clownfish behavior

[jason7504]

well i got 2 false percs from the store..they weren't listed as a mated pair but they were swimming together alot at the lfs and had been for a while and since i got them last friday, they also have been swimming mostly together but one(i think its the bigger one) does kind of swim fast and try to nip the other one and then retreats. they dont actually fight and have torn fins( at least not yet)..is that normal for a pair? or will they start fighting?

also is it also normal for them to get more aggressive or active once the light shuts off or turns on? becuase last night when i turned the light off, they kind of freaked out and swam everywhere and the one started charging the other one and wrestling but it stopped shortly after

also the smaller clown will sometimes swim quickly along the glass back and fourth several times and then stop for a little and then do it again..is that normal? lol

[CA2OR]

I do believe it is normal. My clowns when first introduced to each other did the same thing. Ever since then they are side by side. Occasionally my female, the bigger one I believe to be female, seems to kick the other one out of the anemone every once in a while but in a day or so they are side byside in there again. Everything I am reading that you are experiencing seems normal in my opinion.

[jason7504]

mine were in the same tank at seahorse for awhile i think though..ok well normal is good :D

what do you feed yours?

[CA2OR]

2 different kinds of flake neither or which do I know the name of off hand. I can post that when I get home. I also feed artic pods, frozen mysis, and they steal squid and krill chucks from time to time from their anemone.

[jason7504]

well i have been feeding mine frozen mysis..thats all i have atm

so yours also freak out when you turn the light off and on?

[CA2OR]

They used to. Not so much anymore they are used to the lighting schedual now.

[Barelycuda]

How long ago did you get them? If they are still juvenilles and one is a little larger they are establishing dominance and essentially figuring out who will eventually become the female. Unless there is extreme fighting I would not worry about it too much.

Dave

[jason7504]

i just got them last friday..i dont know if there juvenilles or not..but one is a little bigger

[Barelycuda]

How big are they?

Dave

[jason7504]

one is about 2-2 1/2 in. and the other a little shorter

[Barelycuda]

Are they misbarred?

[jason7504]

misbarred?

[Barelycuda]

Are all three stripes even on both sides or are there some irregularities?

Dave

[CA2OR]

Link to misbarred clownfish images
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=291833

[Barelycuda]

Do you have a digital camera you can take a quick pic with? I'd like to see them.

Dave

[Exodus]

Yeah I would Say its normal, I believe the Female gets defensive of the anemone and will ward off the male sometimes, at least I have the same behavior happening too.

[dsoz]

If you got them at seahorse, they are probably Dave's (Barleycuda) clowns. He raised them from eggs.

As to behavior. Clowns are dumb. They do all sorts of dumb things. I call mine the Labrador Retrievers of the sea (act just like a big dumb lab). That is why a lot of people like them.

wait until the little one will "lay down" and "shake" it is really funny to watch.

dsoz

[jason7504]

If you got them at seahorse, they are probably Dave's (Barleycuda) clowns. He raised them from eggs.

As to behavior. Clowns are dumb. They do all sorts of dumb things. I call mine the Labrador Retrievers of the sea (act just like a big dumb lab). That is why a lot of people like them.

wait until the little one will "lay down" and "shake" it is really funny to watch.

dsoz

oh really? there daves..thats interesting :)

but they aren't misbars

[jason7504]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/hottielover14/oneclownfish.jpg

[callen]

The behavior your seeing is normal. It's the female showing who is boss and sounds like they may be getting ready to spawn.

We had a matting pair (now Matt Wittenrich has them) and what you have described is what they would do a few days before spawning.

[Barelycuda]

If these pair did come from the clownhouse they are not old enough to be spawning yet but most likely are establishing dominance during the pairing process. This is completely normal.

I have Matt Wettenrich's book and would really like to meet him some day. I now have 6 different species of clowns spawning and would like to discuss some ideas with him.

Dave

[callen]

How big are these clowns?

Matt is an awesome guy and wrote a great book. Please feel free to PM me with questions. I talk to Matt often as he has our two clowns and our male Mandarin that he has had great success in spawning. Sorry off topic.

[jason7504]

there about 2-2 1/2 in long

[Barelycuda]

Thanks,

When I met Rob a little while back he said that the clowns Matt has were yours :) I told him that you were welcome to come see the clownhouse if you wanted. I have heard the possibility that Matt may come to portland and if he does I would like to meet him.

Sorry Jason for straying away from the topic...


Dave

[jason7504]

its ok Dave :)

[Barelycuda]

What part of Vancouver do you live in Jason?

[jason7504]

fisher's landing..east side..you?

[Barelycuda]

Just north of Vancouver Ford by the mall.

[callen]

Dave I'm curious to your comment on spawning age? Ours spawned at that size 2-2 1/2 in, but not sure on age.

Thanks Dave...I would love to. And yes we are trying to narrow down some dates for Matt's visit. :cool:

[jason7504]

Just north of Vancouver Ford by the mall.

cool :) how long have you been reefing?

[Barelycuda]

The reason I said that is the fish are probably around a year old. Up to recently they were housed with multiple juvenilles from the same batch so I would say they have not had the time to mature into a full breeding couple yet. I have seen pairs of this size also but they had been paired together for some time before.

[callen]

Understand and thanks for the explanation.

[jason7504]

can clownfish get more aggressive all of a sudden? because i have been watching my clowns and it seems like the bigger one is getting a little more aggressive and is charging at the smaller clown more and stuff

[dsoz]

Normal.... That is asserting dominance. The little one should "roll over" and "shake" to show submissive. That is how they avoid real battle. The male always gives in.

dsoz