Questions about pairing Maroon clowns

[Anonymous]

Hey all-

I currently have a 2-inch plus WSM. She hosts in one of three BTAs. I tried a month ago to introduce a smaller GSM, but the newcomer 'disapperead' after being released.

Two days ago I was lucky enough to find another small GSM, about one inch long. I put it in a specimen box, directly in front of the female's BTAs.

During the first day, the female was repeatedly attacking the box. The small guy was showing the submissive behavior: wiggling and turning on its side to show its belly. Yes!

On the second day, the postering continued, although the female was approaching the box less frequently and with less vigor. For both of these days I fed the little guy Selcon soaked Cyclopeeze, just to get him in tip-top shape.

Today I let the little guy out. He tried to go for the BTAs, but the female just chased him away, very aggressively. Now the little GSM is hiding on the other end of the tank (110g) and the female occasionally seeks him out to chase him.

I've dimmed the lights on the side of the tank with the BTAs.

Does this sound like it's going the way it should?
I kind of expected the litte GSM to try harder to stay near the BTAs.

Should I try anything differently?
Maybe catch the female and put her in the refugium for few days to let the little guy get adjusted?

Any opinions, questions or ideas are most welcome.
Thanks!

 

[trido]

When I paired my moron clowns I wasnt nearly as nice as you and simply plopped the second fish into the tank. The fight was on and I saw more fin fly in ten minutes than I didn in near 18 years of FW ciclids. The female was mean and aggresive for a few weeks before she would let the male get near the anenome again. If she isnt trying to kill the little guy I would guess you (they) are on the right track.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Trido.

A few weeks! That's a long time.

This morning it seems like mine have made progress, thanks to some cooperation from one of the BTAs. The BTA has actually moved around a corner, to a place more open to the little guy, so he's taken to it. The female only comes up now and then rom her other BTA to scare the little guy out.

 

[trido]

LOL. My female is still mean and ornery to the little guy. Ive seen the same thing with people. When your only half as big as your buff girlfriend, you"wriggle and kiss cheek" so to speak. Good luck. They are beautiful but, my LTA and "moron clowns" are a PITA in my 120.