Clowns

[albatross666]

Hi

 

Can i keep 2 percula clowns, a fire clownfish and a tomato clownfish in a 55 gallon tank? I already have a percula and a fire, I am trying to add a percula and a tomato clown.

 

Fire clownfish:

http://www.petsolutions.com/Fire-Clownfish...50L+C16218.aspx

 

Thanks!!

[Connor]

I'd highly advize you from keeping any more than one type of clownfish in any tank. Their will probably be alot of territorial problems amongst the clowns if you get more than one type.

 

 

 

Connor

[gmubeach]

at 55g I would suggest against it. It is hard enough to keep a pair of clowns from fighting, but once again not an expert if you were to do it I would get the false perc first and then wait until it paired up to put the more agressive clown in the tank, but once agian I would decide against it! I've never heard of a fire clown before! Anyway hope you make the right discion for both you and the animals!

[Highland Reefer]

Here is an article from Dr. Foster's on this subject, which may be helphful to you:

 

 

 

 

 

Aggression Of The Clownfish: Wild harvested clownfish are very territorial. They have been used to defending their small space and their host anemone from invasion or attack by other clownfish. For them, it is either keep their territory or die, so aggression is literally a way of life. Aggression may be a major cause of stress and mortality in clownfish during shipping if the wild harvested clownfish are kept in a small confined space, and not bagged separately. Check with your supplier to see how your clownfish are shipped. When the clownfish are put in an aquarium setting, especially if there is an anemone present, the aggression continues. If there is aggression during shipping or in an aquarium environment, there is no place for the bullied fish to go. The result can be very stressful or even deadly for these fish.

 

Tank raised clownfish are not nearly as aggressive. Because these clownfish are raised in a group setting without host anemones, they usually do not develop these territorial aggressive tendencies. They are less likely to be aggressive to tank mates or other species of clownfish. In fact, one of the advantages of many of the tank raised clownfish is that they can be housed with other clownfish of the same or even different species. If the clownfish are added to the aquarium at the same time when they are young, they will often live together peacefully for their entire lives.

 

 

 

This is the link: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...;articleid=2513

[traveller7]

Here is an article from Dr. Foster's on this subject, which may be helphful to you:

 

......

 

Tank raised clownfish are not nearly as aggressive. Because these clownfish are raised in a group setting without host anemones, they usually do not develop these territorial aggressive tendencies. They are less likely to be aggressive to tank mates or other species of clownfish. In fact, one of the advantages of many of the tank raised clownfish is that they can be housed with other clownfish of the same or even different species. If the clownfish are added to the aquarium at the same time when they are young, they will often live together peacefully for their entire lives.

 

....

Disagree with the "tank raised" being less aggressive. Every tank raised black and white ocellaris I have owned has been quite aggressive. Not to mention tank raised maroons, tomatos, etc., etc.

 

At the end of the day, it is best to keep only two clowns in a tank at a time. Maturity, pairing behaviors, breeding, etc., all change as time goes on and groups are unstable long term.

[wreck]

My female Tomato Clown was tank raised and is very aggressive, she even goes after my hand whenever I reach in the tank.

I also have a question, sorry for the hijack. I have been growing out my baby Tomato clowns in a 55, about 30 of them, since August. A couple of the bigger ones are starting to host in some xenia, no anemones in the tank besides a rock flower, and they are getting territorial. The biggest clown is maybe 1 and 1/2 inches long. I'm interested to see how it plays out, see if they can live as a community, but I don't want to see a lot of fish killed. Anyone have experience raising a tankful of clownfish? I'm keeping a careful eye on the fish and if I see it get too aggressive I'll give the fish away.

Thanks,

Wreck

 

Disagree with the "tank raised" being less aggressive. Every tank raised black and white ocellaris I have owned has been quite aggressive. Not to mention tank raised maroons, tomatos, etc., etc.

 

At the end of the day, it is best to keep only two clowns in a tank at a time. Maturity, pairing behaviors, breeding, etc., all change as time goes on and groups are unstable long term.

[albatross666]

Thanks all!!

 

One percula and one fire clown have been living together (not quite peacefully, but no nipped fins etc) for 6 months.

 

So should I keep the percula pair and remove the tomato and the fire clowns?

 

Is that the best way to go? I paid a ton for the fire clown, so am feeling unsure about removing it. It has a nice coloration and is active around the tank and loves its host.

 

Any other ideas? Suppose I introduce several more hosts? Would that help?

[Highland Reefer]

The reason I posted the articel from Dr. Foster's web page was that I did have a group of clowns live together without problems for about 6 months: 1 peculiar, 1 tomatoe, 1 cinnamon, & 1 saddleback. However I bought all four of them at the same time and I did not have a host anemonae. You have purchased them at different times and you have a host. Adding another host in the small enviroment is not going to help. You can always buy another tank or you can add them and see how they do together. If they are fighting to much, then you will have to get rid of some.

 

 

 

I have a 100 gallon tank with lots of hiding places with only one Maroon clown. I will be happy to take any off your hands that you might need to get rid of on short notice. Hee Hee.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[traveller7]

The reason I posted the articel from Dr. Foster's web page was that I did have a group of clowns live together without problems for about 6 months: 1 peculiar, 1 tomatoe, 1 cinnamon, & 1 saddleback.

Clowns mature beyond 1 year, breed at 2ish, and live beyond 30. Unfortunately 6 months is not enough of a data point.

 

I have a 100 gallon tank with lots of hiding places with only one Maroon clown. I will be happy to take any off your hands that you might need to get rid of on short notice. Hee Hee.

One female maroon will easily take over a 300gal tank. Add clowns with extreme caution.

 

My female Tomato Clown was tank raised and is very aggressive, she even goes after my hand whenever I reach in the tank.

I also have a question, sorry for the hijack. I have been growing out my baby Tomato clowns in a 55, about 30 of them, since August. A couple of the bigger ones are starting to host in some xenia, no anemones in the tank besides a rock flower, and they are getting territorial. The biggest clown is maybe 1 and 1/2 inches long. I'm interested to see how it plays out, see if they can live as a community, but I don't want to see a lot of fish killed. Anyone have experience raising a tankful of clownfish? I'm keeping a careful eye on the fish and if I see it get too aggressive I'll give the fish away.

Thanks,

Wreck

Hi Wreck,

 

Grouped clowns quite a few times, none what I would call a long term success. Only example I would call a success is Marina's 10' clarkii complex tank with about 10 specimens long term. Even then, there were the odd men out and sub-Females.

 

I would expect a dominant pair to form, a bunch of juveniles to begin sorting out next in line, and maybe another pair to form. The rest will be beat to a pulp and barely get to eat. Make sure you have a cover, the ones close to next in line frequently get chased out of the tank.

 

You likely have another 4-6 months before real havoc begins, but as the numbers dwindle the beatings on the juveniles get more focused. In my experience, once you drop below 7 (1pr 5 juvies) it gets brutal.

 

Best of luck to you all, fish are fish, who knows what they'll decide to do in the end. The odds are not great though.

 

Cheers.

[wreck]

Thanks for the info Traveller. I will be keeping a close eye on these little guys.

Wreck

 

Clowns mature beyond 1 year, breed at 2ish, and live beyond 30. Unfortunately 6 months is not enough of a data point.

 

One female maroon will easily take over a 300gal tank. Add clowns with extreme caution.

Hi Wreck,

 

Grouped clowns quite a few times, none what I would call a long term success. Only example I would call a success is Marina's 10' clarkii complex tank with about 10 specimens long term. Even then, there were the odd men out and sub-Females.

 

I would expect a dominant pair to form, a bunch of juveniles to begin sorting out next in line, and maybe another pair to form. The rest will be beat to a pulp and barely get to eat. Make sure you have a cover, the ones close to next in line frequently get chased out of the tank.

 

You likely have another 4-6 months before real havoc begins, but as the numbers dwindle the beatings on the juveniles get more focused. In my experience, once you drop below 7 (1pr 5 juvies) it gets brutal.

 

Best of luck to you all, fish are fish, who knows what they'll decide to do in the end. The odds are not great though.

 

Cheers.