Ken wrote:We have had 2 false clowns for about 2.5 months, the entire time that we had them, we also had a carpet anemone; but the clowns totally ignored it, instead choosing to school with our 5 chromis.
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Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone has seen this behaviour in their own clowns and what it means. Is this just because they have bonded with the anemone and this is how they will act from now on, or does anyone think that maybe they are getting ready to mate?
Not really. Depends how old they are. You say "false clowns" -- you mean False Percula? Most young clowns will school in groups up to 10 or even 12 fish. Then they mature, and it's all about mating, but that requires fish of your own species. So, good-bye Chromis. Could very well be yours are at this age. This sounds like it could be the beginning of the mating rituals. Soon, they may fight among themselves to determine who gets to be the female, but if they've been in the tank for 2-1/2 months already, dominance already may have been established.
About the fighting: Clowns look cute and cuddly, but they are nasty little creatures. They won't bother the dragonettes, but they will chase away other fish and may even kill any snails or hermits that come too close. I've actually seen my female pluck Nassarius snails out of the sand by their siphons, and once I had to rescue a 2-1/2 inch zebra turbo snail that they somehow managed to flip off an overhanging rock. Nope, there's no Disney movie in that tank of yours.
Keep an eye on the little devils. If they get really nasty, you may have to intervene and put up a screen to protect the others. It will get better, once they figure it out. Give it a few weeks.
