Adding Another Clarkii Clown - Can it be Done?

[Birddog]

I currently have 1 Clarks Clown in my tank (65 gallon) that has been with me for approximately 2 months. As soon as I introduced it into the tank it immediately settled into my RBTA! I was contemplating adding one additional Clarks Clown to make it a pair... is this possible? At my LFS last weekend they recommended that I don't due to the length of time the first one has been in the tank and the Clarks inherent aggressiveness.

Can anyone confirm this - Thanks

 

[dbl]

Meredith @melypr1985 might be able offer some advice.

 

[melypr1985]

Actually Yes! You can add another, but make sure it's a juvenile. The best way to ensure a juvi is to get the smallest one you can. If you previously bought a juvi and have had it for 2 months, I dont think it would have started to turn female just yet, but it's better safe than sorry. Clarkii's can be aggressive and you might note behavior that seems a little too aggressive between the two, but as long as the first isn't ripping the second up, then I'd let it play out and see what happens. Be prepared to separate the two in case it gets out of hand. Another option, would be to use an acclimation box at first to see how the first reacts to the second and gives it a chance to see and get used to the new one without being able to inflict harm. I dont think this option is necessary but I always lean towards the "better safe than sorry" methods (which I said twice lol).

 

[Birddog]

Meredith and David thank you both for your help, I am grateful. Hope you both have a very pleasant evening and I look forward to picking a juvenile Clarkii this upcoming weekend!

 

[Birddog]

Well I finally had a moment yesterday to add my juvenile Clarkii... it's about half the size of my existing Clarks Clown and last evening the larger clown after about a half hour was beating the stuffing out of the smaller one. After about half hour of watching Jimmy the Fly Snooka pile drive the baby I had to turn the lights out and let both contenders go to their corners (anenome for the existing clown and a zoa colony for the baby). Had to work today, but had my wife keep an eye on the title fight throughout the day today. Happy to be home and see the two together about 50% of the time and no fighting. The baby stays near the zoa colony when the two are separated, and never but never goes towards the anenome when the the larger Clarkii goes into it. Anyone think it's going well after 24 hours, and will the two potentially occupy the same anenome someday?

 

[melypr1985]

Well I finally had a moment yesterday to add my juvenile Clarkii... it's about half the size of my existing Clarks Clown and last evening the larger clown after about a half hour was beating the stuffing out of the smaller one. After about half hour of watching Jimmy the Fly Snooka pile drive the baby I had to turn the lights out and let both contenders go to their corners (anenome for the existing clown and a zoa colony for the baby). Had to work today, but had my wife keep an eye on the title fight throughout the day today. Happy to be home and see the two together about 50% of the time and no fighting. The baby stays near the zoa colony when the two are separated, and never but never goes towards the anenome when the the larger Clarkii goes into it. Anyone think it's going well after 24 hours, and will the two potentially occupy the same anenome someday?

It sounds like they have started working out the "chain of command" and are on their way to being friends... or maybe just tolerating each other. Give it time and they might actually pair up and share the nem... only time will tell at this point.

 

[dbl]

Agreed...sounds like a beautiful relationship in the making, but continue to keep an eye on them. As Meredith just said, only time will tell.

 

[acolotto]

I asked this same question last year, didnt get much of a response. I had a 3 yr old 4" clarkii that has been alone since day 1. Last april added another 1" clarkii. The larger female is your standard Clarkii and the new guy was a Galaxy Clarkii. Still to this day they do not share the nems. They get along just fine, occassional chase by the much larger female, but no fin picking and stops immediately after the male does his shake. This is mostly started when the male trys to come cuddle in one of the THREE nems (all the size of softballs), the female will not have any of it, she gets all three nems and the male gets a monti lol. To me they seem paired, but no eggs or anything like that, assuming the male is still becoming an adult as he has not transitioned to full black just yet. But i didn't do anything special, just got the new one and tossed him in, and they got along after a couple weeks is when the fin picking stopped and now the chasing just when he trys to get into the nems.

It is actually pretty funny watching the female hog three nems on side of the tank, and the youger clown will try and sneak around to one of back nems, sometimes lasting a couple seconds, before the female catches him and chases him back to the other side of the tank like they are on a merry go around. Clarkii's are awesome just remember, they're not your typical clowns they will get about the size of deck of cards if not larger so make sure you provide the room they need. My favorite clowns though, get so beautiful as they change colors and start getting the size on them

 

[ash9965]

I had a super orange skunk clown that was on his own for a while in a bubble tip then I added a smaller skunk it dove in that bubble so quick I am not even sure if the first one even new he was there for about an hour before I new it they were both wallering all over the bubble in shear bliss no issues .. but then again skunks I believe are one of the least aggressive clowns available.

 

[Slim_Okrug]

Have 1 big female really big ( 4 inch big ) and it was in my tank for year hosting BTA and all good. So i decided to buy male who is 3 times smaller. I introduced it on one side of tank where he stayed for about 2 months. She was very angry and aggresive towards him chasing him every 15 - 30 min and giving sound i never heard before. It is pretty noisy sound like claping with teeth but very fast and loud. So after 3 months she get used to him and now they share same bta but every few days i see and hear her to do that again no biteing or anything like that just shows who is boss . After she rush to him he just take some kind of side stance and shaking like he is hit by electric . That is my expiriance and i must say they are very fun and good looking couple to watch. Hope this helps.

 

[Birddog]

It sounds like they have started working out the "chain of command" and are on their way to being friends... or maybe just tolerating each other. Give it time and they might actually pair up and share the nem... only time will tell at this point.

Agreed...sounds like a beautiful relationship in the making, but continue to keep an eye on them. As Meredith just said, only time will tell.

Thank you both so very much for your feedback, help and support, I am grateful!

I asked this same question last year, didnt get much of a response. I had a 3 yr old 4" clarkii that has been alone since day 1. Last april added another 1" clarkii. The larger female is your standard Clarkii and the new guy was a Galaxy Clarkii. Still to this day they do not share the nems. They get along just fine, occassional chase by the much larger female, but no fin picking and stops immediately after the male does his shake. This is mostly started when the male trys to come cuddle in one of the THREE nems (all the size of softballs), the female will not have any of it, she gets all three nems and the male gets a monti lol. To me they seem paired, but no eggs or anything like that, assuming the male is still becoming an adult as he has not transitioned to full black just yet. But i didn't do anything special, just got the new one and tossed him in, and they got along after a couple weeks is when the fin picking stopped and now the chasing just when he trys to get into the nems.

It is actually pretty funny watching the female hog three nems on side of the tank, and the youger clown will try and sneak around to one of back nems, sometimes lasting a couple seconds, before the female catches him and chases him back to the other side of the tank like they are on a merry go around. Clarkii's are awesome just remember, they're not your typical clowns they will get about the size of deck of cards if not larger so make sure you provide the room they need. My favorite clowns though, get so beautiful as they change colors and start getting the size on them

Can't agree with you more... Clarkii's are so awesomely beautiful and are my favorite as well. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

I had a super orange skunk clown that was on his own for a while in a bubble tip then I added a smaller skunk it dove in that bubble so quick I am not even sure if the first one even new he was there for about an hour before I new it they were both wallering all over the bubble in shear bliss no issues .. but then again skunks I believe are one of the least aggressive clowns available.

I am hopeful that someday the two I have eventually waller in my BTA ... I will be patient, thanks for your feedback!

Have 1 big female really big ( 4 inch big ) and it was in my tank for year hosting BTA and all good. So i decided to buy male who is 3 times smaller. I introduced it on one side of tank where he stayed for about 2 months. She was very angry and aggresive towards him chasing him every 15 - 30 min and giving sound i never heard before. It is pretty noisy sound like claping with teeth but very fast and loud. So after 3 months she get used to him and now they share same bta but every few days i see and hear her to do that again no biteing or anything like that just shows who is boss . After she rush to him he just take some kind of side stance and shaking like he is hit by electric . That is my expiriance and i must say they are very fun and good looking couple to watch. Hope this helps.

My larger Clarkii never made a sound, but the first night when I introduced the "baby" I've never witnessed a clown move its mouth the way mine was... I would describe the movement of its mouth like it was trying to make a popping sound / noise, but I never heard anything. I have read that this is quite possible and that they can be quite loud with the vocalization they can produce. Thank you kindly for sharing!

 

[Clanger]

I currently have 1 Clarks Clown in my tank (65 gallon) that has been with me for approximately 2 months. As soon as I introduced it into the tank it immediately settled into my RBTA! I was contemplating adding one additional Clarks Clown to make it a pair... is this possible? At my LFS last weekend they recommended that I don't due to the length of time the first one has been in the tank and the Clarks inherent aggressiveness.

Can anyone confirm this - Thanks

Just seen this thread and now so many years on ,how did it end ?? I'm in the same position ha

 

[OrionN]

Add the new fish, smaller the better. You may want to put the small one in an enclosure and keep it from the larger one for a few days or a week. This mostly not needed in Clarkii, but in much more aggressive species like Maroon, is a must to keep the smaller getting injure or kill by the larger one. The greater the different in size the easier the pairing.

 

[Clanger]

Add the new fish, smaller the better. You may want to put the small one in an enclosure and keep it from the larger one for a few days or a week. This mostly not needed in Clarkii, but in much more aggressive species like Maroon, is a must to keep the smaller getting injure or kill by the larger one. The greater the different in size the easier the pairing.

Cheeers ,I'm sure she killed her last one (bought together originally about 2yrs ago, just a shame I can't put any other fish with it , she killed everything and fed to the nem, inc my scooter blenny *** , also no chance with shrimp etc