Clown Harem

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Watched em all :)
What would you guys suggest for the number of clowns for a 180 gallon 5x2x2.25 tank?
 
Agree w/ Amoo, BRS is probably the best for quick answers, but they actually followed the course of Mobert, who to my knowledge was the first person to keep and document a harem long term.
Moberts thread, 27 clowns in same tank 27 months is an awesome very long term study, which has lasted years now, and gives great in depth info over a great length of time.
 
27 clowns in what size tank?
 
Dude I will maybe one day do a harem, but honestly anything is still speculation at this point as "long term success" is measured differently by different people.

The problem I personally see with home harems is what happens when aggression hits? I know they said they moved one because his face was too orange, they had to move a few others because of various things. Any disturbance in the force and they start fighting.

For some reason I always had 12 as a number in my head, but not going to lie, if I raised a clutch of 25 fry then I would have 25 babies. There's definitely some merit to spreading the aggression out over multiple members, so I understand keeping more and would probably myself go somewhere in the 15-18 range.

Clown Harems are still a crap shoot at this point. We have definitive proof they can work in the short term (2-3 years), what we're still missing is the long term (5-10+) years. Many older reefers have clowns in their teens and 20s. Could a captive harem survive that long? I'm not sure we have a definitive answer on that in a typical "home sized" environment.

Just some food for thought and ramblings. HTH.
 
Dude I will maybe one day do a harem, but honestly anything is still speculation at this point as "long term success" is measured differently by different people.

The problem I personally see with home harems is what happens when aggression hits? I know they said they moved one because his face was too orange, they had to move a few others because of various things. Any disturbance in the force and they start fighting.

For some reason I always had 12 as a number in my head, but not going to lie, if I raised a clutch of 25 fry then I would have 25 babies. There's definitely some merit to spreading the aggression out over multiple members, so I understand keeping more and would probably myself go somewhere in the 15-18 range.

Clown Harems are still a crap shoot at this point. We have definitive proof they can work in the short term (2-3 years), what we're still missing is the long term (5-10+) years. Many older reefers have clowns in their teens and 20s. Could a captive harem survive that long? I'm not sure we have a definitive answer on that in a typical "home sized" environment.

Just some food for thought and ramblings. HTH.
If it ends up not working long term, i have a friend who has a FS and he will take them from me. I am really hopeful that i get it to work!
 
Tons of great info in that thread, I've been through it at least half a dozen times personally.
 
Lol, I'm 5 days after cataracts surgery w/ a new corrective lens, just starting to adjust, not that my key typing was ever fast anyways!
 
I always wanted to try one in a dedicated tank with a very large Magnifica anemone in it.
I would only try it with a anemones for them... They live in groups sometimes in the wild with a anemone.
Without a anemone I am not sure what would happen, most likely pair off and cause issues.

I would add all at once and make sure the filtration can handle them.. Makes no sense to let some get established and then add more.

I agree it is still risky.
 
If it ends up not working long term, i have a friend who has a FS and he will take them from me. I am really hopeful that i get it to work!

I'm all for people making a serious run at it, but it's not something I think a new reefer should be trying, which I'm seeing lots of more and more. (I'm aware that's not you btw.) I think first and foremost it fails if you don't have both the space and nems to support the clutch. There are obviously a ton of other factors like how to deal with nutrients when feeding that many times a day without disturbing the force too often...etc. Either way it's just not something I encourage new reefers to try, but love seeing experienced reefers give it a go.

I so badly want to, but am space constrained as we can really only have 1 large tank in our house and I'd like to personally do it with my own fry from my clowns. Maybe one day.
 
I'm all for people making a serious run at it, but it's not something I think a new reefer should be trying, which I'm seeing lots of more and more. (I'm aware that's not you btw.) I think first and foremost it fails if you don't have both the space and nems to support the clutch. There are obviously a ton of other factors like how to deal with nutrients when feeding that many times a day without disturbing the force too often...etc. Either way it's just not something I encourage new reefers to try, but love seeing experienced reefers give it a go.

I so badly want to, but am space constrained as we can really only have 1 large tank in our house and I'd like to personally do it with my own fry from my clowns. Maybe one day.
Most of what I am reading is that you need to feed a whole lot. I already feed really heavily and so I don’t think it will be an issue. I am getting a new sump with a 25 gallon FUGE and a Kessil h380.
 
Most of what I am reading is that you need to feed a whole lot. I already feed really heavily and so I don’t think it will be an issue. I am getting a new sump with a 25 gallon FUGE and a Kessil h380.

That will be of serious benefit, the other things that come to my mind are how to add "working fish" without taking up too much real estate. We all love tangs for their algae eating purposes, but I think a lawnmower blenny would be better in this case. Just things like that. Small out of the way things, clowns aren't likely to notice and are likely to stay out of the nems.
 
That will be of serious benefit, the other things that come to my mind are how to add "working fish" without taking up too much real estate. We all love tangs for their algae eating purposes, but I think a lawnmower blenny would be better in this case. Just things like that. Small out of the way things, clowns aren't likely to notice and are likely to stay out of the nems.
Yeah. I think I will keep my cowfish, I just have to try to find a good home for my 8” blue tang. I also have to move out my current 3 clowns. That is my only current stocking. I have been feeding with my AFS very heavily, 2 rotations every 4 hours, total of 3 feedings a day, it dispenses a really large amount of food. I have been doing this to increase my amount bacteria in order to prepare for the clowns. This has been a long term goal and been on the bo0oks for about 2 months now.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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