Aggressive / Bully Clownfish

[bravotango]

I've had a couple of clownfish in a Fluval EVO 13. since October 1st (about 1.5 months). They were both tiny when they first came home - about 1/2 to 3/4". Since the first day in the tank, the slightly larger Clown has been bullying the smaller one. Now, the slightly larger Clown is noticeably larger than the other - i'd say 20% larger.

The bullying behavior is mostly chasing and harassing the other smaller Clown. Over the last two weeks, the behavior has escalated to the larger Clown actively trying to prevent the smaller from getting access to food while feeding. I interpret this as the larger Clown trying to starve the smaller one.

 

There are no other fish in this tank. It's just the two clowns.
They are fed once per day.
The smaller Clown doesn't engage in any fighting. Instead, it swims away and occasionally will turn to face the other Clown and then swim away.

 

Questions:
Is this behavior with escalating aggression over 1.5 months considered normal pairing behavior?
If yes to the above, how long should I expect this behavior to last?
If no to the above, do we simply have an "a-hole" clown that needs to find a new home?

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[less than bread]

Overall this sounds like normal behavior for clowns, fascinating creatures they are. The larger is actually turning into the female and asserting her dominance over the smaller male. Is it so bad that the male isn't getting any food at all or is the female just making it difficult for him?

[Jakesaw]

I don't know about adding same breed of fish as in 2 clowns, but I was having a dog of a time adding a 2nd fish ( different fish type )  to my 10 gallon after Clown lived alone in tank for 9 months.  Lost 4 before changing my approach

Kept losing fish b/c Clown owned the entire tank.  I ended up removing the Clown, re-arranging the rocks, from one large scape with cave to stacking a few on top of one another and creating 2 taller islands with room to swim through.  3 days in and the 2 fish ( talbot damsel + Clown ) are getting along nicely.  Each has their own territory to retreat to when feeling threatened, but they swim together in the tank too. 

 

The theory is when you shuffle up the scape - that neither fish has any territory and they work it out.  

 

So far so good

[Crys]

Hi   The behavior you are describing is normal.  However after 3 years of peaceful co-existence the female in my tank killed the male.  I rearrange the rock but it didn't help. Clowns are damsels too so they are both mean enough to push each other around but adding anything else usually results in the gentle fish's demise. I got rid of my female and now have much more interesting fish.  My clowns bit me a couple of times.