Replacing a lost Black Ocellaris - input please

[Gort]

"Harold" has his newest "Maude" no more - the poor juvenile black O died recently; after just a short while in the tank. Never any harassment or fighting; she was fine and eating one day - weak and dying the next. Water parms all good; a slight temp rise one day during that week (from 76 to 80)

I'm anxious to keep a mixed pair - regular and black. The guy that survives - the regular Ocellaris - is about 1.5", so far from adult yet. He's shared the tank since the beginning (February) with a black mis-barred that took a fatal leap a couple weeks ago - a freak accident I didn't notice until too late.

I have a few options and I'm looking for some input:

• ORA Black Ocellaris - slightly smaller than the guy in-tank - from the same batch as the last one, but they've had more time to de-stress since shipping.
• Adult Black Ocellaris
• Smaller mis-barred Black from an incoming shipment
• Get a mated pair of regular O's from a buddy and send the in-tank guy to a foster home.

Whatcha think?

 

[leebca]

The best pairing is never a 'nearly the same size' fish. You would like to have a clear differential in size to help lower the gendering rituals. Beyond this, the choice is yours.

 

[Gort]

The best pairing is never a 'nearly the same size' fish. You would like to have a clear differential in size to help lower the gendering rituals. Beyond this, the choice is yours.

So I infer it's likely okay to add an adult black O in with the little orange guy?

 

[Nana Chloropsis]

In my juvie growout tank I had over 20 occelaris, all ranging in size from just under an inch to an inch and a half. They were all nearly the same age, 8 months old, and were already exhibiting paring off/pecking order/dominance over a rock or a corner. My guess is that your two were already paired up, and when one of them died (male?)and you introduced the new clown (female?) to the current clown (female?) a war ensued. Those girl clowns, they can be real %$@#*s! IF it were me, I would bring in a new clown of same species, color preference of your choice of a smaller size than your current clown. I would be careful that the parameters of the tank water matches the tank water of the new additions tank. I would drip acclimate to also help avoid stress to the newbie and as an added precaution, I would put newbie in a breeder basket to help him get used to his new surroundings, chill out and de-stress without the added stress of being harassed by the current tank occelaris. Sort of like that old TV show"The Dating Game".

 

[Gort]

Sounds like good advice Nana - thanx. Oddly enough the original black - that leaped - was slightly larger than the orange that remains. I have no real way of knowing if they had undergone any sexual assignment or pairing in the 2 1/2 months they were together.