Sad times. But have question.

[Mbheat77]

So came home today and couldn't find my clownfish. Been real busy this week so haven't been able to see fish during light schedule. Wife has been feeding fish for me but doesn't check on them like I would. No fault to her but, went to clean glass and fill reservoir and noticed I only saw 1 clown. I checked and daughter was looking also. No fish, I immediately looked behind tank and saw a black thing on the ground and almost cried. ? my black misbar named shamu jumped out. Had a glass top but somehow must have jumped perfect to jump out of small space in back. I didn't have the glass all the way back cause I didn't think my clowns would jump. Anyway now I have to get another clown to replace my favorite fish. It's so hard that I don't even want my tank right now. ? so my question is I have a 125gal and want to know if I can get 3 more clownfish. I want 1 to pair up with the current 1 and hope the other 2 pair up. I can keep 2 in the qt so they pair and put the 1 in and let them pair. But truly can I have 4 clowns in a 125gal

[Origami]

Clownfish are very territorial. As juveniles, you can have multiple in a 125 gallon tank, but as they mature that tends to be difficult. My advice would be to pick another, smaller one of the same species and let nature take its course. 

 

And, sorry for your loss. I'm sure that a lot of us have come home to find that we've lost a jumper. I've had a few over the years. In one case, I actually got home in time to find one still alive and was able to get it back in the tank where it stayed for the rest of its days. BTW, I haven't had glass tops on my tanks in over 15 years now because I don't like the condensate and salt build up that cause light loss. If worried that way, I'm sure that you can probably find a mesh top that would keep jumpers in and still let light and moisture pass.

 

[Mbheat77]

Thanks alot. Yeah I'm going to do the mesh tops now. Been putting it off cause the Glas was already on tank. But now that I know any fish can jump I'm going make me some. I guess I'll find me a new clown this weekend. It sucks cause they were my 1st 2 fish. I've had them for like 2yrs now so it's going be hard to pick a new 1. By the other 1 being over 2ys old. Will getting a smaller and probably younger 1 be a issue?

[Origami]

All clownfish are born males. The dominant male in a group will become female in the absence of another female. This sex change is called sequential hermaphroditism and the change is irreversible. (That is, a female clownfish cannot transition back to being a male.) The female clownfish is generally the larger of the two in established pairs and the pair can become very territorial (as many damselfish are prone to be). In the absence of a female, a solo clownfish will tend to become a female. Thus, it's possible that the one remaining in your tank may be transitioning or has already transitioned. While it's possible that it's still male, you can't really tell. So the safe bet is to buy another, younger and smaller with the assumption that you're buying a male. 

 

It can take time for pairing to happen, but I've never had two that have not eventually paired up. Then again, I've only had a couple of clownfish pairs in the last 15 years since they can be pretty long-lived under the right conditions.

 

So all this probably will haunt you the next time you're watching Finding Nemo. You see, when Marlin's mate, Coral, is eaten, Marlin (by all rights) should have transitioned to female and Nemo, his (her?) son, would have quite probably become Marlin's mate. But, that would have required more parent engagement with their kids than Disney would have wanted....

 

 

[Mbheat77]

Loooooool. Yeah it sure would have. Yeah I understand how they transition and the 1 that jumped was the bigger 1, so I will say she was the female. I'm just worried that they won't pair but. I'm just stressing cause I was probably more attached to them than they probably were to themselves. As a matter fact just did almost same thing to my moms clowns. She just had to restart her tank and 1 of her clowns died like a week after they were paired up. Bought her another 1 and they are inseparable. But they are younger than mine. We will see is there a time limit that I should do get another 1. I'm thinking like next weekend. Thanks

[Origami]

Next weekend is fine. Good luck!