Attack Of The Clown!

[Filmoholic]

Ok I have had a pair of ocellaris clowns in my 75gallon reef for 7 months and they are usally very happy. Today I get home from work and its feeding day. I go to put my hand in the tank and the male clown litteraly attacks my hand! now I have all the typical reef fish tangs,wrasse,blenny,chromiseect... My Male clown will not let me even put my finger in the tank. My clam had fallen in the sand bed and I had to set him back up. I now have little red clown bite marks all over my wrist! I had no idea they could bite that hard(there a pretty large ocellaris)Anyways Does anybody have any clue on why my male clown would turn on me? The female dosent care I'm in there.I have only seen this in a fish when they are protecting something. Any help would rock! Thanks.

 

[Lynden]

Setting up a territory perhaps?

 

[SkiFletch]

Setting up a territory perhaps?

Agreed, sounds like territorial/nesting behavior to me. how old are the pair?

 

[Filmoholic]

I'm not positive on there age.I have had them for 7months.They both came from the ocean.I'd have to say they are much larger than the typical Ocellaris bought in a lfs.The behavior is very unusual for this pair of clowns as they are normally peaceful.The male wants me dead! I once was scuba diving and one singe trigger ran off our whole group of divers.We were told that it was protecting eggs. That is almost the same behavior my clown has. Thanks.

 

[robbhp]

its funny to think that they will go through all this to protect there eggs, and once they have hatched the will eat them if they hag around for to long LOL.

also sound like they have some fry to me aswell

 

[SkiFletch]

I once was scuba diving and one singe trigger ran off our whole group of divers.

Same thing happened to my uncle. Anyways, male clownfish exhibit this behavior both before, during, and after spawning. Have you noticed either male or female clownfish cleaning an area of rocks with their mouths?

 

[Filmoholic]

Lol. Those triggers are no joke in the wild! And I didn't notice until tonight but one of the clowns is absolutly cleaning a area of rock. Seems tho the clown is even keeping other fish away from this area.I'd say it is safe to say you guys nailed this one! What are my options? Other than them being eatin.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[SkiFletch]

Options for what the fry? Depends on where they lay the eggs, but most likely they'll just end up as a nutritious snack

 

[orange shark]

have clownfish fry ever been reared?

 

[STD]

have clownfish fry ever been reared?

Yup

My clowns we get are bred in captivity

They need to be fed on rotifers

 

[QuotheRaven]

That story reminds me of the footage of a Shell dweller attacking a Kayman Alligator when it swam near it's shell

Good luck with the clowns

 

[Filmoholic]

What if I was able to put the rock into a breeding basket? has anybody here tried this before? how complicated is the process to get them to hatch and could I just acclimate the rock with the eggs into a spare tank(by itself) or do the clowns need too attend? This is probably way complicated but I've always wanted to try it and it just so happends I might get to. Plus my lfs will buy them. Thanks again!

I'm trying too find some websights on this info.I will post up some sights for those that are also curious.

 

[STD]

What if I was able to put the rock into a breeding basket? has anybody here tried this before? how complicated is the process to get them to hatch and could I just acclimate the rock with the eggs into a spare tank(by itself) or do the clowns need too attend? This is probably way complicated but I've always wanted to try it and it just so happends I might get to. Plus my lfs will buy them. Thanks again!

I'm trying too find some websights on this info.I will post up some sights for those that are also curious.

The main problem with breeding clowns is raising the fry

have a look at http/www.reefpark.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=22005

 

[AK77]

Hmm, if you like.. you can have a nice biting blue damsel to go with it?

 

[Filmoholic]

Hmm, if you like.. you can have a nice biting blue damsel to go with it?

yeah right nobody would give one of those up! lol.


STD, Thanks for that it was very helpful. I have everything including the extra tank except for the food to feed them wich i will order today.Hardest part will be getting the rock out that they are going to lay the eggs on due to the crowded reef.

Will anything eat the eggs or will they be ok until they hatch? I plan to remove the rock the eggs are on the day they are laid into a spare tank wich i will empty water from the tank the rock came from. so water will be exact.

thanks everyone.