Clown Sexing

[BobbyC]

I've had a couple of tomato clowns for about six months, they are healthy and doing well. I would like to have a breeding pair and I don't know if I can expedite the sexing process. They are about 2" and don't seem to be growing. Does this normally take a while for one fish to become dominant? I'm guessing adding a third fish would only cause problems?

Thanks in advance for the info.
BobbyC

 

[Max]

I'd say that they have already worked out the dominace issues. One of them will start to grow a bit faster than the other that wil be the female. How big were they when you bought them? They should be leaving their juv stage and entering adult hood. What is your tank set up like if it's too small it may be affecting their growth. I'd say that they were both probably juveniles or males when you got them and the change is just taking a little while. Oh and and you guessed right I wouldn't add any more of them unless you want WWIII and to probably loose on or more of the 3.
hth
Chris

 

[JustPhish]

It really kind of depends on the situation when you bought them. If they were kept singly and were sexually mature when you got them, they are probably both females and they can't change back.

If not, they it will just take time and they will sort it out for themselves. I have a pair of tomato clowns which I got when babies. They've been tanked together for probably three months now and while one has grown bigger than the other, they are still fighting and working things out.

HTH