Orange Ocellaris chasing Black Ocellaris

[jnsanders1983]

I have 2 Orange OCC clowns and 2 Black OCC clowns. Black have paired with each other. And Orange have paired with each other. One anemone, but only one black actually shows interest. No fighting over the anemone. Largest Orange chases both Black. It's not continuously to the point that the black ones are stressing. But it has been about a week and it is still going on. Seems like disturbing the orange clown with the net. Even the net floating seems to be a deterrent. But still no a good solution. I use the net to calm things down so the black ones can eat. Orange are aggressive enough feeding is no issue. Any ideas how to calm things down?

 

[Strawman]

What size tank?

 

[J670]

How big is ur tank? U really shouldn't put two pairs together in the same tank. Someone is always going to be more aggressive.

 

[melosu58]

Both same threads merged together.

 

[carey]

Hi welcome to the forum!

I had all four of my clowns, 2 b&w's and 2 oscellaris in my 55g and it was trouble. The female orange one kept attacking the black ones which I think are wimpy cause they are tank bred clowns. LOL

I had to move out the orange fish to my 29g biocube.

I would recommend a move to another tank if available or maybe returning the orange ones. I think the infighting will just get worse. In my situation the orange one had my black ones hiding on the surface near my mag float, looking like they were gonna die.

Good luck!

 

[jnsanders1983]

It's a 75 gallon. 6 feet wide

 

[jnsanders1983]

My black are not tank bred. They a era a good size. They are from Australia.

 

[Smitty]

75 gallon tanks are usually 4 feet wide, unless it is a really skinny tank. IMO 1 pair needs to be taken out. If not, I can see this behavior continuing until one or both of the black clowns die from stress.

 

[jnsanders1983]

My mistake. It about 49" x 19". But the chasing hasn't been relentless. It occasional maybe for a duration of a min. And everyone gets to eat. They have their own place to sleep. No signs of stress like heavy breathing, swimming at the top or bottom, lying down. None of that. I have had them about 2 - 3 weeks.

 

[carey]

Mine were all fine for about 2 months before it got bad. It all started after they were all hosting an elegance coral that I had. Not sure if that had anything to do with it. But it probably won't get better, just worse. Sorry...

 

[jnsanders1983]

I have been told hosting in anything other than anemone is bad for the fish and the coral.

 

[carey]

LOL. tell that to the clownfish. They will host whatever they please, and not always an anenome even if it's available.

Depending on the coral they are hosting they can scrape themselves if their are sharp edges and can kill the coral as well.

It's all a crapshoot with hosting.

 

[jnsanders1983]

Ever tried isolating the bully in the tank with a large net for an attitude adjustment?

 

[J670]

Your probably going to stress it out.

 

[carey]

I don't think "punishing" the fish has any real benefit. lol I took the ortange ones out of the 55g and put them into timeout in an unoccupied 29g and after a week when I put them back in with the black clowns the orange one went straight after one of the black ones.

So no, I don't think pulling them out or giving them time out time works.

 

[jnsanders1983]

Well I isolated him in the tank with a net for five hours and then released him. It calmed him down. And each pair pretty much kept to their own territories. Except at night they all sleep together.

 

[jnsanders1983]

Just some pictures of the tank. Been like this the last few hours.

 

[hackteck]

are those mushrooms in the first picture in the middle? the brown ones great looking tank btw

 

[jnsanders1983]

Yes they are. They actually change color sometimes green sometime brown

 

[hackteck]

how long have you had them you've got a pretty big colony there