BAD CLOWNFISH!!!

So, I went on a contorlled buying spree today and came back with a wrasse (the six-line type) and an orange starfish. this tank has been going for about 8 months now, and has been staqble for awhile, although I would not trust my limited experience as far as I could throw it. So, after adjusting for a couple hours, i threw in the wrasse, which was not on its best behaviour and became rather obnoxious. Reading that orange starfish take awhile longer to adjust, I added it a couple hours later. Shortly after, the starfish was doing well, moving around, and doing whatever starfish are supposed to do. Suddenly my tomato clown decided it didn't like the starfish and tried to bite off one of its legs on three occasions that I witnessed. The star has now climbed to the top of the tank in what looks like an escape plan. Is there some compatability error I was not aware of? Is the clown just in a bad mood with the new additons? Is it menopausal? I would appreciate your feedback.
Thank you!
Kevin

[Jason McK]

Hey Kevin,
Tomato Clowns are typically aggressive to say the least. Has it ever gone after your fingers?
It will settle down I'm sure, but you are likely to see that territorial behaviour from it again, like the next time you add something new.

J

[OCDP]

Heh, you didn't do anything wrong..

I just bought an orange starfish not too long ago myself, and when my clowns noticed it they nipped and picked at it, not aggressively though, just out of curiosity.

Your clown (tomato) are known to be agressive. So he was indeed showing him whose boss, whose house it is, etc... but he wont keep doing it... mainly just curiousity and the clown letting the starfish know hes in his house (territory) now.. and don't mess around heh

[vanreefer]

so my Tomato will eventually stop trying to bite off my fingers...

[Dale D]

Originally Posted by vanreefer

so my Tomato will eventually stop trying to bite off my fingers...

Unfortunately, they never seem to get bored with that one.

Most clowns and especialy tomatoes, maroons and melanopus don't like intruders or changes to their personal space. You would be surprised at the size of a piece of rock or coral that they can pick up and move if they do not like where you have put it.

When it first happened to me I couldn't figure out how the new frags I had just placed in the tank were ending up at the opposite end.

After it happened a couple of times I started to watch and soon figured it out. A clownfish can only outsmart me for so long. So, I moved the frags to a different spot (that I didn't like as much)and showed him who had the superior intellect.

[vanreefer]

way to show that clown fish.... mine does the same thing, if it doesn't like were I put something it just knocks it over and over and over