how do I know if the my clowns are really bonded/paired?

[reefy]

Hi Folks,

so I have a black ice and a darwin clownfish in a BC29 for about 8 months, I bought it as "paired" according to the previous owner. currently only the blackice clown is hosting 2 rose tip anemone (got splitted rescently) he(i suppost because of a smaller size) wont let the darwin get close to neither of the anemone. I see the blackice shivers (showing surrender) when the darwin get closer to him. but he still wont allow darwin to get closer to the anemone. Darwin has to sleep by the powerhead. so my question is are they really paired? because I really want them to hang out together on anemone...

ps
only other fish i have in my BC29 is helfrich firefish (only comes out for food)

[Myka]

"Paired" is a really loose term and is usually defined by each person.

To me, a breeder, paired/bonded bith mean the same thing which simply means they have been housed together at least for at least a few weeks and get along together. This relationship can certainly fall apart when an anemone is introduced and one Clown wants it to herself. Over time they may or may not re-bond. Usually if you buy a breeding pair they won't lose that bond for anything. Though I've seen sone of the designer clown breeding pairs to have really loose bonds...they are kinda weirdos.

[Apo Reefer]

That RBTA is gorgeous Sean!

Those buggers still stressing you out?

Get a few more clowns and let them pair up

[mike31154]

When they are both in the anemone they're paired. When they are making babies, they're bonded. Took my Maroons a few weeks to pair & a couple more years to bond. I purchased both as juveniles a few months apart. There was war & carnage for a couple weeks when I introduced #2. Luckily he survived.

[smokinreefer]

+1 on the pairing and bonding
+1 on the sweet RBTA... sorry to derail, but what lighting are you using? color is so nice!

[Myka]

Originally Posted by mike31154

When they are making babies, they're bonded.

This is a definition I've never heard before. Usually if they're laying eggs they're called a breeding pair. If the larvae have been raised to juveniles then they're called a proven pair.

[Apo Reefer]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

+1 on the sweet RBTA... sorry to derail, but what lighting are you using? color is so nice!

I'm wondering where he got it from...

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by Myka

This is a definition I've never heard before. Usually if they're laying eggs they're called a breeding pair. If the larvae have been raised to juveniles then they're called a proven pair.

As you mentioned in an earlier post, these definitions are 'loose' & often dependent on who you ask. I think I saw the definition I posted on another forum some time ago & it made sense to me. Paired-they're hangin' out/dating, Bonded-think of it as the bond of marriage.

I don't see or equate what the breeder does with respect to raising the young from larvae to juveniles as being related to whether they are producing eggs or not, since the fish don't raise the young. To me what happens after the eggs hatch doesn't seem relevant to pairing or bonding, although calling them a proven pair at that point makes sense.

And yes, that RBTA is a beaut.

[reefy]

So i guess they are just tankmate for now then lol..

[Myka]

Originally Posted by mike31154

As you mentioned in an earlier post, these definitions are 'loose' & often dependent on who you ask.

Absolutely, I have just never heard that particular line of translation before.