HELP!!!!!!!!

[Coral Hind]

so I just added a foxface fish and a tiny clarkii about 1.2inches today. I have a clarkii in there that is about 2.5inches and its chasing the little new guy everywhere non stop, but I took the net and managed to scoot the little clarkii behind some rocks. Eventually, I want the bigger clarkii to mate with the little clarkii. I also put in a bubble tip anemone in the other day he's about 3inches in diameter I fed it 1in. piece of raw shrimp split in half, I don't know if the anemone ate it or if the clownfish pushed it out. How often should I feed the bta?

 

The piece of shrimp should be smaller since it is a small BTA. I would do nothing larger then 1/2", once a week.

 

The clowns chasing each other is normal as they establish dominance. As long as it is simple chasing and it doesn't end in locked jaws or severe fin tearing you are fine. If the fighting is severe then you may have two females. The last clown you added is of a size where it could have changed already into a female.

[Gilbert]

I read somewhere a few weeks ago that clowns can change their sex whenever?

 

 

[Jon Lazar]

I read somewhere a few weeks ago that clowns can change their sex whenever?

Read some more Seriously though, a Google search will net you tons of articles on clownfish sexes. Clownfish can change from juvenile to male and from male to female, but they can't go "backwards" once they make a change. So, if you get two females you're stuck and they'll never change to male.

[Gilbert]

so how would I know if I have two females? How long does it take to find know if they will mate of not?

[Coral Hind]

Here is something I had posted on another board as well as on WAMAS awhile ago. This should answer some questions for you.

I think it is wise to understand the maturing, pairing process and submissive behaviors of clowns to prevent or properly identify a bad situation. Below is probably more information then what most need but here it is anyways.

Sex changes
1. Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites. They are hatched as sexually immature fish. Based on signals from their environment and being physically mature after 12-24 months they will either remain sexually immature, change into a male or change into a male then female. This is a one way trip, sexless to male never to be sexless again and male to female never to be male again.

2. A clownfish kept by its self will become a female in a short period of time if it is physically mature, in as little as a month.

3. Two female clowns will fight. The tell tale sign that you have two females is fighting ending in the two locking their mouths together. We are not talking about the normal love bites and taps here.

Pairing techniques
There are a couple of proven techniques to pair same species of clownfish.

1. Grow out technique:
With this technique two small juvenile clownfish are purchased at the same time and introduced into the tank at the same time. The fish will establish a dominate submissive relationship as they mature and eventually form a pair bond. This technique works the vast majority of the time.

Notes: Since the fish are going to fight and/or chase each other to establish who is the dominate fish and who is the submissive fish, it will often speed the pairing process and reduce fighting and potential damage to the fish by getting one of the two juveniles larger than the other. The smaller will quickly give up to the larger one. This technique should not be applied to Premnas species (maroon) clownfish as they are aggressive and will still fight.

2. Add a new clownfish to an existing clownfish technique:
With having an existing clownfish in your tank adding a new clownfish to form a pair can be a little harder or in other words more dangerous to the new fish. The technique is basically the same as the grow out technique. You will want to find a small juvenile clownfish and add it to the tank with the existing fish. By getting a small juvenile fish you are not risking possible sex compatibility problems, i.e. two females.

Example: Existing A. Ocellaris clownfish that has been in the tank by it's self for over a year. We can assume this fish is a female based on size, age and environment. A 3/4" to 1-1/2" juvenile from a community tank is added to the tank. The vast majority of the time the new fish will submit to the existing fish with little or no fighting at all. This technique should not be applied to Premnas species (maroon) clownfish as they are aggressive and will still fight.

3. Pairing Premnas species clownfish (maroon clownfish):
Pairing maroon clowns is much more problematic than pairing Amphiprion species clownfish. Maroons are notorious for being very aggressive towards other clownfish. They are pretty much fearless and will only back down from an all out fight when presented with the overwhelming threat of death.

Separation Technique:
The only technique I am aware of that works the vast majority of the time with the least amount of damage as possible is to use a separation and slow acclimation process to introduce a potential mate to a maroon clownfish.

First you need to have a large female already established in your tank before trying a pairing. The clownfish should be at least 3" from nose to start of the cardinal fin. Next you will need to do a little preparation before buying a potential mate for your maroon. You need something to securely separate the two fish in the same tank while still allowing the fish to see each other and the new fish to get water flow. You can use a clear plastic specimen container with holes drilled in it for example.

Now go to the LFS and find the smallest juvenile maroon from a community tank that you can find. It should be no larger than 1" from nose to start of cardinal fin. Acclimate the new maroon just as you would any other fish. Once the new maroon is acclimated to your tanks water, place the new maroon in the specimen container. Let the two fish see each other, place the specimen container near the females territory. Carefully watch the female's behavior. If she is trying to attack the new fish through the container, it is not safe to release the new maroon. Give her time to cool off from the disruption to her tank and addition of a foreign clownfish in her tank.

Now that the female has cooled her temper it is time to try an introduction. Get your favorite fish net ready and release the new maroon to the tank. If the fighting gets too bad you will need to rescue the new maroon and place it back in the container and try the next day. If after three failed attempts you can write off the new maroon as incompatible and you will need a new juvenile to try with.

Understanding submissive behavior in clownfish:
As a part of pairing you need to know what submissive behavior is. You will know that you are well on your way to a successful pairing when one fish submits to the other fish. This is especially important behavior to observe in maroon clownfish.

Amphiprion and Premnas species submissive behavior goes something like this. First the dominate fish will rush or otherwise attack the submissive fish. The submissive fish will turn sideways to the dominate fish and tilt its belly towards the dominate fish and quiver like an epileptic seizure. The female should recognize this behavior and stop the attack short of actual damage. Sometimes in new pairings and old well established pair bonds the dominant fish will move to a parallel position to the submissive and quiver back to the submissive fish.

In Maroon clowns there is an additional submissive behavior that is unique to maroons. When the submissive fish is rushed or otherwise attacked it/he will duck the attack, slip to the side of the female and tenderly kiss her cheek spines and pectoral fins of his beloved female.

Signs that you have a pair bond in your clownfish:
There are a couple of signs that a pair bond has formed and is maturing in your clownfish in addition to submissive behavior. Typically mated pairs (pairs that have a pair bond) will sleep in the same area. They will also host in the same host or stay in the same territory if there is no natural host present. The two fish will stay close to each other the vast majority of the time.

The pair bond is a developing thing. It starts out as a general acceptance of each other. Then slowly develops into a closer relationship were both fish are together most of the time. There is a bickering phase too where the female will make sure the male knows who is the boss. During this time it is not uncommon to find the poor little dejected male cowering near their normal host/territory. But don't worry this is normal and the male will be accepted back sooner or later. The ultimate end of the pair bond is seen in a spawning event such as nest cleaning or laying of eggs.

Some information taken from "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson. This is a great little book if you are thinking of raising clownfish.

[Gilbert]

so i have a bta about 3 1/2 in in diameter. When they poop, are they fully suppose to digest their food? I gave my bta a piece of squid yesterday morning and this morning there was like a piece of undigested squid with white stuff all around it, I'm assuming this is anemone poop?

[Coral Hind]

No, they do not always digest all of it. When I feed calamari it sometimes will come out as a white ball, sometimes it will come out as a tan stringy substance. My clowns normally eat the leftovers. If you have shrimp they will also clean up the remains.

[Gilbert]

So I'm located in alexandria, does anyone know a LPS that has a great selection of saltwater creatures at a real good price. Today I plan on getting another anemone and so far "Roozen's Nursery Inc." located in Ft. Washington, MD has been my favorite place to pick up fish and invertabrates. What I would rather do is attend one of these wamas meetings where everybody is trading stuff from their tanks instead of constantly paying LPS prices for things, its a cheaper route for me as I am a college student so money is an issue.

 

 

[Coral Hind]

You mean LFS (local fish store)?

 

The only reef store I know of in Alex is Pristine Aquariums on S. Pickett St.

 

http://pristineaquariums.com/new/storehour.html

[Gilbert]

lol yeah that's what I meant, (LFS). I've been to Pristine's, I'm not a big fan. They have more freshwater fish than salt. Their bta's run around $60 and at Roozen's its like $38. Its a bit pricey at Pristine's.

 

 

[Coral Hind]

You will have to drive farther out of town then to find something else. Have you been to some of the other WAMAS sponsors like Blue Ribbon Koi, Fins and Feathers, Marine Scene, or Petland in Fairfax?

Edited April 16, 2010 by Coral Hind

[WaterDog]

lol yeah that's what I meant, (LFS). I've been to Pristine's, I'm not a big fan. They have more freshwater fish than salt. Their bta's run around $60 and at Roozen's its like $38. Its a bit pricey at Pristine's.

Marine Scene and Petland are both good stores, their staff is knowledgable and they have a pretty large selection.

[Gilbert]

Thanks a lot waterdog, I'm going to check them out soon, maybe this Sunday! okay so heres the deal, I'm trying pair up my clarkiis I have one clarkii that's about 3inches, and the recent clarkii I bought last week is about 1 1/4 inch. bought the bigger clown from Superpetz in Annandale and the smaller one from Roozen's. They seem really different almost as if the smaller one was from the wild or something. the first time i put my bta in the tank, my 3in. clownfish didn't know what to do with it. then when i bought the smaller clownfish, it went straight to the bta and started making it it's home, thats until the bigger clown became all terriorial and figured out what its suppose to do with the bta, then it kept chasing away the smaller clown viciously, but the past two days, the chasing has ceased but the big one doesn't seem to want to mate so its been hiding, and the little guy is around the bta now. does this mean i have two females? or maybe they just need more time getting used to each other.

[Coral Hind]

If you had two females you would see more fighting. Pair bonds take some time to establish and a little chasing is normal.

[Gilbert]

David did you get my pm?

 

 

[Coral Hind]

Yes, I replied to it at 4:40.

[Gilbert]

I recently added another Rose Bubble Tip Anemone which I've really been happy about, and I pick up my first stony coral both seem to be doing very well in my tank. So updating on the situation with my clowns, the bigger clown stays in/around the BTA and the little one hides and doesn't even come out, I haven't seen it in a while. I don't see the little clown during my feedings either, is this a sign of a female and it starving itself?

 

(ps. Thank you David for the hook up!)

Edited April 18, 2010 by Gilbert

[firerbta]

Join wamas I got a rbta for 40$ from another member who fragged them...wamas always has stuff buying and selling...I got a green one for 30 and It colored up to a bright flo green. both anemones are hiding at the momment... anyway best money spent is the wamas membership... oh and one more thing you what are you studying in college? I was a conservation major... anyway never had a clarkii hope they stop messing with each other... clarkiis normally go for like 10-25 dollars on the forum

[Coral Hind]

is this a sign of a female and it starving itself?

 

Use a turkey baster and try to blow some food back behind the rock if you know where it is hiding. It could be that the large female has the smaller one so scared it will not come out to eat. If you don't see it after a couple of days you may want to go looking for it before it dies. The odds are good you have two females and one may need to removed.

[Gilbert]

okay so i tried that idea, lets hope the little guy/girl ate the food i put back there.

 

 

[gmubeach]

My advice is to join wamas (a member on the for sale forum has baby clarkiis for sale.... you could sell your clarki to someone looking to get a baby one as a female or trade it... ppl will take the bigger clarkii for a littler one and it would be a good way to get gentic diveristy!

[Gilbert]

anyone have a mated pair of true percula clownfish for sale?

[fry_school101]

anyone have a mated pair of true percula clownfish for sale?

 

Someone replied to another query that they had some for sale on the 12th. . . Whether they still are or not I don't know. You'll have to check the WTB/For Sale section. All for sale and WTB posts have to go in that forum.

[Gilbert]

So I was very happy to have bought a pulsing xenia not too long ago, it was really big and beautiful when I bought it and it was very active. The xenia has seem to shrunk a little bit and it's not as active, how long does it take to acclimate it? or is there something wrong? also I bought some green star polyps and I haven't seen it come out of its purple body. any idea?

Edited April 24, 2010 by Gilbert

[gmubeach]

Its either a good problem or a bad

 

if your water is too clean it won't do well

HOWEVER its more likly something is wrong

they need good lighting to pulse faster

they need good flow

anyway the star polps sometimes take a little while to come out...