Pairing Maroon clowns

[wombat1]

OK, call me stupid, but I'm trying to pair two maroon clowns and one is beating up the other. At my LFS they were selling maroon clown pairs for $60, but they were just holding small maroons in 10 gal tanks for a few days to acclimate and then introducing a huge (like 3''?) maroon to the same tank. These all seemed to get along well, hang around each other with no fighting, etc. I guess the new one is too big to drive off, and the little one is somehow tolerated.
So I figured, I can do that myself and save a lot of money. I had a small (maybe 1 to 1.5 ")maroon for two weeks, with nothing else in my tank (30 gal). I then put in a much bigger (maybe 2")maroon, which within ten minutes of getting in the tank chased the smaller one around and ripped some of his fins off. So I put the smaller one in a guppy breeder to isolate him. The bigger one hung out around the cage all the time and tried to scare him off. This went on for about a week when the top of the cage somehow came off and the little one got out. I came home and expected to find a dead fish, but instead they're almost on top of each other in the corner, getting along fine! Now, another week later, they definitely aren't buddy-buddy, but once in a while the smaller one comes within 1 or 2 inches of the bigger one before he(she?) half heartedly chases him away. The little guy's fins are definitely growing back also, so he's not getting bit. The bigger one is much more tolerant of the little one now, but is still not letting him get too close. So my question-finally-is: Is this normal pre-pairing behavior, or will I just have a beaten up or dead clown in a few months.

 

[dizzy]

Your over the hump.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

Maroons are very aggressive with each other. :lol:

I tried 3 times befor I finally got a pair! What worked for me was same as you did-use two fish of extreme size differance. Mine were a 2 1/2" and a 3/4". It took a full two weeks before the big one fully accepted the little guy. One thing I think is vital in pairing maroons is to make sure there is a lot of cover/hiding places available or you may very well lose the smaller fish, especially the first day when aggression is serious.

My little guy, Wiggle, got the 'Fear of She' scared into him the first day, and he went into hiding in the rockwork behind Viscious One's anemone. I noticed that he wasn't petrified of her, though, 'cause he would inch closer and closer until she would go after him again. In the mornings I would find Wiggle in a clump of xenia right next to the anemone, and, he would always try to appease VO until she was fully awake and chased him off. After 3 days VO no longer tried to chase Wiggle out of the tank and they often swam side by side, but, she would not let him into her anemone. That took a couple weeks, but, even now Viscious One is still very bossy and particular about what Wiggle can and can not do.

 

[EmilyB]

I recall a story about someone who kept the smaller maroon in the sump for a few months. OOOOh those pheremones...(fair-u-moans....or whatever)

The pair went together in an instant. Not a bad story for the viscious maroon.

 

[Anonymous]

the problem is usually not enough of a size difference. make sure the larger clown is at least double the smaller,and the smaller should be no bigger than 1-1.5"(to ensure it's being a male).if the size is too close, you'll get a fight, and it won't always get resolved.putting the smaller(male) in first will prob'ly help, too.

imho, buying a 'mated' pair from an lfs can sometimes result in the bond getting 'broken' after netting, bagging,and on the way home- keeping the pair together the entire time,and in visual contact,may help, though i think the odds are actually better with two seperately obtained individuals.

fwiw-i've set up quite a few customers, as well as myself, with maroon pairs, always using big 4"+ females,and tiny-1"ers and all succeeded in pairing- usually within 24 hrs.(males always went in first)

 

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to toss my .02 in and agree with what's been said so far. My wife had a 1.5" maroon in her 29 and when we combined tanks a year or so ago I decided to try and mate him up with my 6" maroon. I had a big clear plastic jar (miracle whip or something from sam's club) that I drilled holes in (call it the 'shark cage'). Acclimate the small clown to the tank, put him in the shark cage, float the shark cage in the main tank for a few days and watch 'Superclown' beat herself against the clear plastic every now and then, until she gets the idea that the smaller clown is invulnerable. Released the smaller clown, and while they weren't friendly immediately, they didn't attack each other either. Wait three or four months, and voila, eggs on the back glass of the tank!


-John

 

[Fishdreamr]

I have a small maroon in a 75g. I have been wanting to pair it w/ another maroon. I have had my maroon in this tank w/ several other fishes, including a skunk clown who was in the tank first. After months of bullying by the skunk, things have settled a bit, and they each have their own anemone w/ out too much commotion, finally... (I've had the skunk in the tank for a year and 3 mos, and the maroon since Nov., about 8 1/2 mos).

So, my questions are these: 1) if I were to attempt a pairing by adding a larger maroon to the tank, would I need to remove the skunk clown for sure to avoid an all out bloody battle, and 2) will the maroons have less likely of a chance to pair up if there are several other fishes in the tank, or does it not make a difference?

Any advice and experience is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[K77]

OK, call me stupid, but I'm trying to pair two maroon clowns and one is beating up the other. At my LFS they were selling maroon clown pairs for $60, but they were just holding small maroons in 10 gal tanks for a few days to acclimate and then introducing a huge (like back also, so he's not getting bit. The bigger one is much more tolerant of the little one now, but is still not letting him get too close. So my question-finally-is: Is this normal pre-pairing behavior, or will I just have a beaten up or dead clown in a few months.

wombat, trust me if one of them isn't dead yet then they have paired already! She'll beat him up for the rest of his life probably, but he's still alive, so he'll do as a mate.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

"She'll beat him up for the rest of his life probably, but he's still alive, so he'll do as a mate. "

:lol: They do tend to have that kind of relationship, don't they!

Fishdreamer, I don't think you need to worry too much about the other fish in the tank, including the skunk clown. However, do expect more overall aggression from the maroon for a while after adding the other maroon. I keep a pair of Oscellaris clowns in a 55 g with a pair of maroons, and, when I paired up each species, the big maroon made a nosy bit@+ of herself for a couple weeks. No serious encounters and no injuries, but, it was a very stressfull time for everyone.

I paired my Oscies after pairing the maroons and like Sharkky suggested, I also floated baby boy Oscie in a clear tank inside the main tank for a week. This does help to reduce aggression, but, it will not eliminate it. The maroon still tried to go for the new Oscie but fortunately for him, my big female Oscie accepted him right away and protected him from the maroon's attempts at mayhem :wink: .