victoly Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Having some frustration over my inability to keep fish (other than my clown pair) in my tank. I've had the an anthias and watchman goby totally disappear from my tank. All the while I've been keeping my coral (SPS,LPS, softies) very happy, so it's not a water quality issue. I also never saw my clowns even acknowledge the existence of newly introduced inhabitants. What the heck? I desparately want more fish action, but I don't know how much longer management will accept me burning money on fish that vanish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 My clowns will bully anything I put in to stay out of sight. I put a watchman goby in and he actually will bite the clown's mouth/face and then stare at her and she will back down to him. Any other fish she will just attack at. I plan to remove my clowns to add new fish then get a new pair once im ready for the final add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 How about providing a list of fish you're interested in having in your tank? There are definitely some that are easier inhabitants to maintain than others, we can help with the selection process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 What size tank is this? I have a biocube 29 and now that my clowns spawn all the time, they kill all fish. List of fish killed by my clowns Royal gramma Vilangii tang Randal goby Bicolor dotiback Neon goby Shark nose goby Sailfin Molly Dang finding nemo... My kids love the clowns and cry when I say I'm taking them back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 What size tank is this? I have a biocube 29 and now that my clowns spawn all the time, they kill all fish.List of fish killed by my clowns Royal gramma Vilangii tang Randal goby Bicolor dotiback Neon goby Shark nose goby Sailfin Molly Dang finding nemo... My kids love the clowns and cry when I say I'm taking them back. Sounds like it's time to set up another tank 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 How about providing a list of fish you're interested in having in your tank? There are definitely some that are easier inhabitants to maintain than others, we can help with the selection process. at this point? anything that would fit in a BC29 comfortably and hold its own/get along with the clowns. i think two other compounding factors are the relatively high flow rate of the tank in addition to a super holy piece of LR that i suspect when fish are introduced to the tank they potentially get stuck in. i dunno. its bumming me out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 What size tank is this? I have a biocube 29 and now that my clowns spawn all the time, they kill all fish. List of fish killed by my clowns Royal gramma Vilangii tang Randal goby Bicolor dotiback Neon goby Shark nose goby Sailfin Molly Dang finding nemo... My kids love the clowns and cry when I say I'm taking them back. BC29 :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 What size tank is this? I have a biocube 29 and now that my clowns spawn all the time, they kill all fish.List of fish killed by my clowns Royal gramma Vilangii tang Randal goby Bicolor dotiback Neon goby Shark nose goby Sailfin Molly Dang finding nemo... My kids love the clowns and cry when I say I'm taking them back. Sounds like it's time to set up another tank hey as long as i can put it on your credit card im game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Bottom dwellers such as a dragonet or scooter blenny shouldn't attrack the clown's attention, but can be harder to keep. I would suggest starting with something in the blenny family (tailspot blennies are one of my favorites). A Coral Beauty or Flame Angel should be able to hold its own as well, but could be problematic for later fish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Anyone Bottom dwellers such as a dragonet or scooter blenny shouldn't attrack the clown's attention, but can be harder to keep. I would suggest starting with something in the blenny family (tailspot blennies are one of my favorites). A Coral Beauty or Flame Angel should be able to hold its own as well, but could be problematic for later fish. Anyone got a tailspot blenny that has irritated them ? That's kind of what I was figuring with the watchman goby, as far as keeping something that occupied a different strata. To no avail though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 My clowns wouldn't let the goby out of the rocks to eat. So it just hid till it disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Dang, clowns are so mean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Honestly, that's the only scenario that makes sense. Guess I'll just have to wait a few years until i can assemble, THE DREAM TANK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 You could catch the clowns, put them in a breeder net for a little while while you introduce other fish (purple firefish are surprisingly tough and would be my suggestion), and then when you let the clowns loose the other fish will have acclimated and established their territories. I have a breeder net you can borrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Sounds like an interesting idea. Maybe hunter @ AD will take pity on me and cut me a deal on a firefish. I don't know how many more times I can explain to my a) wife that expensive fish go missing b) my son that uhhhhhh I don't know where the fish we just got is. I may take you up on the breeder net though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It could be the clowns are killing off the new inhabitants but if l like you say they are ignoring newcomers I would be inclined to think something else is going on. If the fish you are adding are dieing in a couple of days I'm inclined to think they had something wrong with them before you got them1. If you add another fish after it has acclimated for several days try to observe if it is breathing a lot faster than the clowns. If it is I would be inclined to think you have a parasite or pathogen the clowns may be resisitant to. If you lose it I would wait a couple of months before adding another fish and be sure to add one that was treated for both intestinal and external parasites. 1I would not blame the LFS. From what I've read over the years and my own experiences it can take weeks or months for diseases to develop and kill a fish. At best we can quarintine them and prophylacticely treat for parasites but diagnosing many diseases is beyond our abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Squeeeee Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 FWIW: Just a live stock idea. My 6-Line does fine with my clowns. Then again he is bigger and more agile than they are... He kind of pokes at the clowns some times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 The Firefish is adjusting nicely with the clowns sequestered. We shall see though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 So i removed the clowns from the breeder net for a trial period last night. Of course the firefish immediately retreated to the rockwork, so we'll see how things are when I get home. The firefish was active outside of the work for several days, so I'm optimistic that things will work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 FEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Why do clownfish have to be such jerks? The firefish will venture out, and get chased back into the rockwork, repeatedly. I suppose I could throw the clownfish back in timeout, or give the chasing another day or two to see if it's simply a reaction to being released. My optimism is no longer. womp womp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 My clowns are the same way, they will be kicked out on the new build. And when I get clowns again they will be the last fish addded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Clowns are nasty. Especially if they are breeding. Just today my clowns killed a cleaner shrimp. Granted he walked over their eggs but still seems extreme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 In my 75G DT, I have noticed some interesting changes in behavior of my clownfish pair. Two months ago, after adding 30 Mollies, I have seen major changes in response to dither fish. Initially, the mollies stayed bunched up in the open with aggression from clowns when mollies got close to anemone. The Purple Pseudochromis would also show aggression from its lair. IMO, due to large numbers, the aggression was diffused with no one fish getting hurt. Now, mollies still dither but spend most of the time grazing on micro film algae with the Yellow Tang. I noticed that the Purple Pseudocrhromis no longer stays in lair but glides among the Mollies with no sign of aggression. Yesterday, I was amazed with the Clowm Pair swimming with no aggression among the Mollies. Later, with Clowns in anemone, the Clowns allowed Mollies in immediate proximity of anemone. Previously, only Yellow Tang was allowed in this area. I will see how long this good behavior continues. La bonne temps roulee. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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