Help....trying to add another clown

We already have a Maroon Gold Band Clown in our 46gal tank, today we decided to add another to see if they will become a "mated pair", the guy at the fish store said it shouldn't be a problem. The one we already have is really dark and a bit larger than the one we just bought. We put the bag in the tank to start acclimating the new Clown and they are literally fighting each other through the bag, and this has been going on for over an hour!! I'm scared to let the new fish go because it looks like they aren't getting along already, I read up on it and some sites said its completely normal at first. I don't want to hurt my fish...what should i do?!?

 

If this persist take him back (IMO)....

 

I have a 75g and at first the maroons clashed, larger was in first, smaller came weeks later. They did eventually get along. The bigger one chased the new one a lot but the small guy had a lot of hiding places in LR. I think it was about two weeks later that they finally started to accept each other and were inseparable.

 

Good luck...

 

I put the small clown in, they went at it for a while with nipping and chasing. I fed them and turned the lights off and right now they are in separate areas. Hopefully tomorrow is more successful, if not I guess the new Clown will have to go back. Does anyone know how long I should wait before I pull the Newbie out of the tank?

BTW....the Female I have in the tank has only been in for about 2 weeks, so she shouldn't be too territorial. We also have a new Sebae Animone that we put in about 2 days ago that the Clown has not claimed.

 

You will know. The female must dominate the smaller at first. With much larger specimens, an immediate pairing is seen sometimes. But most often, a dominance struggle will ensue. Maroons are hard to pair up, so it is going to be hit and miss. Just have to see with this one. If they are already leaving one another alone and she isn't trying to kill him at every turn, things are looking good.

 

i would re-arrange the rocks a little before i take the fish back, if this is possible...

it could releave some tension, while also creating some new hiding spots the old fish doesn't know about...

 

We took him back today. The female we already had would not stop bullying the new Clown. I guess we'll try again in a couple of months, with a much smaller one.
Thank for the advice....