Clown fish in a 3 Gallon Nano

[Foxonthesly]

Ive seen a few threads here discussing keeping clowns, or a pair, in a nano tank (3 gallons - 7 gallons) and most recommend not doing so based on filtration issues.

I currently have a 20 gallon water volume wet/dry salt water sump inside a 40 gallon breeder, and I hooked up my 3 gallon Cube nano tank with an overflow to it.

Question: Currently only have sand, and a single live rock inside the 3 gallon. Due to my large filtration system, is it fine to keep a pair of clowns long term in? Or are there more reasons why not. Ive seen a lot of 5 gallon nanos at my LFS with pairs of clowns, and I don't think they would necessarily need a ton of swimming room?

 

[James M]

It’s not recommended to keep clowns in anything below 10 gallons due to the size they get not because of filtration. I would never put clowns in a 3 gallon

 

[Foxonthesly]

It’s not recommended to keep clowns in anything below 10 gallons due to the size they get not because of filtration. I would never put clowns in a 3 gallon

That makes sense, thank you

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I wouldn't put a pair in anything less than 10 gallons, even thats pretty tight I feel. no way they should be in a 3 gallon. The LFS tanks are temporary show tanks, its not meant as a long term home.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

No. 3 gallons is tiny, not suitable for any fish. Let alone filtration, the fish will be far too cramped to swim around properly. I recommend at least 15 gallons for clowns, more for bigger species.

 

[cdemoss01]

Ive seen a few threads here discussing keeping clowns, or a pair, in a nano tank (3 gallons - 7 gallons) and most recommend not doing so based on filtration issues.

I currently have a 20 gallon water volume wet/dry salt water sump inside a 40 gallon breeder, and I hooked up my 3 gallon Cube nano tank with an overflow to it.

Question: Currently only have sand, and a single live rock inside the 3 gallon. Due to my large filtration system, is it fine to keep a pair of clowns long term in? Or are there more reasons why not. Ive seen a lot of 5 gallon nanos at my LFS with pairs of clowns, and I don't think they would necessarily need a ton of swimming room?

There is something called a stubbed clownfish.. They are rarer but worth it. They are born without one of their back vertebrae so they are smaller. Heres a link to ORA where they sell them limited stock. Stubbed clownfish link. Not sure if r2r knows about this so good too put it out there!

 

[D-Nak]

There is something called a stubbed clownfish.. They are rarer but worth it. They are born without one of their back vertebrae so they are smaller. Heres a link to ORA where they sell them limited stock. Stubbed clownfish link. Not sure if r2r knows about this so good too put it out there!

Stubbies are merely deformed clownfish. They may be stubbier--meaning shorter--but they have the same nutritional requirements as normal clownfish. This means they eat the same amount of food and poop the same as other percula/ocellaris, so the impact on the tank is the same.

The only reason to buy these is if someone likes how they look.

 

[D-Nak]

Clownfish don't need much swimming room. They're not like tangs that require a lot of swimming space because they tend to pace around the tank. When they have an anemone host, they rarely swim more than a few inches away from it. I have my clownfish pairs in a cubicle tank plumbed to a larger system, and each compartment is probably 4 gallons or so. I think you'll be fine, assuming your filtration can keep up with the bio-load of both tanks.

 

[JayM]

Stubbies are merely deformed clownfish. They may be stubbier--meaning shorter--but they have the same nutritional requirements as normal clownfish. This means they eat the same amount of food and poop the same as other percula/ocellaris, so the impact on the tank is the same.

The only reason to buy these is if someone likes how they look.

OP has his 3 gallon tank plumbed to a 20 gallon sump. Filtration won't be an issue.

 

[D-Nak]

OP has his 3 gallon tank plumbed to a 20 gallon sump. Filtration won't be an issue.

Exactly. But I think the person who posted was insinuating that stubbies either need less room or grow smaller because they're shorter (and my response was noting that this is incorrect).

 

[littlefoxx]

Clownfish dont need a lot of swimming room, they like to bob up and down. So for younger clowns that would be okay but not a long time. This is one of my clownfish pairs, they are in a 125 gallon tank. The female is probably over 3 inches, the male probably 2. Personally a 10 gallon is the smallest I would go with a clown pair even as babies.