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[jasno999]

Need help with Damsel and False Percula Clown

I have a 10 gallon nano tank. Levels are all good. Long story short I had a 4 strip damsel for years and he decided to jump out of the tank about 2 months ago.

I went to the store and purchased a yellow tale damsel (he is blue wit ha yellow tale). He has been doing great but I decided I wanted to add one more fish to add some color and movement. I really like clownfish and always wanted one so I did some research and narrowed down my selection to either a Ocellaris Clownfish or a Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish . I went to the local PetCo and saw they had a Ocellaris Clownfish so I decided to get him.

Took him home put him in the tank and the damsel is being super agressive. Funny thing is the damsel is about 3/4" and the clown is probably double that size at 1.5". The damsel just constantly swims over to the clown and puts his back to him then he raises his dorsal fins and angles his head down and tail up. Seems like pretty obvious behavior to me.

He is not biting the clown but the clown is now staying torwards the back of the tank and swiming near the sand behind my rocks. It is like he is hiding. He comes out every now and then to swim around but I think he is scared. He did not eat yesterday but today he finally ate some brine shrimp. I hope he will eat some flake soon.

Do you guys have any suggestions on what I can do. I like both fish but the clown is definitly a nicer fish, a more expensive fish and a fish I want to keep and have happy. At the same time it is not like I don't dare about the damsel. I just thought after doing my research that the yellow tale was one of the most friendly and least agressive dasels - that is why I got him. And now it seems not to be the case.

Looking for ideas on what I can do to make the situation better.

Thanks

[vitz]

separate the dam into a spec cup for a week, then release

[jasno999]

separate the dam into a spec cup for a week, then release

What is a spec sup?

[vitz]

separate the dam into a spec cup for a week, then release

What is a spec sup?

i don't know

but a 'spec cup' is a 'specimen cup' (made by lee's, iirc, and available in most any lfs)-a retangular 'cup' with a lip that enables it to hook/hang at the top of the aquarium

melt/drill some holes for water transfer on the sides-the fish will remain in visual contact while the wussier of the two gets time to get more 'secure' in the tank environs, and will be the more 'established' fish of the two when the aggressor is re-released back into the tank


in theory-ymmv