Adding Bonded Pairs

[BigHildy53]

I have a 180g tank about 5 months old; the live rock was cured for 6-8 weeks prior to that. I have a sailfin tang, magnificent rabbitfish and a couple of anthias. I would like to add some clownfish in the coming months. Do I stand a better chance of success adding captive raised bonded pairs? I was looking at the Amphiprion ocellaris bonded pairs on LADD. Should I add them all at once?

 

[Diesel]

How many bonded pairs you want to add?

 

[BigHildy53]

Three

 

[Diesel]

3 bonded pairs in a 180 is possible but it can also come down to a clown war as we talking bonded pairs here.
Lets put some more eyes on this.














#reefsquad

 

[BigHildy53]

My hope is that bonded pairs will stay to themselves; especially being captive breed. I'll ask IBM Watson to play out the scenarios for me...LOL

 

[melypr1985]

In my experience, the most dominant of the 6 will take out the other females and take over the males as her own minions. In a tank that big, you might have better luck than most but it's still a risk. I would bet money that they wouldn't all get along for longer than a few months. Once territories are established, it's most likely that somebody is going to get a whoopin.

Edit to add that you would have more luck adding 6 juvinile clowns and letting them establish the pecking order themselves. If they don't kill each other, you'll end up with a female, a male and some submales.

 

[Diesel]

My hope is that bonded pairs will stay to themselves; especially being captive breed. I'll ask IBM Watson to play out the scenarios for me...LOL

You playing "moneyball" with clowns, good luck with that.

 

[Diesel]

In my experience, the most dominant of the 6 will take out the other females and take over the males as her own minions. In a tank that big, you might have better luck than most but it's still a risk. I would bet money that they wouldn't all get along for longer than a few months. Once territories are established, it's most likely that somebody is going to get a whoopin.

Edit to add that you would have more luck adding 6 juvinile clowns and letting them establish the pecking order themselves. If they don't kill each other, you'll end up with a female, a male and some submales.

And there you have it............. the first ever created Minion clown................ of course with a price tag of two lost bonded pairs, nothing more nothing less

 

[120reefkeeper]

In my experience, the most dominant of the 6 will take out the other females and take over the males as her own minions. In a tank that big, you might have better luck than most but it's still a risk. I would bet money that they wouldn't all get along for longer than a few months. Once territories are established, it's most likely that somebody is going to get a whoopin.

Edit to add that you would have more luck adding 6 juvinile clowns and letting them establish the pecking order themselves. If they don't kill each other, you'll end up with a female, a male and some submales.

Couldn't agree more!

 

[BigHildy53]

I get the point. The idea of having multiple clownfish is risky. So I either start with four or six and hope for the best. Or start with say a bonded pair and keep it at that.

 

[Diesel]

Bingo!

 

[melypr1985]

I get the point. The idea of having multiple clownfish is risky. So I either start with four or six and hope for the best. Or start with say a bonded pair and keep it at that.

You got it

 

[BigHildy53]

Thank you for your assistance.