Clown fight

[Hong lun]

I purchase 2 black clown and an anemone at the same time. The Lfs say they have pair them all together. They look fine at the time. Swimming around together, touching the anemone etc... But when I brought them, they start to fight. Now one will not allow the other one to stay in the anemone. Is that normal? Also the one the can't get into the anemone are breathing hard, don't seem to swim normal. I'm new to marine tank. Please help. Thank you

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Is it right after they stopped fighting that the one was breathing hard and swimming oddly? Or has it been a little while now and he still is breathing hard? If it has been a bit (more than a few hours) and he is still having difficulty, I would be inclined to separate them, at least temporarily - could be the one has something more serious going on.

If you are new to marine tanks, an anemone is not a good thing to start with - they can be difficult and require the right lighting and water conditions. It is often recommended to wait til the tank is established at least 6mos before getting an anemone. Clowns do not need an anemone anyways, so you can do the clown pair early on and wait on an anemone until the tank is more mature and you are prepared for it.