Maroon and Golds now Fighting

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Peedub20

AC Members
Aug 13, 2006
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I have had a pair of maroon and gold clowns in my 26 bowfront for probably 3 months. I just switched them to a 40 gallon.

They had no problems what so ever in the 26 bowfront after about the first week. Now that they are in the 40 they are both beaten up pretty good.

It looks like after watching the tank for about an hour that they are beating on each other. none of the others even pay attention to them so I know its not anyone else in th tank.

It looks like the smaller of the two (assuming male) just runs from the other now. The bigger (assumed female) seems to be seeking him out to pick on.

What in the world is going on? Do they need to be seperated now? Will they get over this?
 
They will eventually kill one or the other....separation is the only way to save them
 
i agree with the above, but temporary fixes could include shutting the lights off for a while, trapping the bully and releasing later.. trapping the victim until you can set up a new tank...
 
It depends - how old are they?

I have two maroon clowns. They were both about the same size when I bought them (maybe 1 1/2"). In the quarantine tank one was the aggressor. When I put them in the reef tank, all was quiet for a couple months, then one started growing noticeably larger - the female. She constantly picked on the smaller one to the point that I thought he wasn't going to make it. He was terrified of her, and usually hid in the rocks. Then she stopped picking on him, and now they are inseparable. :clap:

If they are young enough, and one is male and one is female, there is a chance they will become compatible. In the old tank they probably had their own established territories and kept to themselves. Now that they've been relocated, they don't have their territories any more and are probably trying to establish them. You may want to arrange your rockwork so there is a bit of a divide, and give each a place to hide. If they can't see each other, they may not pick on each other. If the tank is too "open," there won't be any clear territories to establish.

If they are too old, then I agree, they may continue to fight till one is gone.
 
I may have mistyped.

It has only been a little over a day since they've been transferred.

I appreciate the help. But, how would they go from not bothering each other at all in a smaller tank to one wanting to kill the other?

Is it possible the female wants to establish dominancy again?

I talked to my LFS tonight, if there is serious agression still going tomorrow than I plan on taking the bully back to their store.
 
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