help introducing a second clownfish

[Wigger]

We have had a maroon clown fish for the last five years,we bought her as a pair which always fought, so we figure they were both female. Now she has been alone in the tank for several years. We upgraded our tank from fish only to a mixed tank with coral. We've decided to introduce a new gold striped maroon clown fish from the local fish store that's just over an inch long, to the tank. We've isolated the new clown in a seperate floating acrylic container, last night and turned off the lights. Right now it's about 1:00pm and the first clown fish is swimming round and round the new one and really realy working the tank. as if to say it's mine, but not really rushing the fish, and the new clown has still not showed submission. Also, they don't seem to be showing aggression towards eachother, could they have made they're peace in the night? Should I let the gold striped maroon out of it's container to see how they act together? Or should we wait to actually see him roll over and show submission? If the gold striped maroon has been in alone in a tank at the store for an unknown amount of time alone in the tank, is it posssible it has turned female? It's still quite light in colour, especially in comparison to our other clown, and quite small. We are hoping it's still juvenile, male or unsexed?

[dsaundry]

Don't let it out of the holding tank yet..it's too early imo. I have a pair of GSM's and it took about a week for them to really get used to each other. Even then when I let the little guy out of his holding pen, the bigger one went right after the other one and pinned it in the rocks for a couple more weeks. In time the little one would venture closer and closer to the anemone and finally they are together. I hope you have a lot of rock and an anemone, because if you don't it might get very messy. You can also submerge the acrylic container close to the anemone to get them even more used to each other...but wait at least a week or two before letting the little one out. I am assuming he is a lot smaller than the one you have now as well. If they are the same size they will probably fight each other until one dies. They are great fish though...one of my fave's:biggrin:

[High tide]

If it has been alone for an extended period of time it may have transitioned to female. I would wait until you see submission.

[Myka]

Don't let it out of the holding tank yet..it's too early imo. I have a pair of GSM's and it took about a week for them to really get used to each other. Even then when I let the little guy out of his holding pen, the bigger one went right after the other one and pinned it in the rocks for a couple more weeks. In time the little one would venture closer and closer to the anemone and finally they are together. I hope you have a lot of rock and an anemone, because if you don't it might get very messy. You can also submerge the acrylic container close to the anemone to get them even more used to each other...but wait at least a week or two before letting the little one out. I am assuming he is a lot smaller than the one you have now as well. If they are the same size they will probably fight each other until one dies. They are great fish though...one of my fave's:biggrin:

Good advice. I will second what he said. Also, you can add some small mirrors around the tank so your older fish thinks there are other ones as well (when she sees her reflection). When you eventually release the little one, these reflections may help to keep her distracted at times.