Clownfish injured

[DaJMasta]

I've got two ocellaris clowns that have been living in my tank for 4-5 months now. About a month ago they started hosting in my haddoni anemone, first one then the other, but in the last week or two only one has been staying in it at night. They were both purchased from the same LFS at the same time and I suspect they are siblings, as there were several in the tank that seemed to be getting along, but neither has become female so they aren't a pair.

 

I've noticed some aggression between the two (shaking their bodies when the other is close as well as going for each other with mouths open) but I figured it was a struggle for dominance that was normal... but today I noticed a decent amount of injury on their faces and mouths, as it's completely white. I'm wondering if this is still in the realm of normal and what I can do to stop it. Could this be feeding related and more food reduce it some? Is the damage enough that they should be quarantined and treated? The tank isn't exactly easy to divide in half and I get the impression that if I remove one clown to put it in a temporary tank, it will have lost the dominance war and will be picked on when it's reintroduced.

 

For now I'll try some extra food and keeping a close watch, but I am a bit worried. Here's the so-so pic I managed to grab of one of the two, clearly showing the white injury on its face.

 

[Lawnman]

Well I am not a expert when it comes to fish. LPS and BTA's are my thing. I had 3 clowns and 2 of them started picking on the 3rd one. The 3rd clown developed white on it's face like yours that eventually spread over the whole face. It still ate like a pig but one day it just vanished.

[DaJMasta]

For a while it continued the same way, but I came home today and found both fish really fighting hard. The white areas on their face has increased and you can see a little split in their lower jaw - it looks to me almost like bone is showing, and there is more areas on the sides of their face, near their mouth.

 

It seems like they are fighting over residence in the anemone, as that's where all the conflict seems to happen - only occasionally do they even bother each other when in other parts of the tank.

 

Anyways, I've got them separated by netting the one that typically lives in the center of the nem (the other fish seems to be less dominant, and tends to live under one of its folds. I'll probably end up moving it to the refugium, but I will give it some thought first. Neither fish is showing interest in fighting the other when they are physically separated like this.

 

I had broken up fights in the past by feeding them, but this time even food in the water didn't stop it. I had to use a chopstick (normal aquarium tool for me) to break it up, and they still made some passes at the chopstick and tried to get around it to fight each other.

 

 

[DaJMasta]

In case anyone was wondering, after a little more than a week split up, both fish looked well enough that I figured I would reintroduce them to each other in the display. They seem to be getting along now, significantly better than before, and have been for a couple of days. The time one of them spent away from then nem didn't seem to affect it being able to host in it.

 

Good news!

[Fsarmien]

glad to hear your clownfish are better

[Deleted User 3]

I might try this, i have the same thing going on, and the less dominant of the clowns has like half his mouth torn off basically, and he's breathing super fast =\ poor guy. Thing is I never see them go at it, they are always by each other. I moved them to the big tank ( they were in QT for ich) so maybe it'll get better, but I don't know if he will make it

[Rollermonkey]

I had to use a chopstick (normal aquarium tool for me) to break it up, and they still made some passes at the chopstick and tried to get around it to fight each other.

 

I use chopsticks in my tank ALL the time!

 

Glad I'm not the only one who sees them as an aquarium tool.