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Female Occelaris Killed Platinum Male Clown


PathOfDeception

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PathOfDeception

So my apparently "pair" of clown is no more :(. About 2 months ago I added a platinum clown male(juvenile) with my established occelaris. They liked eachother right away and dominance was set. The little platinum was always following her and twitching in submission and he was always eating.

 

Since then a six line wrasse and a diamond goby were added. All 4 living happily, eating well.

Over the past few weeks the female got aggressive on the male(swims happily by the wrasse)and would nip at him and corner him. Little white clown wasn't so white anymore and was greying out.

 

Yesterday he was at the bottom of the tank and my emerald and blue hermits grabbed him into the rockwork and ate him.

 

Tank is 20 gallon long and territory didn't seem to be an issue, wrasse left him alone. Goby was nowhere near. Water params in check of course.

 

Questions are:

 

-Why did they seem paired up yet she stressed him to his death?

-Did she just stop liking him?

-Can I add another clown to a Clown, sixline and goby tank?

 

Thank you.

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Nathaniel Z

Clowns alone (with even a goby) in a 20g should not be a problem. But I think with the hermits, wrasse, clowns, and goby, fish can get pretty territorial. I think one of the problems was that you added the wrasse and the goby AFTER the clowns. I think at least the Wrasse should have gone in first to set its barriers, then the clowns. Also, if the clown was greying out, than this means there was a lack of food or the clown was sick, and when this happens it is definitely common for fish and especially the hermits to kill the fish. I would point all fingers to the hermits. But I think if you feed them correctly, you should be able to add another. :D Just be aware that hermits are aggressive towards clowns.

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PathOfDeception

Clowns alone (with even a goby) in a 20g should not be a problem. But I think with the hermits, wrasse, clowns, and goby, fish can get pretty territorial. I think one of the problems was that you added the wrasse and the goby AFTER the clowns. I think at least the Wrasse should have gone in first to set its barriers, then the clowns. Also, if the clown was greying out, than this means there was a lack of food or the clown was sick, and when this happens it is definitely common for fish and especially the hermits to kill the fish. I would point all fingers to the hermits. But I think if you feed them correctly, you should be able to add another. :D Just be aware that hermits are aggressive towards clowns.

Well the hermits only finished the job. The real killer is the so called mated female. I added the wrasse later on because I know how these guys can become territorial(mine isn't just yet).

 

He also ate well. Which is why I'm wondering why she would have decided to kill him only in the recent weeks.

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Nathaniel Z

Well the hermits only finished the job. The real killer is the so called mated female. I added the wrasse later on because I know how these guys can become territorial(mine isn't just yet).

 

He also ate well. Which is why I'm wondering why she would have decided to kill him only in the recent weeks.

Im not very sure. That is strange. Maybe try keeping the same species of clown together.

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From what I've read this can be fairly common. I can't tell you how many times my clowns have gone from loving each other one week to tearing each other up the next, and back again. Unfortunately sometimes it ends in a death :(

Also I don't think the other fish are a problem and I think it would be fine to try another clown, just be ready to separate them if things get nasty.

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First off, your goby will eventually get too large for the 20, and your sixline may become very territorial. With your clowns, I think you may just have an overly aggressive female or you just got unlucky. Normally occies/percs don't kill each other.

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