Clowns are fighting

[Crumb]

I bought 2 juvinile clowns for my tank. The person at the LFS I bought them from said becuase the clowns are so young, they don't actually have a sex yet. She said if I were to get one a bit larger than the other that one would become male and the other female. She also said that during this time, while they grew into their sexes, they would fight a bit. But, mine are nipping at each other so much that the smaller one is getting a beat up tail fin. The small ones black line also seem to be lighter then the black on the bigger one.

 

Is this all normal?

[TheCoralReef731]

lot's of clowns don't work with each other. Try to switch the aggressive one for another if you can. It's all chance.

 

As for the black line, IDN.

[bladze]

yes it is normal. One will kill the other if they are not paired. Simple as that.

[reef n ale]

Crumb, your post doesn't say when you got them. How long have you had them and how long has the fighting been going on? Do you have any way to separate them for a bit?

 

Rob

[Crumb]

I have had them for about 2 weeks. They have been fighting since they've been in the tank... But, it's not constant. It's just every so often the large one will dart at the other one and the other one will have to dodge him/her. They aren't locking jaws or anything like that.

[TheCoralReef731]

both of the clownfish are males right now. In order to breed, the dominant one will switch to a female and the rest will stay male. If the female dies, than another takes its place.

 

They probably just don't work together. Like I said before, with clowns its always chance if they will cooperater or not.

[mheiden]

I had some like tht once too. I couldn't stand watching the fighting and took them both back! I just bought one perc and called it a day......no need for two....get something else like a small goby or other small fish.....