My clown fish is biting me!

[bizzybeas]

I am sure just like you I need to do at least an hour of algae scraping a week in my reef tank. Just today, my percula clown started biting my hand! At first it was funny, but towards the end I could not even put in my hand without him attacking it! Has this happened to anyone else? How am I going to clean my tank? :?

 

[e-cat]

iv been bitten but not by my clowns when i had them, they only seemed interested in seeing if i had food for tehm, try and algae scraped with along handle or a magnet.

 

[MACATUA]

It's all fun and games until someone loses a hand.

 

[bizzybeas]

I do have a long handle but my canopy is so high that my hand still has to go in!

 

[e-cat]

arm length rubber gloves, its good not too have your hands in the water any ways.

 

[loganj]

My little clown does the same thing. He isn't as big as a button, but he attacks my hand like he means to kill me. It's pretty funny...might not be so funny with a larger clown though. Protecting his territory I guess.

 

[PrettyFishies]

lol...sorry, but killer clowns? I have to tell julius (my true perc) about this one...

 

[bizzybeas]

I know it really is ridiculous!!!! I will get some rubber gloves though!

 

[steve-s]

When I had mated cinnamon clowns it was one of the reasons I purchased a long handled scraper. The female (4") actually bit hard enough to break the skin. She used to pick up anything that was placed near the anemone and drop it on the other side of the tank as well... 8O

Cheers
Steve

 

[wseaton]

Does your clown have a host anemone? This usually makes them very territorial and aggresive.

I've otherwise never seen too many aquarium based marine fish be really aggresive towards hands and fingers. I've had fresh water African Chiclids that *would* visciously attack anything placed in the tank, including golf balls, tongs, and prying hands.

 

[frazin]

My last percula was like that but he was only about an inch in length.... it was so cute... I nicknamed him Killer after that.... now I ahve a new problem about fish bitting... try a purcupine puffer.... that is about 3 inches in length... my gf won't even feed him anymore after he bit me a few times....

Jc

 

[bizzybeas]

No, he does not have a host anemone, but only attacks me on "his" side of the tank. I have had lots of aggressive fish before (puffer, clown trigger, etc) I have NEVER had this happen. I have a killer percula!

 

[possum]

My maroon clown does the same thing. And he bites hard enough that it actually hurts eomtimes. Ill really have to be careful once he is full grown! 8O 8O

 

[cj10488]

My clowns have been biting me lately.. what I have found that helps is to feed them directly on the opposite side of the tank than what you are working in.. It was kinda Cute when it first started happening but after a while it started to get a bit painful.. I dont know if they were just pulling hairs in my arm or what but there has been a few times that felt like they had some pretty sharp teeth..

James