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How to tell if your clownfish have paired up


bonese

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Hey, was wondering if anyone could help me out as my new additions to my tank are 2 black percula's. I've read that there needs to be a larger one and also that is the female, I understand that part. But today I have seen them just swimming constantly by one another rubbing up against each-other sometimes and just swimming basically together. Is this mated pair behavior or just social clowns?

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  • 2 years later...
buddythelion
I just added a new clown today and my the smaller one does look like it has seizures. What does that mean?

Love is in the air.

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While mine were pairing the male twitchy danced for the female. After a few weeks she began to twitch back when he twitched. Thats the how i knew mine were paired. Also she quit being so aggressive towards him at this point.

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To answer your original question - "mated" means they are mating or spawning. So unless your pair is laying some eggs they are a pairing.

 

With new clowns 99.9999% of the time if they are not killing each other they are pairing.

 

Sounds like your pair is pairing up.

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Is it possible for percula/ocellaris to pair?!??

 

I do not believe so, but a clown specialist might know better. I want to say that clowns will only tolerate their own exact species, and even then sometimes they don't.

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They'll pair - I've seen some pretty crazy mixes - last year I kept a maroon / snow pair and they where fine.

 

I've had more trouble pairing some crosses more then others but for most part they will all pair. The only time I've had real problems was when trying to separate a spawning female and pairing her with a new mate.

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You can pair pretty much any clown with some time and persistence. Look at the work Ibluewater has done with diff species pairing.

Edited by Deckoz2302
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I have a Black Occi / Perc. pair. They have been paired for a couple of years. They are not spawning yet but I can always hope.

 

To answer the original question. +1 to whoever said when they stop trying to kill each other it is a good sign they are paired.

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I suppose I need to adjust my advice to people wanting different clown species. It CAN be done, but I can't guarantee the big female maroon won't eviscerate the little male occelaris. Fingers crossed!

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  • 3 weeks later...
I Have a pair of ORA Snowflake (A. ocellaris) instead of the small one twitching the bigger one is twitching????

 

 

that's common, the female twitches and the male better do it back or else she unloads on him. aggression will follow soon. the female can be relentless in her beatings and its not uncommon to find the male floating on the top corner of the tank sideways playing dead. if they get to bad like that get a breeder net and separate them for some time. its either that or a dead fish.

 

i had a 4 year old maroon that refused to take a mate (killed 2 in the process and the 3rd barley survived) and my semi piccasso female at best tolerated (by that i mean she only beat him up when she seen him, she stoped hunting him) the male for four months until he was lost to the overflow.

Edited by mrbigshot
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  • 10 months later...

I need help. Im 12 and have a 8 gal saltwater tank with a snowflake clown and a black and white clown. The snowflake is small and the black and white clown is a lot bigger. I got the snowflake like 2 weeks ago and i got the black and white 2 days ago. Theres no aggression and they stay together a lot. The male twitches when touching the female and they sleep in the same anemone together and i have that pair so if they mate i will have black ice clowns and yeah. So are they paired up?

 

I need help. Im 12 and have a 8 gal saltwater tank with a snowflake clown and a black and white clown. The snowflake is small and the black and white clown is a lot bigger. I got the snowflake like 2 weeks ago and i got the black and white 2 days ago. Theres no aggression and they stay together a lot. The male twitches when touching the female and they sleep in the same anemone together and i have that pair so if they mate i will have black ice clowns and yeah. So are they paired up?

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Your twelve too? Sounds like they are paired up if the larger female isn't killing the male, I would recommend upgrading in the future for both the clowns and their anemone. They should start spawning when the female is around 2.5-3 years old and when the male is 6 months-1 year old (I think). HTH

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When they were in the anemone she started being a bit mean chasing him out but that was at night when she was sleeping but how do they pair in 2 or 3 days

 

And also i thought if i change their tank they wont mate for another year

 

And also i thought if i change their tank they wont mate for another year

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slickwill613
When they were in the anemone she started being a bit mean chasing him out but that was at night when she was sleeping but how do they pair in 2 or 3 daysAnd also i thought if i change their tank they wont mate for another yearAnd also i thought if i change their tank they wont mate for another year

 

He told you to get a larger tank because 2 clowns and a nem in 8 gallons is gonna be CRAMPED! Especially when they get near to full size.

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i know but thats a lot of money plus i have to let it cycle which takes a week. Where am i gonna put anemone and clowns?

 

Oops sorry it takes longer than a week

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slickwill613
i know but thats a lot of money plus i have to let it cycle which takes a week. Where am i gonna put anemone and clowns?Oops sorry it takes longer than a week

 

Keep them where they are until the new home is ready. Or just move everything over, without adding any LR that isn't fully cured, fill the rest of the way with matching SG and temp saltwater. Since your bio load and filtration remain the same it should be fine. You can use the old tank to cure more rock if you wish to add.

As for the money, sometimes that what it takes. I have a really small clown in a bc14, and I know he'll be going if he hits a growth spurt before I upgrade.

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