Trying to add a small clownfish with established female

I've had a pair of ocellaris clowns for a couple of years now. For some reason the male decided to jump. It wasn't the first time it jumped and the first time I was there to save it but a few weeks later I came home to find it dried up behind the tank. I've been looking for a small clown to replace the male and I came across a good deal on a very small Snowflake clown, (still expensive as far as I'm concerned but as far as snowflakes go it was a good deal). After finishing QT, I tried to add the new clown to my 75 reef. I put it in a "betta" box with a magnet on the side of the tank to gauge reaction from the female. After an hour or so I didn't see a ton of aggression from the female I let the small clown loose in the tank. WWW3 started and the female was attacking the small clown aggressively. Luckily I was able to catch the little guy easily and get him back in the betta box. It's hanging out in the box on the side of the tank with the female patrolling the outside.

What's my next strategy here to introduce the little clown to the tank? Is it even possible without stressing the new fish to death or jumping?

This worked with my oscars.... maybe it will work for clowns... its like it sees the new fish as invading its territory... so take the dom out n put it in your sump or qt tank for like a week, then reintroduce it later... to the fish it will be new territory to it and it shouldn't try to aggressivly defend it bc as far as it knows the other fish as always there. Fish arent particurally known for their memory! I had done that successfully with oscars n jack dempseys so maybe it will work with clowns. Gl man

Theres no way I can get the female out without ripping apart my reef. She runs and hides quick. The only way I got the little one out was the female chased it to the top and I netted it out.

Is my best bet to leave it in the box for a while and see if things calm down?

Lol can't help but think about that lantern basslet i got from jason. . He was a mean sob n i literally had to remove every single rock and the overflow box to catch it!

I dunno man, use the other one as bait n try snagging the female while its distracted??

They kissed and made up yet?

matt_longview wrote:They kissed and made up yet?

Nope. The little snowflake is free in the tank though. Cross your fingers. There is lots of chasing but it's not as dramatic as yesterday. If you've ever seen a tank full of damsels fighting, it's like that. The big one isn't quick enough to strike the little one but it's trying. The little one just darts to the side like a bull fighter. I fed to distract them but after feeding they went back to chasing again.

I caught the female while she was asleep in the corner. Shes in the box noe Should be easier for the little one to get used to the tank.

This morning the roles were reversed. The big female was in the box and the little one was all over the box trying to get to the female. I'm going to leave her in the box until tomorrow and try to release them again. I may put them both in QT and see how they behave in a new territory. They will both be easier to separate that way too.

Whooo hoo! Haha.

That's pretty sweet. Ya know... now would be the perfect time to snag the other snowflake and pair them up as juveniles! :-)

matt_longview wrote:
now would be the perfect time to snag the other snowflake and pair them up as juveniles! :-)

Don't think that didn't cross my mind. My female is so awesome though I'd rather have her than the snowflake. She is orange and black like an Onyx and has black spots mixed in with the orange. Not too bad for a Petco clown. The Black Ice clowns are my favorite so you can see where I'm trying to go here.

Video of them this morning.

https://s229.photobucket.com/albums/ee283/ritter6788/?action=view&current=20bc69b2.mp4

She is nice, almost looks to have a black saddle on her. If they do mate you will have a really nice project under way, and the cross should be a profitable one too, they would make nice babies.

https://s229.photobucket.com/albums/ee283/ritter6788/?action=view&current=bbf91c6c.mp4

Whooo hooo!!!

Excellent, and yes pretty babies hopefully