Jump to content
Innovative Marine Aquariums

Clownfish, any tips?


ClownFishies

Recommended Posts

ClownFishies

Hello!,

I have just set up my first saltwater tank. Everything was perfect; ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrates were great! My salinity is 1.026, which is borderline. I had to be a little careful when acclimating my two clown fishes. I did both the float method and drip method, just in case. I did a slow drip method, about 1-2 drops each second since my salinity could shock them.

 

My clown fishes were fighting the whole time while doing the process of a drip method for about an hour. I have already got them into the tank. Everything looks good, however my pump may be a little too high. I can't adjust it and its at 240gph. My clownfish are pretty small. Maybe about an inch long. They have been nipping at eachother since I got them from the pet store. Which I expected since they are fighting for dominance. I would hate for one to kill the other though. Any tips??

Link to comment

Ok cool, that's appropriate for clowns. You may have to separate them. There's  a difference between fighting for who gets to be female and a battle to the death. If neither of them are doing the submission dance then it's probably best to separate them. If it looks like they're gonna kill one another, then they probably are.

Here's a thread bout this topic
 

Searching works wonders btw

Link to comment
ClownFishies

Thanks. Sorry, I'm still new to this website. Only one is nipping at the other. The other one just swims away and avoids. Is that okay? Or should I just remove one?

Link to comment
RIP Sebastian
23 minutes ago, ClownFishies said:

Thanks. Sorry, I'm still new to this website. Only one is nipping at the other. The other one just swims away and avoids. Is that okay? Or should I just remove one?

Clowns are hermaphrodites. They'll squabble to determine who will be the dominant one. That one will become the female.

Link to comment

Watch the one getting picked on to make sure it doesn't get too bad. If it gets too bad you may have to separate them. Watch for it to start dancing (shaking motion) which means it is submitting and the violence should stop. It will be the male and stay smaller. In the future, make sure one of the clowns you get is a little bigger. Many times that will insure the decision is quick and easy. My latest pair of clowns instantly started acting like a bonded pair by doing that. They are rarely more than two inches from each other and sleep touching each other.

Link to comment
ClownFishies

Thank you! I've been watching them for about an hour and a half now. They look like they are struggling against the current of the pump. I know its good for them to fight the current, but I guess I worry too much. They do swim at each and every corner of the tank. I've been watching for that dance, however I don't know how it exactly looks. I'm hoping they become bonded soon.

Link to comment

I wouldn't worry about the current at all. 240gph is not enough for a 20 gallon if it's the only powerhead/ source of water movement in the tank. So if anything, you need more in my opinion.
 



The clownfish that looks like it's having a seizure is doing the submission dance. 

Link to comment
ClownFishies
14 minutes ago, yungKitten said:

I wouldn't worry about the current at all. 240gph is not enough for a 20 gallon if it's the only powerhead/ source of water movement in the tank. So if anything, you need more in my opinion.
 



The clownfish that looks like it's having a seizure is doing the submission dance. 

Thank you. So far the pump and filter are the only movement in my tank. My fishes look like they've stopped fighting. The one that would nibble the other now just swims beside it and doesn't seem to be attacking it like before. Hopefully they'll be best friends in the morning.

Link to comment

Nice, I hope it all works out.

 

If they do continue to be extremely aggressive toward one another separate them with a breeder net. Then see if you can exchange one of them for a larger one if you're dead set on having a pair.

Happy reefing!

Link to comment
ClownFishies
1 hour ago, RCReef said:

Also, what type of clowns do you have? Some are much easier to get to pair up than others.

ocellaris. So far, dones't seem like they are fighting anymore. They seem to be just swimming around at the top of the tank and infront of the pump.

Link to comment
8 hours ago, ClownFishies said:

ocellaris. So far, dones't seem like they are fighting anymore. They seem to be just swimming around at the top of the tank and infront of the pump.

You should be fine with them. Sounds like it's starting to work out.

Link to comment

The water movement is not an issue. If anything 240gph is low especially for corals.

 

I've had in my 15g at 1 time

 

Hydor 420

Sicce 530

Filter 100 gph. 

 

Fish were fine.

 

Just keep an eye on the clowns, even when paired they will sometimes bicker. 

If one is continuously charging at the other and slamming it, thats an issue.

Link to comment
ClownFishies

HOPING SOMEONE SEES MY COMMENT!

 

Just did my very first water change like 5 minutes ago, I bought premixed salt water from petco since I didn't have another bucket to take out water and another bucket to pore in RO water. I decided to do a 5 gallon water change since literally there is nothing else in the tank but live rock, live sand and two clownfish. I had seen many videos and even bought a pump to take out the water from the tank.

 

However, as I was putting the premixed saltwater inside, my tank got extremely cloudy. I was worried my fish would breathe in the sand and suffocate. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY WOULD BUT I GET WORRIED. So right now I have my two fishies in baggies inside the tank. WHAT DO I DO?! Before the water change all levels were perfect.

ALSO WHEN I SAY CLOUDY I MEAN THE SAND.

Link to comment
ClownFishies

Thanks. Whenever i watched water changing videos none of their sand beds acted up. So i panicked. Will it always do that?

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...