Did my clowns get a divorce?

yort265 · 03/19/2013, 07:52 PM

So, I bought a couple of percs at a LFS and put in QT for 2 months. (they're my avatar pic) Moved them to DT after it cycled and they've been happy & together the whole time. Until today. I floated 5 bags to temp acclimate some new arrivals, but only 2 shrimp went into DT, the other 3 bags were 3 fish, which went to QT. The shrimp have been in hiding since going into the tank, so they're not bothering the clowns, but I noticed earlier this morning when I was floating the bags they were picking at each other. The bags were from LiveAquaria & they were blacked out, so it wasn't like they could see what was in them. haha

To me, it looked like more than just playing around... Now (and most of the day) they're in complete opposite corners of the tank. Since this is my first pair of clowns and my first SW fish, period, I just wanna make sure that this is normal behavior. I just want them to kiss and make up!

shifty51008 · 03/19/2013, 07:59 PM

It is normal. They are just deciding who will become the female of the 2

gsiegel · 03/19/2013, 08:28 PM

Mine did the same thing at first. Just getting the lay of the land.

Ostara · 03/19/2013, 09:44 PM

Agreed, they are just figuring out who is dominant. I just wanted to add that the fish in your avatar are ocellaris, not percula.

Windirmere · 03/19/2013, 10:04 PM

how do you tell ocellaris from perc? and are false percs just ocellaris or a totally different type?

shifty51008 · 03/19/2013, 10:09 PM

The eyes are 1 of the easiest ways to know. An occ will usually have all black eyes and percs will be mostly orange with a black pupil. And a false perc is an occ.

Ostara · 03/19/2013, 10:48 PM

Shifty nailed it. "False percula" is just a misnomer that really shouldn't be used anymore. One isn't mimicking the other or anything, they're just similar species.

Aside from the eyes there are a few other things to look for. Perculas also have brighter, more even coloration than ocellaris. The color of ocellaris clowns often looks dull or muted in comparison to a percula. Perculas also have uniform coloration; ocellaris often display a sort of gradient coloration, with darker color on the top that lightens towards their bellies. And of course, ocellaris have thin black lines that look like they have been penciled on while perculas have thicker lines around their bars that are often a little smudged like charcoal.

yort265 · 03/19/2013, 10:52 PM

thanks for the responses guys! one seems to be chasing/harassing the other pretty often, but they seem healthy and don't really seem to be stressed.

and thanks for the clarification! glad to know I have ocellaris clowns for sure!

Coddigtion · 03/19/2013, 11:31 PM

I had two do this very thing for a couple of weeks in a 500 gallon cube, very normal!

Rognin · 03/20/2013, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yort265

thanks for the responses guys! one seems to be chasing/harassing the other pretty often, but they seem healthy and don't really seem to be stressed.

and thanks for the clarification! glad to know I have ocellaris clowns for sure!

If the one that gets pick on most starts doing an eplileptic siezure, you have yourself a couple. =P

When it happens you'll have this warm fuzzy feeling. Look it up on youtube!

03/19/2013, 07:52 PM	#1
yort265 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: East Texas Posts: 143	Did my clowns get a divorce? So, I bought a couple of percs at a LFS and put in QT for 2 months. (they're my avatar pic) Moved them to DT after it cycled and they've been happy & together the whole time. Until today. I floated 5 bags to temp acclimate some new arrivals, but only 2 shrimp went into DT, the other 3 bags were 3 fish, which went to QT. The shrimp have been in hiding since going into the tank, so they're not bothering the clowns, but I noticed earlier this morning when I was floating the bags they were picking at each other. The bags were from LiveAquaria & they were blacked out, so it wasn't like they could see what was in them. haha To me, it looked like more than just playing around... Now (and most of the day) they're in complete opposite corners of the tank. Since this is my first pair of clowns and my first SW fish, period, I just wanna make sure that this is normal behavior. I just want them to kiss and make up!

03/19/2013, 07:59 PM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	It is normal. They are just deciding who will become the female of the 2 __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/19/2013, 10:09 PM	#6
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	The eyes are 1 of the easiest ways to know. An occ will usually have all black eyes and percs will be mostly orange with a black pupil. And a false perc is an occ. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/19/2013, 11:31 PM	#9
Coddigtion Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sin City Posts: 55	I had two do this very thing for a couple of weeks in a 500 gallon cube, very normal! __________________ -- Run what you brung. Current Tank Info: Building a 180 Gallon

03/19/2013, 08:28 PM	#3
gsiegel Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 922	Mine did the same thing at first. Just getting the lay of the land.

03/19/2013, 09:44 PM	#4
Ostara Keep Calm and Reef On Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: California Posts: 302	Agreed, they are just figuring out who is dominant. I just wanted to add that the fish in your avatar are ocellaris, not percula.

03/19/2013, 10:04 PM	#5
Windirmere Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Courteny BC Canada Posts: 452	how do you tell ocellaris from perc? and are false percs just ocellaris or a totally different type?

03/19/2013, 10:48 PM	#7
Ostara Keep Calm and Reef On Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: California Posts: 302	Shifty nailed it. "False percula" is just a misnomer that really shouldn't be used anymore. One isn't mimicking the other or anything, they're just similar species. Aside from the eyes there are a few other things to look for. Perculas also have brighter, more even coloration than ocellaris. The color of ocellaris clowns often looks dull or muted in comparison to a percula. Perculas also have uniform coloration; ocellaris often display a sort of gradient coloration, with darker color on the top that lightens towards their bellies. And of course, ocellaris have thin black lines that look like they have been penciled on while perculas have thicker lines around their bars that are often a little smudged like charcoal.

03/19/2013, 10:52 PM	#8
yort265 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: East Texas Posts: 143	thanks for the responses guys! one seems to be chasing/harassing the other pretty often, but they seem healthy and don't really seem to be stressed. and thanks for the clarification! glad to know I have ocellaris clowns for sure!