Tank Journal Archive

firebird

Member
Aug 2, 2011
1,906
752
?mimicry
Noticed an interesting phenomenon-whenever my female clown Bonny looks as though she is going to bite the damsel Electra it shudders in the same fashion as the male clown and she leaves him alone.
?? learnt behaviour
Anyone seen this before?
 

Agent M

Member
Oct 21, 2011
3,536
1,586
Melbourne
Are the damsels fins flared and is it presenting its side to the clown? Could be mimicry but could be defensive behaviour, my damsel (Azure damsel) does something kind of similar to make itself look bigger and to threaten. Its mostly a bluff. As for the clown, I'm not sure whats going on in her head - the females are big bullies beyond all common sense.
 

MichelleShocked

Moderate ;)
Jan 7, 2012
2,310
1,021
Gladstone
If a coral goby can teach a tang to eat LPS corals, i cant see why a damsel wouldnt notice how another fish avoids being beaten up/nipped