are my clownfish aggressive?

JulieAnnx33 · 04/15/2010, 04:53 PM

I bought 2 clownfish and 1 damsel (blue damsel with a yellow tail), they were the first 3 fish i bought. a few days after put them in, they were perfectly happy and all of a sudden the damsel was dead, it was eating, swimming, and my water chemistry was perfect. then we bought 2 more damsels (4-stripe damsel). a few days later i saw one of the damsels not able to swim, causing it to die. Then the next day i saw the damsel with half of it's tail fin missing, returned home an hour later and the rest of the tail was gone. therefore the damsel die from lack of oxygen intake. now we also had a royal dottyback but it only left the caves we made with the live rocks to eat so i don't believe that fish killed the damsel. but i know something killed the damsels and it wasn't chemistry. can someone help?

What The? · 04/15/2010, 06:15 PM

What typ of clown? I use to have blue devils damsel, and they picked on each other.

JulieAnnx33 · 04/15/2010, 08:32 PM

Ocellaris Clownfish (captive bred), and i don't think it was the other damsels. the last one we had was the one with the missing tailfin which went missing when it was only the 2 clownfish and the royal dottyback.

velvetelvis · 04/15/2010, 08:46 PM

What size tank?

How long has it been set up?

Also, royal or bicolor dottybacks are notoriously aggressive fish. The dottyback is far more likely to be attacking your damsels than the ocellaris, which are very peaceful with other fish species.

JulieAnnx33 · 04/16/2010, 07:55 PM

40 gallons for 4 months now. i guess it might have been the dottyback but it always hides in the live rock.

nikon187 · 04/16/2010, 09:22 PM

All clowns are aggressive when paired. Clownfish are damsels as well which are known to be aggressive and territorial. Your dottyback is also quite aggressive so it is all up in the air who did it without seeing it first hand. My clowns got their own tank after attacking too many fish in my 170g ( occelaris as well)

04/15/2010, 04:53 PM	#1
JulieAnnx33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	are my clownfish aggressive? I bought 2 clownfish and 1 damsel (blue damsel with a yellow tail), they were the first 3 fish i bought. a few days after put them in, they were perfectly happy and all of a sudden the damsel was dead, it was eating, swimming, and my water chemistry was perfect. then we bought 2 more damsels (4-stripe damsel). a few days later i saw one of the damsels not able to swim, causing it to die. Then the next day i saw the damsel with half of it's tail fin missing, returned home an hour later and the rest of the tail was gone. therefore the damsel die from lack of oxygen intake. now we also had a royal dottyback but it only left the caves we made with the live rocks to eat so i don't believe that fish killed the damsel. but i know something killed the damsels and it wasn't chemistry. can someone help?

04/15/2010, 06:15 PM	#2
What The? Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 113	What typ of clown? I use to have blue devils damsel, and they picked on each other. __________________ 29 bio cube and a 130 gallon build Current Tank Info: 29 gallon bio

04/16/2010, 09:22 PM	#6
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	All clowns are aggressive when paired. Clownfish are damsels as well which are known to be aggressive and territorial. Your dottyback is also quite aggressive so it is all up in the air who did it without seeing it first hand. My clowns got their own tank after attacking too many fish in my 170g ( occelaris as well) __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

04/15/2010, 08:32 PM	#3
JulieAnnx33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	Ocellaris Clownfish (captive bred), and i don't think it was the other damsels. the last one we had was the one with the missing tailfin which went missing when it was only the 2 clownfish and the royal dottyback.

04/15/2010, 08:46 PM	#4
velvetelvis Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 1,749	What size tank? How long has it been set up? Also, royal or bicolor dottybacks are notoriously aggressive fish. The dottyback is far more likely to be attacking your damsels than the ocellaris, which are very peaceful with other fish species.

04/16/2010, 07:55 PM	#5
JulieAnnx33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	40 gallons for 4 months now. i guess it might have been the dottyback but it always hides in the live rock.