Agressive clownfish / fish swap suggestions?

[brad2157]

Bought a Aqua Euro 34g tank a week ago from a guy getting out of the hobby. The factory lid was removed and it is being used as a open top with a Kessil A350 led light. Came with a clownfish (onyx I believe), a green chromis, and a engineer goby, among various corals and a long spine urchin. Both the clown and chromis are approximately 2.5" long. I have two turbo snails and a emerald crab also.

 

The clownfish chases the chromis around the tank a lot. It even snipped at my hand when I rearranged the corals in the tank. There is a large multi-head of frogspawn that the clown loves to get in at night when the lights are off.

 

From what I read online, these are percula type clowns and aren't supposed to be that aggressive. I'm to the point where I'm about ready to get him out and trade him in for store credit at the LFS and find a replacement fish or two. I want to have other fish besides the clown, so if he wants to bully all the other fish I may have in there, then I think he needs to go.

 

Given the 34g tank size, what other fish could I go with that would play well with my chromis and goby, but not harm my corals? Had a six-line wrasse before, but it was very aggressive in my 120g tank I had at the time. Would love a tang or angelfish, but I'm sure I would need a much larger tank to house either one of those. Would like to add something that is colorful and fairly active.

[matt1977]

Bought a Aqua Euro 34g tank a week ago from a guy getting out of the hobby. The factory lid was removed and it is being used as a open top with a Kessil A350 led light. Came with a clownfish (onyx I believe), a green chromis, and a engineer goby, among various corals and a long spine urchin. Both the clown and chromis are approximately 2.5" long. I have two turbo snails and a emerald crab also.

 

The clownfish chases the chromis around the tank a lot. It even snipped at my hand when I rearranged the corals in the tank. There is a large multi-head of frogspawn that the clown loves to get in at night when the lights are off.

 

From what I read online, these are percula type clowns and aren't supposed to be that aggressive. I'm to the point where I'm about ready to get him out and trade him in for store credit at the LFS and find a replacement fish or two. I want to have other fish besides the clown, so if he wants to bully all the other fish I may have in there, then I think he needs to go.

 

Given the 34g tank size, what other fish could I go with that would play well with my chromis and goby, but not harm my corals? Had a six-line wrasse before, but it was very aggressive in my 120g tank I had at the time. Would love a tang or angelfish, but I'm sure I would need a much larger tank to house either one of those. Would like to add something that is colorful and fairly active.

 

 

Hi!

 

I feel you! Clowns can get territorial - especially if they are mature and not hosting a 'spot' ( I say a spot because they can host not only anemone but other corals or even a powerhead). They are a type of Damsel so I've learned Clowns are evil is a small community tank cute little buggers though. There are solutions though to abate the bullying behavior. This may or may not work.. but it worked for me and a few others when I had this issue a few years back.

 

If you have a sump set up - catch the clown and make him live in the sump for a few weeks. Be mindful of equipment down there that could harm it, i.e. skimmer pump etc. As the clown is in the sump, slowly re arrange the rock work in the DT. move something every other day so the final result after a few weeks is a new scape. Give it another week for the other fish to set territories in the tank.. then put the clown back. This method resets the clown's territory claims and it will feel like the new kid in the cube. Lots of work for a 50/50 chance that the clown's bullying stops..

 

Another method is putting small mirrors on the side of the DT or even colour printed images of other clowns... this will make your clown think he isn't the only clown in the tank. It will make him more aggressive towards his reflection or the pictures and will pay less attention to the other fishes in the DT.

 

Regarding other fish that you can add to the tank that are peaceful:

Decor Goby/ Firefish, Coral Beauty( some nip at corals -but if fed very well will leave em alone), Cardinals....

 

Hope this helps..

M