Killer Clownfish! What to Do?

[njphin]

I use to have a 20 gallon tank and got 2 Ocellaris Clownfish as my first fish. Any fish I tried to add after that my Clownfish would harass to death. They killed a total of 3 fish that way in the 20 gallon. I now upgraded to an 80 gallon tank and added my Clownfish and then 4 Chromis. The Clownfish now harassed 2 of the Chromis to death by chasing and nipping at them. I'm getting ready to add some expensive fish now but I'm nervous as to the Clownfish harassing the new fish that I get to death. What can I do?

[mellowyellow]

Take them back to you lfs. I had two clowns last year and couldn't believe how agressive they were. After talking to people in the know I found out they were maroon clowns. Possibly that's what you have. Are their white stripes thin as compared to the wider stripes you see on clown fish. If they are thin they're maroon clowns and the harrassment won't stop.

[njphin]

They have wide white stripes. Examining them more they do have some light tint of black on them, so they could actually be True Perculas which liveaquaria has as semi-aggressive. I have had them for a year so I am attached to them but I can't risk them killing more expensive fish that I will add to the tank. I have to call around some lfs and see if they will take them as the lfs I bought them from has closed down.

[mr_X]

clown fish are related to damsels. in a small tank it's very easy to see aggression from them.

[melosu58]

Also maybe get rid of just one so they cant gang up on the other fish.

[FLFishFanatic]

I have a large, killer tomato clown, so I know where you're coming from. His agressive attitude reduced greatly when we put him in a 150 gallon tank with other aggresive fish of similar or greater size.

[mellowyellow]

I think you'll find someone who will take them. Also, perhaps if you separated them. Leaving only one in the tank when you add the new fish or even better, QT both of them while your new fish acclimate to your tank. A week or two. Then reintroduce them to the new fish and keep a sharp eye on them.

[Jimbo7]

Mine attacks my hand every single time i put it in. Mean little bugger.

[njphin]

I don't really have room to setup a QT tank. Plus my wife will kill me if she saw another fish tank in the house.lol Although I might be able to get away with a 10 gallon QT. Would that be big enough for the clowns and how sure is everyone that when I put these clowns back in they won't go after the new fish? My other option Im thinking of is giving these guys away and then adding to new clowns at the end of stocking my tank. Would that solve my problem?

[harmy4993]

You may want to get a 10 gallon t ank. Put the clowns in it. Rearrange the tank( rock work) add new fish then add the clowns back in. This will change the territory andpossibly the territory behaviour of the clowns. Will be like a new home to them.

[jeffmor]

I had a simialr problem. I started with 4 chromis then added 2 clowns in my 100g. The female is aggressive and picked on the chromis till none were left. I added a blue tang and they get along fine. The female clown will attack my hand when i put seaweed though. The tang is bigger than her so I dont know if that made a difference. I havent added any more fish yet though.

[austinsdad]

I'd get rid of both clowns and add a new pair later. Do it now before you get all the rock you might want to add to your new 80g.

[cmor1701d]

I wouold try the QT first (for the clowns). Post a pic sowe can identify which clown you have. Some (maroons in particular) seem to be more aggresive than others. But after a week of being out fo the tank it will all be new to them. They will have to establish a territory instead of claiming the whole tank as their territory.

If they get agressive again, then exchange them at the lfs, or find them a new home and get a new pair.

[mellowyellow]

Jeffmor: I have 4 chromis and then added two clowns and they're getting along wonderfully. They all swim together. I guess fish are like people with varying personalities.

[austinsdad]

Charlotte, the dif may be that the clowns were added. The ones we're talking about were the first ones in the tank and therefore very territorial - even after moved from the smaller tank. I think they developed that mean territorial way in the smaller tank and carried it with them into the 80g tank.

I'd still vote to get rid of both and buy new ones later.

[Silent Night]

lol, have they hosted an anemone? something similar to this happended to me in an old 40 gal...

YouTube - Feeding the Anemone - attack of the killer clownfish

they may look cute...

[njphin]

I think it was because they where the first ones in the 20 gallon tank and harassed to death 3 new fish one by one in that one. I added them to the 80 which had new and old rock and they claimed the two chromis. I have decided to bring them back to a lfs thats willing to take them tomorrow. No store credit but at least its the humane way to get rid of them as I can't trust them anymore.

[harmy4993]

Did the clown feed the other fish to the anenome?

[mellowyellow]

Ray: I agree one hundred percent.