Percula Clownfish with clamped fin. Please assist. All out of ideas.

[omen285]

20 Gallon tank
12~15 Lbs live sand
10 lbs Live rock
2 Percula Clown fish
2 Skunk Cleaner fish
1 Fake anemone
Protein Skimmer
Mechanical Filter with activated carbon
1 power head circulating 100-200 gallons per hour

28 December 2008
New tank. Finished cycling
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
pH: 8.3


January 1 2009:
Levels remain the same
Fish added

Sunday 4 January
Specific gravity: 1.0225
Tank Temperature: 76
Nitrite was between 0-.25 ppm
Nitrate was 20ppm
Amonia: 0
pH: 8.3

*Made a 10~15% Water change brought levels down to following


Monday January 5
Tank Temperature: 76
Specific gravity: 1.0235
Nitrate: 10ppf
Nitrite 0
Ammonia: 0
pH: 8.3

*Small bloom of brown-orange algae on rocks. Looks like rust?

*Smaller clown fish presents clamped fin. :dunno: Larger clown fish picking at him. Being aggressive.

Shrimp seem fine.


My wife and I are completely out of ideas. :frustrat:
What other variables are we missing?

Help save our little fish friend. :question:

Thank you.
​

 

[dustin_P74]

it sounds like the two clowns are trying to figure out who will be the female, just give them time and they should be fine

 

[yote]

Sometimes the smaller clown will clamp its fins like that when the larger ones showing dominace.
Have you noticed either of them *shaking* in front of the other?

 

[omen285]

The smaller clown was shaking above the fake anemone last night.
The larger one has also been more aggressive tonight.
The smaller one has been avoiding the larger one. and doesn't visit his normal spots on the tank.

We fed the whole community and everyone ate well.
I hope they're getting along.

Are they a miss match? Is that possible?


Thanks again.

 

[wontonflip]

Mine have been doing the same thing, but slowly they're starting to establish themselves. They started out fine (they were both babies, same size, not yet sexing). Then they started fighting, and one of them even had ragged fins. Then the submissive one started avoiding the dominant one, except at feeding, doing his submissive booty shaking...hehehe...and now, they seem to be getting along better, although the bigger one still seems to nip at the li'l one to remind keep him in his place (That's what I'm talkin' about!! LOL). I've been reassured all this is normal :)

Clowns are funny fish.

 

[Bifferwine]

Your water parameters sound fine. I'd also venture a guess that they are just trying to establish who is dominant. If the fish are the same size, they may fight over it. Usually they end up settling down.

 

[omen285]

Some developments,

The smaller one seems to be better off, his fin is no longer clamped to its side but he is still not using it.

The larger was sleeping in a little cove behind the anemone.

Im guessing thats the spot they were fighting for?

In any case thanks for the replies.

I hope nothing bad develops.