Clownfish better in pairs?

[pynakerm]

I am new to reef keeping and have a newly setup 72g tank with refugium and protein skimmer. I used the previous owners filter media and substrate to setup the tank and cycle it 6 wks ago. 2 weeks ago I added 3 hermit crabs which are thriving. The tank has 0 nitrites, 2ppm nitrate, 0 ammonia, and a 7.8 ph. I have a 5 stage RO/DI setup but have really hard well water.

Last night I added two coral frags and a single clownfish. The corals are open and look great this morning but the little clown is hanging out in the upper left corner of the tank. He looks ok, just doesn't come down. My question is, Is this normal behavior for a clownfish? Should I have purchased the other clown that was living with him at the store? I can go back and get the other one today but don't want to get another fish sick. Should I add an anemone for him (in a few weeks) to get him to swim around a bit?

Thank you in advance for your help. I am excited to learn and grow my tank responsibly.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I am new to reef keeping and have a newly setup 72g tank with refugium and protein skimmer. I used the previous owners filter media and substrate to setup the tank and cycle it 6 wks ago. 2 weeks ago I added 3 hermit crabs which are thriving. The tank has 0 nitrites, 2ppm nitrate, 0 ammonia, and a 7.8 ph. I have a 5 stage RO/DI setup but have really hard well water.

Last night I added two coral frags and a single clownfish. The corals are open and look great this morning but the little clown is hanging out in the upper left corner of the tank. He looks ok, just doesn't come down. My question is, Is this normal behavior for a clownfish? Should I have purchased the other clown that was living with him at the store? I can go back and get the other one today but don't want to get another fish sick. Should I add an anemone for him (in a few weeks) to get him to swim around a bit?

Thank you in advance for your help. I am excited to learn and grow my tank responsibly.

Single clownfish do fine, if not better.

Instead, you mention nothing of your quarantine or acclimation process. You mention nothing of how long this particular clownfish had been at LFS, what it was eating, etc, etc.

I suspect differences in your water from LFS water and little acclimation. I use a 5 gallon PetSmart tank for quarantine observations before adding to my tank both because what if something is sick and then also because salinity in DFW metroplex LFSs range from 1.018 to 1.028 ... more than enough to kill lots at introduction even if I kept my tank in middle (I'm 1.026 in my main reef tank for corals).

On the plus side, if salinity, etc etc etc differences in water, clownfish are among the tougher fish so I expect it will pull thru as long as lethargy isn't due to some illness. Keep observing your fish.

If you don't have a quarantine tank, now is the time to get one. When I am not using mine it gets put away under my desk.

Fingers crossed for your fish

At a recent local hobby club meeting, Lee Lawson gave wonderful training on acclimation process:

 

[exnisstech]

It's not uncommon for new clowns to hang out in the upper corner. Even established ones will sometimes. They like to hang around power heads too.
How long had it been at the store with the other one? I just wonder if they were a bonded pair or just happened to share a tank.

 

[ReefGuard Systems]

yes that's normal. I personally have not had good luck keeping 2 clowns in one tank but many others have.

 

[workhz]

My female clown protects the male from the bully tang.