[organicreefer]

anyone done it?how did you pull it off?
i added a second clown to my tank(120g) three days ago-when i put it in the water,my established female clown shot out of her bta,and flew across the tank,clear to the other side(ive never seen her farther than midtank-btas on one end)of the tank,grabbed the little male by his dorsal fin and with a yank/jerk "threw" him a good 6-8 inches
he retreated and she returned to her bta.an hour or so later she charged him again, this time at mid tank,and grabbed him by the pelvic fin ,and threw him again
on the third charge the little clown immediately swam in a sideways position and started to vibrate.she stopped and stared at him ,and the calmy swam back to her anemones!
since then the little clown has moved closer and closer and is now hanging and sleeping just maybe ten inches from the btas.
i think there might be a chance it could work out,she still chases him a little once in a while but she hasnt actually been biting him.wish me(or better yet him)luck

[Rin]

It sounds like you're on your way to having a pair. This seems a lot more bloodless then most Maroon pairings I've witnessed or heard of. Goldstripes are a little more tame than normal Maroons.

In the three pairings that I've been around, it was necessary to keep the two segregated and in sight of each other for a couple of weeks. Introductions were always messy for the male. Once the male figured out who the boss was, it was nothing but love. In all cases the pairs settled in after 1 or 2 really big fights. One key to success is to ensure that the female is at least 3 or 4 times bigger than the male. It's also good to get a male that is very young, that way it's sure to be a male and not just a small female.

My male lost a good bit of his fins when I introduced him to the female. And they were supposed to already be a pair when I got them through the mail. He could hardly swim after the first encounter. They settled in after that battle and have been together ever since.

I'm waiting for the female to start laying eggs, I want to try my hand at rearing maroons. (Nothing like jumping into the deep end of the pool. )

Good luck

[organicreefer]

i was thinking maybe they are too close in size,the female isnt even twice as big...
still it seems like it might work,the male is looking a littler ragged but nothing major,hes eating well and acting normal....just about 8 inches from the female now and not really being chased.

[organicreefer]

oh man, i just saw her try to lead him to one of the bulb tips,he followed and right at the last second he did his little vibrate thing for her and then he chickened out and ran away

he was right there coulda dove in with her ..........
he must be a virgin
im telling you though wedding plans seem to be in the works ,i hope it works out

[saltjunkie]

wow.. i sould have used the search option instead of making a new post.....

I think i will stick with one GS maroon....

[Bughead]

I had always wanted a maroon pair and I knew it was tough to mate two who were similar in size. So I got a baby maroon and grew her up for 3 years, then got her an itty-bitty husband. Their very brief courtship was painless. When I put him in the tank he swam to the middle, she immediately swam up to him and wiggled her big butt, he wiggled his little butt back at her and followed her to her "home" and they've been a married couple ever since. The whole thing took less than 30 minutes.

The big difference in size is the key.

Good luck with your new pair.

[LittleFishBoy]

Ill have to agree with Bughead. Size is the key. Ive paired up about 12 different sets of clowns and it has ALWAYS worked. I get a big female, and a juvenile male. Instant success. Ive never witnessed any "rough" beginnings for the male either. Ive had this work with all kinds of clowns and yes GS Maroons too. Just giving my experiences, so if you (saltjunkie) do decide on doing it, go with a tiny clown.

[Mark024]

Yea in my experience the difference in size will help, although as you've all said it is difficult with maroons.those who have paired them up- it seems that most of you have allowed he female into the tank first, adn let her establish herself and then added a small male. Why do you establish the female first? I would think that it would be easier on the male if you had him first, or added them at the same time. I know the pair results when the smaller male accepts the females dominance, so it may take longer if the male feels that he has a territory, but I would think that if the female had a terrority it is more likely she will ravage him at the first encounter. Anyhow just my thoughts.

-Mark