help! bullying maroon clownfish.

**vt_snowman87** · 04-30-2007, 9:57 AM

hi all,
just gotten 2 maroon clownfish into my new marine aquarium, they look stunning and i simply love them.

but the filter is too strong, they keep trying to swim against the current, dun worry i'll fix that..

problem is, they came in separate big packets, but when i put them into my tank, one of them chase and tried to bite the other smaller one. is it normal??

nemo2

nemo2 (the smaller and more shy one)

nemo1 (the bigger one)

**spinx** · 04-30-2007, 11:27 AM

Id say one per aquarium is your best bet (depending on aquarium size), they are the most aggresive clown species. This harrasment should dissapear after a few days, thats if the smaller one agrees to live in its larger tankmates' shaddow or if you dont see the smaller one.

**5xevy** · 04-30-2007, 11:47 AM

Yeah maroons can get aggressive and it's usually recommended to have just one at a time. You may just want to wait it out or temporarily (or permanently down the road) remove one of them if you think it's life-threatening aggression.

**WeeNe858** · 04-30-2007, 11:53 AM

the maroons can only be kept in a pair if they were purchased as a pair... if you throw two together then they will fight...

**Germanman** · 04-30-2007, 12:07 PM

usually they will fight for a bit and then settle together but as others have said, they are one of the most aggressive clowns. they look to be similar in size which is a disadvantage for you, when one is larger it will take dominance but when they are similar in size they may fight to death. make sure that they are just pushing and poking, of it goes to biting and tearing u must get rid of one.

**vt_snowman87** · 04-30-2007, 9:10 PM

i got to them this morning, and the smaller one has fin and tail bitten by the other one! it now has a hole in his tail..

currently the other one is in 'prison' in a breeding net.

**Germanman** · 04-30-2007, 9:14 PM

yup sounds like they wont get along....worth a try usually but not when they start ripping at each other. sometimes it will still stop but usually not.

**txaggies07** · 04-30-2007, 11:08 PM

If you get rid of one but still want a second one...keep the one for a few months and when he gets noticeably bigger, buy a second one that is smaller. This is suppose to work as it will be clear who is the dominant one. That one will turn female and the smaller one will turn male.

This should work. I will be trying it eventually. I have the first clown already. The second one is coming in Septemberish.

**vt_snowman87** · 05-01-2007, 10:24 AM

such a waste, the deep red is stunning.. how about the more docile one with another couple of oceanalis clowns? or small tomatos? would it be fine?

**Germanman** · 05-01-2007, 12:21 PM

the maroon wont bond with other clowns but the majority of clowns will get along with each other if in the same species, so like to percs, or to osc clowns.