PDA

View Full Version : tank cleaning with clowns


Maverick00
08-20-2011, 09:19 PM
Is it common to have an aggressive male clownfish when cleaning the inside glass of your aquarium? He always followed my hand around but now hes constantly trying to nip at my hand. The little bugger got me good this morning, i damn near elbowed my light fixture off the tank.

bkelly
08-20-2011, 09:23 PM
my female black & white clown does the same packs a good punch when shes had enough of my hand being in there

toxic111
08-20-2011, 09:52 PM
both of mine have bit me several times.. so it is not unusual

FishyFishy!
08-20-2011, 10:58 PM
I've had numerous different paired clowns, they are all like that. The best is when you're not expecting the nip/head-butt... and you knock your light fixture clean off the tank...crippling a couple bulbs...

I haven't done that though..........it was....a friend of mine...

asylumdown
08-20-2011, 11:07 PM
I had a pair of cinnamon clowns once that were like that. The female packed a wallop, she actually drew blood once.

I hated those clowns. I would have fed them to a grouper if I knew someone who had one. Giving them away was far less satisfying, but accomplished the same goal.

DCDN
08-21-2011, 01:30 AM
My female isnt quite that bad yet. Only time she gets like that is if my hands anywhere close to her anenome. She's managed to get me a few times

mike31154
08-21-2011, 04:21 AM
I have a spawning pair of Maroons, and as Maroons go, I reckon I'm rather fortunate. The male is too small to pose any threat and the female is not too bad compared to things I've seen & read on various forums. She has her limit, but generally leaves me alone. Had both of them since they were juvis and my hand is in the display fairly often cleaning out stuff, so they're more or less accustomed to the presence. Look out when I get the toothbrush in there to remove a stubborn patch of algae, Mama clown goes ballistic. Fortunately she hits the toothbrush, not my hand.

The Grizz
08-21-2011, 05:05 AM
I have 3 false Percs in my 165, a pair of cinnimons & a maroon in my 116, a tomato clown in my 48 frag tank & 2 true Percs in a 30, never had ANY of them even come close to my hand ever. I only clean my tanks by hand with a razor blade. The only fish that ever come to play is my cleaner wrasse. But yes they can be aggressive for what ever reason.

rastaangel
08-21-2011, 06:44 PM
Whenever my hand goes in my tank my black/white female goes ape on me and will relentlessly attack my hand until its gone. If its in there for more then a few seconds the male joins in as well. I attribute this to the fact that they spawn all over my tank and feel as tho they have to protect the whole tank. I have gone threw numerous light bulbs from the reflex action lol so if im in there for a while I threw the net over the female to protect myself... While is funny cuz I used to hand feed the volitans I had yet im afraid of a lil clownfish:redface:

Maverick00
08-22-2011, 12:26 AM
^^ haha no kidding, i was actually thinking about throwing a net on him while cleaning. It doesnt seem to mind if im moving frags around or even cleaning the glass with a razor, its the yellow sponge that ****es him off.

mike31154
08-22-2011, 02:52 AM
If you can find one of the veggie clips in the shape & colour of a clownfish, get it. Stick it somewhere near your clown's hangout when you're in there with the yellow sponge. A mirror might work as well although your other fish might end up fighting their reflection instead of your clown.

Not sure I could get a net over my Maroons. They host in a BTA and spawn regularly, but they know what a net is and also how to avoid it.

Maverick00
08-22-2011, 04:17 AM
cool idea mike! ill keep my eye out for one

ReefOcean
08-22-2011, 09:16 PM
i must say, this is the first time I have heard of clowns being aggressive towards people. I have owned many percula, a few maroons a tomato and a giant ass clarkii and no issues. The closest thing I have come to fish contact would be with a huma huma trigerfish, who would just hover around my hand gently bumping into it.

Timbits
08-22-2011, 09:33 PM
all my pairs constantly bite my hand when im siphoning the tank. i have to wear gloves now when cleaning and i dont feel a thing now! sometimes they bite and hang on for a few seconds :twised:

ScubaGirl
08-23-2011, 10:50 AM
I get bit consistently by my mated pair false percs. Keeps me on my toes when I'm in the tank. Little buggers can hurt. They are way more aggressive when they have eggs.

Pipes1234
08-23-2011, 01:49 PM
I have a false hosting a frogspawn about the size of my head every time I go in my tank he chases me around I usually end up chasing him around for a while same with my cleaner shrimp ...


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.513436,-113.466137

Wanderer
08-23-2011, 07:34 PM
i used to have a pair of percs and the female got wise to me ignoring her bites. she learned how to attack my arm and knuckle hairs, grabbing them and tugging. THAT got my attention!!

NightShadeFairy
08-05-2012, 05:22 PM
My black and white clown ALWAYS dive bombed my arm, and it HURT! My meteor Clarkii never bothers me :)

intarsiabox
08-06-2012, 02:57 AM
I had a pair in a previous tank were the male would attack my hand. He was scared of the net though so I found that if I placed the net in the tank on some rock he would hide and leave me alone until the net was removed. Sometimes I get to be smarter than the fish!