tank cleaning with clowns

asylumdown · #1 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 · #2 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 · #3 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 · #4 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 · #5 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

Maverick00 · #6 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 · #7 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.

ReefOcean · #8 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.

Wanderer · #9 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!!

intarsiabox · #10 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!