Clownfish couple care?

[Lily Lemire]

Hi everyone !
My folks decided to buy a clownfish couple for my 2nd 10 gal. reef tank and I am very eager to have them but I am also nube at having sw fishes. The tank has over 12 lbs of live rocks and cycled Carib Sea sand ....is there anything I should know about housing 2 clowns together ?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Feed them and enjoy the show.

 

[Mark Gray]

Hi everyone !
My folks decided to buy a clownfish couple for my 2nd 10 gal. reef tank and I am very eager to have them but I am also nube at having sw fishes. The tank has over 12 lbs of live rocks and cycled Carib Sea sand ....is there anything I should know about housing 2 clowns together ?

Clowns are fairly hardy, where they a mated pair?

 

[Zeal]

Just feed and thats about it. Do frozen Mysis shrimp with 1/2 drops of fish vitamins (Aquaforest V, Selcon or VitaChem) and keep up with water changes and you should be good to go

 

[Lily Lemire]

I guess so my folks bought them from a lady who had them for a couple years and now is too old to care for them .

Clowns are fairly hardy, where they a mated pair?[/QUOTE

 

[Lily Lemire]

Just feed and thats about it. Do frozen Mysis shrimp with 1/2 drops of fish vitamins (Aquaforest V, Selcon or VitaChem) and keep up with water changes and you should be good to go

Do you think a 30 % wc weekly is good?

 

[Zeal]

Do you think a 30 % wc weekly is good?

Yeah 30% should be more then enough

 

[AlexStinson]

Do you think a 30 % wc weekly is good?

Far better than what most folks do. If you arent keeping a reef you will be just fine.

 

[Mark Gray]

I guess so my folks bought them from a lady who had them for a couple years and now is too old to care for them .

Ok they will most likely be fine then sometimes people will go buy 2 or more clowns or add them at different times and they will fight

 

[Lily Lemire]

Yesterday I picked up a 3 inch black and white clownfish from a guy who didnt have time to care for it... He is the only fish in my 10 gallons tank ....do you think that one day i'll be able to add another clown in this 10 gallons ? Or is it risky ? Im afraid that they may fight?

 

[Zeal]

Yesterday I picked up a 3 inch black and white clownfish from a guy who didnt have time to care for it... He is the only fish in my 10 gallons tank ....do you think that one day i'll be able to add another clown in this 10 gallons ? Or is it risky ? Im afraid that they may fight?

10g for a 3inch is kinda small imo.

The larger one might pick on the smaller one.. won't really know until you add it l

 

[Lily Lemire]

I wont add another fiah if it ia consodered already small for my new black and white clownfish...thanks !
Could I add a cleaner shrimp ? I've heard they are very practical for parasites etc. ...plus I am a shrimp girl...
Just wandering if my tank is too small for clown + shrimp ?
Saltwater shrimps dont seem to be as docile and shy as freshwater shrimps are. (I have so many freshwater shrimps lol. )

 

[Mark Gray]

You will be ok with your clown and shrimp, I would not recommend adding another clown. They will most likely fight

 

[Operation Philo Beddoe]

10g is a bit small, Zeal is right

BUT

IMO (have only clowns in 4 tanks) you can add a 2nd clown to your Black/White. They will be happier together as a pair. However, go to great lengths to add the smallest one you can find. Big Clown = Female, Smaller Clown = Male. Female is the boss without question. My 2 cents, get a cheap tiny Ocellis nemo. She will love him, and he will be thrilled to have a big female to himself. My little "Sparky" was very happy to be dropped in with my big black/white. He was a little fidget a few months ago. I feel the clowns are hard-wired to pair up.

Clowns born with Female/Male capability.
If you have 1 clownfish it will turn into a Female eventually.
If you have 2 male clownfish, the larger aggressive one will become female, and get much bigger, the smaller one will go male and will not get as big as the female.
If you add 2 females I hear eventually 1 will kill the other. This is a situation you need to avoid IMO.
Adding 2 males and they will sort it out, helps if you make is a 1-sided battle adding a bigger one and a little one.

Clowns can turn into a male and if the female dies the male becomes female. A female cannot return to male.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Want to agree with 10 gallons is kinda small for putting 2 clowns together when one is already 3inches. Most do pair, but its not always right away. The small foot print doesn’t leave much running away space while they work that out.

 

[Zeal]

10g is a bit small, Zeal is right

BUT

IMO (have only clowns in 4 tanks) you can add a 2nd clown to your Black/White. They will be happier together as a pair. However, go to great lengths to add the smallest one you can find. Big Clown = Female, Smaller Clown = Male. Female is the boss without question. My 2 cents, get a cheap tiny Ocellis nemo. She will love him, and he will be thrilled to have a big female to himself. My little "Sparky" was very happy to be dropped in with my big black/white. He was a little fidget a few months ago. I feel the clowns are hard-wired to pair up.

Clowns born with Female/Male capability.
If you have 1 clownfish it will turn into a Female eventually.
If you have 2 male clownfish, the larger aggressive one will become female, and get much bigger, the smaller one will go male and will not get as big as the female.
If you add 2 females I hear eventually 1 will kill the other. This is a situation you need to avoid IMO.
Adding 2 males and they will sort it out, helps if you make is a 1-sided battle adding a bigger one and a little one.

Clowns can turn into a male and if the female dies the male becomes female. A female cannot return to male.

Agreed with this guy.

 

[Lily Lemire]

10g is a bit small, Zeal is right

BUT

IMO (have only clowns in 4 tanks) you can add a 2nd clown to your Black/White. They will be happier together as a pair. However, go to great lengths to add the smallest one you can find. Big Clown = Female, Smaller Clown = Male. Female is the boss without question. My 2 cents, get a cheap tiny Ocellis nemo. She will love him, and he will be thrilled to have a big female to himself. My little "Sparky" was very happy to be dropped in with my big black/white. He was a little fidget a few months ago. I feel the clowns are hard-wired to pair up.

Clowns born with Female/Male capability.
If you have 1 clownfish it will turn into a Female eventually.
If you have 2 male clownfish, the larger aggressive one will become female, and get much bigger, the smaller one will go male and will not get as big as the female.
If you add 2 females I hear eventually 1 will kill the other. This is a situation you need to avoid IMO.
Adding 2 males and they will sort it out, helps if you make is a 1-sided battle adding a bigger one and a little one.

Clowns can turn into a male and if the female dies the male becomes female. A female cannot return to male.

Ok so .. what is it best ? Should I add a tiny ocellaris with this black and white clownfish (can I know if she is a male or female? ) even though it is only a 10 gallons nano tank? Or is it less risky to leave him alone ?

 

[Lily Lemire]

All your advices makes me think that maybe its less risky if I dont add any more fishies....

 

[Jesterrace]

Feed them and enjoy the show.

Pretty much. Clownfish are about as newbie friendly as they get for saltwater fish. They are omnivores so a mixed diet would be good. If you want something like an all in one you could go with LRS Reef Frenzy (which is one of the best all around foods you can get for your tank):

 

[Lily Lemire]

Thanks for the food advice ! I'll try it !