Clown fish bites!

jmorgret · 06/22/2006, 06:19 PM

So I was trying to free my diamond goby (again) because his sand hill back filled into his house and stuck him in there. As I had my hand in the tank, my clown deceided it looked pretty good and tries to take a bite. After about three tries, he obviously liked it, now anytime I get my hand near the tank he goes for it, even if I hold it above the water, he will swim right below it at the surface. Anyone else have a clown do this? Is this typical clown behavior?

ant276 · 06/22/2006, 06:24 PM

Yes, very often. I have a female and she is quite territorial. She hits me every time I put my hand in the tank. She really doesn't like it when I clean the sides of the tank. It's the oddest sensation. I can swear she's gonna hurt herself one day.

Tony

AquaReeferMan · 06/22/2006, 06:31 PM

I had a wild Fire Clown that would bite me all the time. One time I went to pull my magna-float out and he shot out of the water and landed on the floor. I was nice and placed him back into the tank. All in all I got rid of him.

stupac21 · 06/22/2006, 07:00 PM

mine is also a biter

Bradco · 06/22/2006, 07:06 PM

So is mine she is very protective of the anenome and thinks I am either going to remove it or hurt it so she bites anything that gets near it

AngeloM3 · 06/22/2006, 07:11 PM

i think all clownfish do this......... not sure if they are protective or just very curious

s2svetko · 06/23/2006, 04:10 AM

my percs do 2

sinder255248 · 06/23/2006, 07:34 AM

My percs don't but my yellow tailed damsel certainly does, everytime I stick my hand in there I can see it waying it up... If I could get hold of the sucker he'd be out by now.

delor · 06/23/2006, 07:37 AM

I had a pair of cinnamon clowns. When smaller, the female would only protect her anemone. Then as she got bigger, she would attack me anytime I was on that side of the tank. Then she started attacking me anytime I was working in the tank at all... After she took a small chunk of skin out of me, I decided it was time to trade 'em in... She was getting a bit agressive towards the other tank mates too.

Teremei · 06/23/2006, 07:45 AM

Mine hasn't bit yet. but she's still growing.

Fizz71 · 06/23/2006, 09:08 AM

Clowns are damsels..what do you expect?

Wait until you have a mated pair...mine get VIOLENT if they are protecting an area for their eggs...and not just to me. Mine didn't seem to get nippy until they established a territory..first it was a leather, now it's an anemone..go near it and pay!

Anywhere else in the tank they don't bother..just stay away from home...and oddly enough..it's my male that does most of the nipping for me.

--Fizz

noschmo · 06/23/2006, 09:23 AM

the fish does not like you is my opinion.

Fizz71 · 06/23/2006, 09:28 AM

If I saw a big hand come through my living room window I'd bite it too! ...Having a Monty Python moment right now.

--Fizz

delor · 06/23/2006, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fizz71
If I saw a big hand come through my living room window I'd bite it too! ...Having a Monty Python moment right now.

--Fizz

Teremei · 06/23/2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fizz71
If I saw a big hand come through my living room window I'd bite it too! ...Having a Monty Python moment right now.

--Fizz

Need some screaming sound effects with that. But just to argue a bit. The clowns and fish in your tank know you as their keeper, and their feeder. They do not fear you, they know you take care of them. It would be a little different than if all of a sudden a monster hand came inside our window.

4MB · 06/23/2006, 11:56 AM

I had an issue an issue with one of my male clowns doing this. The female has never minded my hand in there. They started fighting a few weeks ago pretty bad and I put my hand in there and cupped around the male and the glass so she couldnt get to him. Hasn't done it since and now when my hand is in there it kind of brushes against it. The female still doens't bother it.

With my juveniles I make it a point to put my hands in the tank so they get use to it.

ihavfishues · 06/26/2006, 08:40 AM

My clown nips at my fingers whenever I put their food in... I don't think he's protective, I just think he's HUNGRY!!! Whenever we walk up and look into the tank the clown and our dottyback almost do flips and swim in cirlces cuz they want to be fed! LOL

Silly fishus... little pigs with fins!

Sheol · 06/26/2006, 08:55 AM

My female ocellaris does this. Its just their teritorial instincts kicking it ( gotta protect the anemone, etc.) I don't take it personally, but I keep an eye out for the little
Everything is sweetness at breakfast time, though.

Sincerely,
Matthew

06/22/2006, 06:19 PM	#1
jmorgret Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 319	Clown fish bites! So I was trying to free my diamond goby (again) because his sand hill back filled into his house and stuck him in there. As I had my hand in the tank, my clown deceided it looked pretty good and tries to take a bite. After about three tries, he obviously liked it, now anytime I get my hand near the tank he goes for it, even if I hold it above the water, he will swim right below it at the surface. Anyone else have a clown do this? Is this typical clown behavior?

06/22/2006, 06:24 PM	#2
ant276 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Delray Beach, florida Posts: 116	Yes, very often. I have a female and she is quite territorial. She hits me every time I put my hand in the tank. She really doesn't like it when I clean the sides of the tank. It's the oddest sensation. I can swear she's gonna hurt herself one day. Tony __________________ Ahhh should the water gush out of the tank like that?!! No seriously get a mop! Current Tank Info: 1 75 gallon, 30 gal sump; 4 48" T5, 2 48" VHO; Contains 2 clarkii, 2 pajama cardinals, 1 fanged blenny, 1 foxface, gbta, button polyps

06/22/2006, 06:31 PM	#3
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I had a wild Fire Clown that would bite me all the time. One time I went to pull my magna-float out and he shot out of the water and landed on the floor. I was nice and placed him back into the tank. All in all I got rid of him. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

06/22/2006, 07:06 PM	#5
Bradco Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: West Haven, Connecticut Posts: 145	So is mine she is very protective of the anenome and thinks I am either going to remove it or hurt it so she bites anything that gets near it __________________ MCSE,MCP,MCP+I CCA,CCEA Current Tank Info: 125g 160lbs Live sand 150lbs LR 1 Purple Tang, 1 Scopas Tang 1 Foxface 1 striped Damsel 1 Powder Blue 1 Fire Angel 1 Blonde Naso 1 Striped Puffer pom pom Xenia green mushroom rock.CB Shrimp, 2 Brittle Stars, 1 Sand sifting Star, Serpent Star

06/22/2006, 07:11 PM	#6
AngeloM3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,016	i think all clownfish do this......... not sure if they are protective or just very curious __________________ "I'm sick of chasing my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where their going and catch up with them later." -Mitch Hedberg R.I.P

06/22/2006, 07:00 PM	#4
stupac21 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Veteran, NY Posts: 292	mine is also a biter

06/23/2006, 04:10 AM	#7
s2svetko Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 157	my percs do 2

06/23/2006, 07:34 AM	#8
sinder255248 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 77	My percs don't but my yellow tailed damsel certainly does, everytime I stick my hand in there I can see it waying it up... If I could get hold of the sucker he'd be out by now. __________________ 72g Bowfront, 2 x 150w 10k MH and 110w Actinic, Berlin XL Skimmer, 40kg LR, DSB, 2 x Maxi-Jet 900 and 1 x Seio 620, Fluval 300 canister.

06/23/2006, 07:37 AM	#9
delor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,124	I had a pair of cinnamon clowns. When smaller, the female would only protect her anemone. Then as she got bigger, she would attack me anytime I was on that side of the tank. Then she started attacking me anytime I was working in the tank at all... After she took a small chunk of skin out of me, I decided it was time to trade 'em in... She was getting a bit agressive towards the other tank mates too. __________________ Surviving is different than thriving! Current Tank Info: Current: 90 gal RR reef tank, LED. Old:55gal RR, 440W VHO, 80# LR, LS, 20gal sump, SCWD. 5 gallon nano, 75 gal FOWLR

06/23/2006, 07:45 AM	#10
Teremei Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Chicago (one hour west) Posts: 2,751	Mine hasn't bit yet. but she's still growing.

06/23/2006, 09:08 AM	#11
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	Clowns are damsels..what do you expect? Wait until you have a mated pair...mine get VIOLENT if they are protecting an area for their eggs...and not just to me. Mine didn't seem to get nippy until they established a territory..first it was a leather, now it's an anemone..go near it and pay! Anywhere else in the tank they don't bother..just stay away from home...and oddly enough..it's my male that does most of the nipping for me. --Fizz __________________ --Fizz Current Tank Info: Current system is 8x2x2 240g peninsula setup with a single "chamber" 100g sump in the basement with an RDSB. All corals are 100% home grown from frags of fellow reefers (low natural reef impact).

06/23/2006, 09:23 AM	#12
noschmo Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern Ca. Posts: 564	the fish does not like you is my opinion.

06/23/2006, 09:28 AM	#13
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	If I saw a big hand come through my living room window I'd bite it too! ...Having a Monty Python moment right now. --Fizz __________________ --Fizz Current Tank Info: Current system is 8x2x2 240g peninsula setup with a single "chamber" 100g sump in the basement with an RDSB. All corals are 100% home grown from frags of fellow reefers (low natural reef impact).

06/23/2006, 11:56 AM	#16
4MB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 98	I had an issue an issue with one of my male clowns doing this. The female has never minded my hand in there. They started fighting a few weeks ago pretty bad and I put my hand in there and cupped around the male and the glass so she couldnt get to him. Hasn't done it since and now when my hand is in there it kind of brushes against it. The female still doens't bother it. With my juveniles I make it a point to put my hands in the tank so they get use to it.

06/26/2006, 08:40 AM	#17
ihavfishues Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Houston, AR Posts: 143	My clown nips at my fingers whenever I put their food in... I don't think he's protective, I just think he's HUNGRY!!! Whenever we walk up and look into the tank the clown and our dottyback almost do flips and swim in cirlces cuz they want to be fed! LOL Silly fishus... little pigs with fins! __________________ Gina Current Tank Info: 29 gal salt - live rock/sand, 1 true percula, purple dottyback... in the process of building refugium/sump combo... 2 -10 gal freshwater with gouramis, platys...3- 1 gal with male bettas. 1 2-gal hex w/male betta

06/26/2006, 08:55 AM	#18
Sheol Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Waxahachie, Tx. Posts: 3,610	My female ocellaris does this. Its just their teritorial instincts kicking it ( gotta protect the anemone, etc.) I don't take it personally, but I keep an eye out for the little Everything is sweetness at breakfast time, though. Sincerely, Matthew