Looking for clown fish pair

[BowieReefer84]

I am looking to get a pair of clownfish, as well as an anem. I am not familiar with what clowns host what anems (and the scientific information online is blowing my mind), and what anems will survive long term in captivity. If anyone could shed some light on this I would appreciate it. Also, any stores that carry bred pairs?

 

Are there any anems that require less light? I am leaning towards a rbta. It seems a lot of people have good success rates with them.

 

EDIT: I AM NOT USING THIS POST TO TRY AND PURCHASE. I just read it, and realize it may come off that way. If it needs to be moved ok.

Edited September 17, 2010 by BowieReefer84

[bluefunelement]

Just picked up a pair of black & white ocellaris from Almon last night - look great and he keeps them in rose bubble tip so they should acclimate quickly to your nem.

Speaking of which - I keep a green bubble tip in a 30g with no skimmer and minimum filtration. 144w PC lights, light bioload, and consistent water changes seems to work so far.

Anything other then a bubble tip might require more care and/or light so do your homework -not sure if clowns are at all picky of nems in captivity so don't bother with the academia.

I have clowns separately hosting GBTA, Xenia, an eggcrate corner, and the overflow.

[thewire]

I did also pick a pair of black and white clown from Almon. Mine is hosting in my GBTA. I have LED without skimmer on my NC

[Pete Touhey]

Personally I would advise against getting an anemone. They can be extremely difficult to keep, if you keep any corals in the tank they can make your life miserable until they settle down to a place they will like, and clowns don't need an anemone to breed. A mated pair is perfectly happy without one.

 

If you are just going after the look/behavior, I've always had luck with Euphyllia (frogspawn/hammer/torch) as a surrogate. I've had no luck getting them to lay eggs, but they do take readily to nestling/guarding them like they were an anemone, and the Euphyllia stays put and doesn't harm anything else in the tank.

 

I

[BowieReefer84]

Personally I would advise against getting an anemone. They can be extremely difficult to keep, if you keep any corals in the tank they can make your life miserable until they settle down to a place they will like, and clowns don't need an anemone to breed. A mated pair is perfectly happy without one.

 

If you are just going after the look/behavior, I've always had luck with Euphyllia (frogspawn/hammer/torch) as a surrogate. I've had no luck getting them to lay eggs, but they do take readily to nestling/guarding them like they were an anemone, and the Euphyllia stays put and doesn't harm anything else in the tank.

 

I've seen various species of mated pairs for sale locally at Marine Scene, Tropical Lagoon Aquarium, and House of Tropics, but they are very pricey when sold as pairs. It can be fun [and a lot cheaper] to just by two small clowns and let nature take it's course. Eventually one will get bigger and become the female, and they will usually pair up. Clownfishes by Wilkerson is a great book on breading clownfishes with lots of useful information.

 

 

Yea, my goal is to not get an anem I will not be able to care for. I do not mind losing an aquacultured frag, but really don't want to lose an anem. I hear that BTA's are very hardy. As far as corals go, I am not going to have any other than the anem. Dropping down to a cube all in one, and just going for a few select items. Clowns, anem (maybe), and perhaps a goby shrimp pair. That's it.

[BowieReefer84]

Question, would a single clown in a tank ever host an anem? Or any other corals like xenia, frogspawn, etc . . .Mine sleeps near the powerhead, but never really "hosts" anything.

[Glenn]

given that you're in Bowie, Frederick may not be that far of a trip for you - Rick's (on the (once) Golden Mile) had a mated pair of gold bar Maroon's last weekend. The female was awesome - about 50% larger than the female of my pair. I think there were some condylactus anemone's with them but weren't actively hosting in them.

 

I have the maroons, true percs, black & white occi's, and standard occi's - only the gold bar pair hosts in an anemone. The B&W pair host in some small/medium fuzzy mushrooms.

[treesprite]

They won't host in condylactus anemones.

 

If you are tentative about anemones, try something else. My occi clowns are hosting in a duncan coral - they like its tentacles, and sometimes deliver pieces of food to it. The tomato clowns I had were hosting in a a chunk of very long hair algae that was behind the rock where I couldn't get to it.

 

If you are wanting a pair to breed, I suggest getting each clown from a different set of parents. My female is an orange occi from Doug, and my male is a b&w occi from Almon.

[sachabballi reef]

i have had my RBTA for 5 years now and its awesome...it has since the day we bought it been inhabited by our gold stripe maroon clown who acted like we gave him a gift from the gods when we put it in the tank and immediately hosted to it and is rarely out of it except to eat. However...the RBTA has now grown so large, and even though he no longer moves anywhere and is happy as can be...his tentacles have now started to kill some corals....so last week we bought a new tank that will house him and only a few select other corals and fish and as soon as I repaint the stand and clean the tank today will start cycling it for his new and dedicated home....which in the end I had no real choice unless I wanted to get rid of him <gasp> so just a word to warn..just cuz they are happy and comfy doesn't mean that isn't a problem eventually too LOL

 

Another thing is that the type of clown I have is very agressive and doesn't accept any other type of clown in his tank...so I would say steer away from them...he also attacks my hand every time I stick my hand in the tank...doesn't hurt but scares me to death every single time...he is like a pirahna...