Clown are fighting

[azndjay]

just about two weeks ago i bought a blue tang for my nano tank with two Clowns in there a Clarkii and a maroon Clown. they got along fine for the months i got them . but all the sudden the past two days the yelllow Clarkii been haseing and attaCking the marroon and so does the blue tang. i'm not shure whats going on is there anyone out there an answer this question

[Ninong]

You have a blue tang, a Clark's clown and a maroon clown in a nano tank?

What exactly do you mean by "nano tank?" How many gallons is this tank?

[azndjay]

its a 24 g tank made by current usa that has built in filter and biomedia

[Frag Hag]

Hi azndjay!

The fighting is to be expected. If you had two maroons, they would be fighting to establish who gets to be the girl in the pair (long story short, they can change gender as they get older). They pretty much either pair up, or kill each other. As you have two different types of clownfish, I'm guessing they're just fighting for territory... which is not a lot in a 24 gallon.

Now, regarding the tang (okay, who gets to play "tang police"? I can't because I'm keeping a baby engineer goby in my 24 gallon!)... The tang is beautiful for sure, but he really needs much, much more swimming room.

Is there anyway you can take the tang, and possibly one of the clowns to your live fish store for store credit? There are other fish that would be so much happier (and healthier) in your nano-cube!

Shay

[azndjay]

thanks for the feed back shay. i also have another 44 g but i'm waiting for my rocks to get cured then i'm planing on putting the tang in there. i also put the marroon in my 44g and he doing better. the only reason i ask the question about the clown is before the clarkii and the marroon used to share the same anomone and both of them would protect then, then when i got the tang the clark started to play with the tang more and ignore the marroon . and of course the yellow clarkii is bigger.

[Ninong]

azndjay,

Your biggest problem is the size of your tank. Unfortunately, a 24-gal tank is much too small for any tang and it's really too small for either of the clownfish species you have.

I hate to link to Drs. Foster & Smith's advice because I don't agree with their minimum tank size recommendations (they're always on the low side) but here is what they have to say about each of the species you have:

Amphiprion clarkii -- minimum tank size 30 gallons. I think a better minimum tank size for this species is 40 gallons. It's is very aggressive once it matures.

Premnas biaculeatus -- minimum tank size 30 gallons. Again, a better minimum tank size for this species is 40 gallons. This is just about the only clownfish that is more aggressive than A. clarkii. And when I say a minimum of 40 gallons, that's assuming you don't have anything else in there with it that would require a larger tank because of their interaction. For example, it would be OK to keep a pair of maroon clowns or a pair of Clark's clowns in a 40-gal tank but not one of each species. Right now you have one of each species in a 24-gal tank. That's asking for trouble.

Paracanthurus hepatus -- minimum tank size 70 gallons. I don't agree with that recommendation. I think a better minimum tank size for this tang would be 135 gallons. A 70-gal tank is too small for any tang or surgeonfish.

Your 44-gal tank is really much too small for your blue tang. It would be adequate for a pair of Clark's clownfish or a pair of maroon clownfish but not one of each. I'm assuming that you are not planning on keeping anything in the 44-gal tank with the clownfish that poses a threat to eat them.

[leebca]

Fish Psychologist
The Doctor is IN

There are no less than two concerns.

One is the space stress. See: Stress (and the Single Marine Fish)

Another is pecking order stress.

Even the 44 is not adequate for the tang. These aquariums are not suitable to any tang. So the space stress will continue on the tang even when you move it to the 44.

The two Anemonefishes established a pecking order in that small aquarium. I'd say from your description that the two hold an almost equal position on the pecking order ladder. They were comfortable with each other.

The introduction of another fish sends the aquarium fishes into a condition where the pecking order must be re-established. The tang took issue with the Maroon Anemonefish (which between the Clarkii and Maroon, would normally be the dominant fish in the pecking order -- especially as it grows).

A fish being 'picked on' or in the process of being pushed to a lower rung on the pecking order ladder becomes the target for other fishes in the tank. From the Clarkii's perspective, the Maroon now becomes less than equal and deserving of the Clarkii's attempt to push it below itself in the pecking order.

From the aquarist's perspective, you see the results as: My new tang and old Clarkii (who previously got along with Maroon) are now picking on the Maroon.

Space stress is causing the fish to exaggerate the pecking order conflict.

That'll be 5 cents please.

[leebca]

aznjay,

What Ninong says is absolutely true. I am constantly at odds with the tank size/space recommendations given by many of the online livestock suppliers (Drs. Foster & Smith just to mention one).

A mated pair of Anemonefish usually stake out 9 cubic feet of space in the ocean/sea and will defend that area as a food source and nest. In a home display aquarium, they must be allowed to have enough space to call their own, without competition AND without even the most friendly of community fishes being pushed too close to them.

[azndjay]

thanx for all the good post