My relationship with my clowns has become strained

[coachfraley]

I have had my pair of O. clowns for about a year and half now, and up to this point, I would say that we have had a very nice relationship. However, two days ago it took a turn for the worse. My clowns host a green hairy colony in middle of my tank, that has been doing very well and producing new mushrooms at a pretty good rate. So on Wednesday, I noticed that a new shroom had strayed onto a small piece of LR that could be removed very easily. So I took out the piece of rock, and traded the shroom in to my LFS for store credit.

However, I had no idea how mad it would make my clowns! Now, every time I put my hand in the tank, my female will attack it, and even bite me!!!!:ssuprised:

I have tried feeding live brine, but they still seem upset! Look:

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[Lady Hobbs]

LOL They're ticked off. They don't want you to decorate THEIR house.

[Rue]

LOL...serves you right...

...home-wrecker...

[Halelorf]

If I place even the tip of a finger into my tank the female clown is right there hovering. If you don't have NLS pellets, frozen mysis, or some reef gloves on you are in for a fight. Mine has actually drawn blood from me before I started wearing gloves while working on the tank.

[coachfraley]

If I place even the tip of a finger into my tank the female clown is right there hovering. If you don't have NLS pellets, frozen mysis, or some reef gloves on you are in for a fight. Mine has actually drawn blood from me before I started wearing gloves while working on the tank.

Wow! I guess I have that to look forward too. It sure makes cleaning the glass a lot more interesting.

BTW, that for the support Rue, lol.

[Rue]

Anytime! :hmm3grin2orange:

[OscarFan]

I would sleep with one eye open. They look really mad.

[Halelorf]

Get a magfloat for glass cleaning. Reef gloves will stop their attacks cold but they restrict feeling and finger dexterity a lot.

[coachfraley]

Get a magfloat for glass cleaning. Reef gloves will stop their attacks cold but they restrict feeling and finger dexterity a lot.

I said glass, but I meant acrylic (blush)

Unfortunately, my acrylic is too thick for a magfloat. The best way that I have found is one of the white acrylic sponges. Hopefully she will calm down in a few days...

[coachfraley]

Well, things are probably going to get worse! I am seriously considering removing the rock that has the mother colony of the green hairy mushrooms. Right now, the shrooms are isolated on that rock, but if I wait much longer, they are going to spread off of it, and then I will not be able to get rid of them. As it is now, the shrooms are crowding out some of my zoas beneath them.

Do you think it will stress the clowns out too much if I remove their "hostig material"?

Look at the pic...I am thinking about removing the 3 labeled corals. I have a nice piece of flat LR to put there, and then I could put some SPS frags in. A friend of mine has some KILLER SPS, so I am very tempted.

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[fishlover49]

Wow! They are a couple of regular little guard dogs, huh? :ssuprised:

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I personally have not had a problem with moving my Clown's hosting corals. They usually just move around. I've not noticed any aggression from them, but that probably is because I never stick my hands in my tank.

[Jellygirl]

I am sorry that you have upset you clowns big time, but jee whiz I had to post you a message to say how nice your tank looks.

From Jellygirl
A kind of newbie

[Halelorf]

I think they will get over it once you remove the rock however you are probably in for a fight to get it out. If you haven't gotten bit by them yet this would be the time if you take away their home.

[labnjab]

Our o's are pretty aggressive towards us when we are around their half of the tank. Usually they will swat me with their tail (it feels kinda neat when the big female does it and is impressive how much force they can produce), or the male will try and bite, but he's small so it feels like a little peck.

[coachfraley]

Well I took the shrooms out, and boy was the female pissed!!!!

I used a net in my left hand to fend her off, so I could grab the rock and I got it out easy enough. Then I started to put a new chunk of rock in (without using the net), and she totally attacked! She shot after my hand and popped out of the surface of the water, but luckily she did not shoot out of the tank!

I feel bad that they have nothing to host, but I think it is the best thing for my tank in the long run. Those mushrooms would have taken over the whole middle of my tank. Now I can pick up a nice green slimer and maybe a blue mille.