is about 2 inches.

2) Perc #3 died in a week

3) Perc #1 started to host w/LT in week two.

4) Perc #1 then started to attack Perc #2. The leading edge of every fin was missing, some also torn as a result of fin nipping. On one occassion Perc #1 was observed biting the abdominal region of Perc #2 and holding on for several seconds.

5) Perc #2 heals nicely in hospital

6) Perc #2 placed back in 75. Perc #2 attacks Perc #1. Yes! The two of them engage in what appeared to me more of a mating ritual. They kind of like dance in circles very fast, they bite and grab each others jaws. The fighting dance last for about 5 minutes at the LT anemone. Perc #1 drives off #2 though with fin nipping and keeping away from anemone.

7) For past two days Perc #1 continues to engage in fin nipping and chasing off from anemone. HOWEVER, it does not appear as intense as before the hospitalization.

At this point I am going to wait to see what happens. Thanks for all the information.

 

[Juck]

I think you have two ladies going at it there (and not in the good way!).

 

[shr00m]

im leaning toward what juck is saying and they may both be females, but still if its not as intense maybe monitor, really its up to you, its impossible to make a judgement without seeing, although i will say that what you have said seems a little more aggressive than normal pairing....

 

[johns120]

For anyone that is interested, i thought I would update everyone.
Brief summary is that i bought 3 perculas. one died first week. 2nd one engaged in war with third as soon as he took to anemone. Third got sick but recovered in hospital. For unknown reason, ich got most of fish and i lost a flame angel and the second clown. The third is doing very well and took to anemone.
WHAT DID I LEARN?
You can never predict clown behavior. I think it ironic that the bully did not survive but the bullied did.
I should have tested water more frequently. I think I may have had a mini cycle after moving rocks and removing sand.

 

[bhanson]

Maybe the bully was under more stress than the bullied. Who knows, but most diseases break out when the fish are under stress. The clown behavior you had a month or so ago would definately cause some stress. Oh well good luck in the future.