Pairing Ocellaris Clownfish - Need Advice

[meagle]

Hi all, I am hoping for a bit of advice regarding my Ocellaris Clownfish.

 

I started my 28g Nano Cube with a single clownfish. Soon after I added a second. The first (Clown A) is about an inch and a half long while the second (Clown B) is a good bit smaller - maybe coming in around an inch. The two have never particularly gotten along together. Clown A seems generally disinterested in being around Clown B and often chases it around the tank aggressively. This went on for a few months and no progress was made toward the two pairing or even getting along.

 

I began to feel bad for the little guy who was usually shunned to a corner in the back of the tank so I decided to get a third clown (Clown C), thinking that whichever one of his mates he got along with I would keep and the other I would hopefully sell to one of you fine folks.

 

It has been a few weeks now and I have seen some strange behavior and would like your opinion on which to keep and which to get rid of.

 

Clown C is smaller than Clown A, the aggressive one but larger than Clown B, the submissive one. While Clown C is nowhere near as aggressive to the little guy as Clown A is, he does still regularly chase Clown B away/around the tank. However, recently I have noticed Clown C twitching around the little Clown B and form what I have read that is a sign of submissiveness and/or an interest in mating usually performed by the male of the species (am I right on that?). Also from what I have read, males are typically smaller in size and more submissive than their female counterparts which seems odd given Clown C is larger and occasionally aggressive toward Clown B.

 

To make things even more complicated, I have also witnessed Clown C twitching around the larger Clown A - although to a much more limited extent. As I paid more attention, I have only seen this twice.

 

Clowns A and C seem to spend more time together now - leaving Clown B on its own for most of the day. However, Clown C does seem to like and twitch quite a bit at the little Clown B. Clown B is usually frightened or wary of any interaction when this happens.

 

With all that said, which two do I keep? Does the new Clown C seem like a male, twitching at both the dominant Clown A as well as the smaller submissive Clown B who are both likely female?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. If I have omitted anything of importance, let me know and I will try to fill in the gaps.

 

Thanks!

[YHSublime]

Generally it's the male that does the twitching, and the bigger one is usually the female (not the one that does the twitching dance.) I wouldn't have added Clown C, Keep the big one, and one of the smaller ones (the males) and let two of them work it out. JMO, I'm sure you'll hear from someone else with way more experience soon.

[surf&turf]

Generally it's the male that does the twitching, and the bigger one is usually the female (not the one that does the twitching dance.) I wouldn't have added Clown C, Keep the big one, and one of the smaller ones (the males) and let two of them work it out. JMO, I'm sure you'll hear from someone else with way more experience soon.

 

+1 usually the way it works.

[monkiboy]

i would keep the largest and smallest.

 

these things require time and luck. just because one of them is shunned to a corner does not indicate defeat. a lot of times this can occur for months while dominance and sex is determined. twitching is a sign of submission but not the end all, be all.

 

i have a pair of clowns with a male twitching on occasion. here's a video to illustrate the behavior.

 

[meagle]

Generally it's the male that does the twitching, and the bigger one is usually the female (not the one that does the twitching dance.) I wouldn't have added Clown C, Keep the big one, and one of the smaller ones (the males) and let two of them work it out. JMO, I'm sure you'll hear from someone else with way more experience soon.

 

Thanks for your input YHSublime. Makes sense. I will keep the big one and one of the smaller ones.

 

 

i would keep the largest and smallest.

 

these things require time and luck. just because one of them is shunned to a corner does not indicate defeat. a lot of times this can occur for months while dominance and sex is determined. twitching is a sign of submission but not the end all, be all.

 

i have a pair of clowns with a male twitching on occasion. here's a video to illustrate the behavior.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPwa58F6ll0

 

Thanks for your reply monkiboy. Your video is great. That is exactly what I been seeing my newest middle-sized clown do. I believe I will keep him and sell the other small one. Seems as though out of the two small ones I should keep the one who is twitching toward the others and gets along best with the larger female.

 

Thanks again for the help.