Does size matter with adding clowns?

[jCoffin]

My friend and I have been shooting this back and forth for a while now and I am looking for the community to put it to rest lol. He has a large pair of bonded oc. clowns and won't get another because he is thinking they would kill it. I have had a small oc. clown in mine for about 4 months now and I was thinking about getting him a friend. Mine is so territorial (only fish in tank with a lot of inverts) he attacks my hand every time I go in to clean or move rocks. My thinking is that if you were to add another clown it should be smaller so that the existing clown(s) would trump the new guy into submission and life will go on. He thinks since they are of the damsels they will just brawl until one ends up 80-6ed. Any thoughts?

 

[spznm]

I have a pair of OC bonded with a nem and I added two extreme davinchi to the mix, what I do, is put the new clown in a clear box for a few weeks till the others accept him. Once I let him lose I keep checking to see how they play.

 

[jCoffin]

That's not a bad idea. Like the fish boxes they use at the store for bagging just put some holes in it?

 

[spznm]

That's not a bad idea. Like the fish boxes they use at the store for bagging just put some holes in it?

You can use that or the cpr brand in tank refugium box

 

[jCoffin]

Oh nice I'll check the usual suspects stock for one. Do you think it would still be needed in my situation of only having one clown to start?

 

[ohio reefer]

Here's the thing. A clown can change gender from male to female, but not female to male. If you place two females in a tank they will fight to the death. Males are smaller than females, if you have two small clowns, one will turn female. If you have an existent female, the smaller clown will be the male, if you place a large clown with a medium clown, and there is a chance the smaller clown is a female, the large clown will not submit. This will result in one less fish. so that's why you should add a smaller clown.

 

[jCoffin]

Here's the thing. A clown can change gender from male to female, but not female to male. If you place two females in a tank they will fight to the death. Males are smaller than females, if you have two small clowns, one will turn female. If you have an existent female, the smaller clown will be the male, if you place a large clown with a medium clown, and there is a chance the smaller clown is a female, the large clown will not submit. This will result in one less fish. so that's why you should add a smaller clown.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks so much for explaining how it works! I'll probably get a tiny clown for my setup then since mine is only about 3" nose to tail.

 

[jCoffin]

Have you seen or heard of different species cross breeding or is that something that's not really heard of? Like adding a black clown with a standard orange oc? Or is that how misbar, snowflakes, etc come about (not above example but same idea)?

 

[jhoffa92]

You can mix my brother has pair of black ice clowns and one oc in the same tank they do fine together

 

[spznm]

Oh nice I'll check the usual suspects stock for one. Do you think it would still be needed in my situation of only having one clown to start?

Some females get really aggressive, I would acclimate it in the box and get him to eat before trying.

 

[jCoffin]

Ah got it. I'll get the box just to be safe. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have one for coral acclimation anyways. Thanks again

 

[ohio reefer]

Have you seen or heard of different species cross breeding or is that something that's not really heard of? Like adding a black clown with a standard orange oc? Or is that how misbar, snowflakes, etc come about (not above example but same idea)?

You can mix clowns, I've been doing it for awhile. And orange occlarris and black occellaris are the basically the same fish, same family and all, just different color variants, it's like a black lab and a brown lab. It's a little more risky to mix different species how ever. For example a oc and a maroon can get along, and even breed, but the maroon may also be very aggressive towards the other or vice versa. Snowflakes are selectively bred to achieve that pattern, like all designer clowns. If your black and orange occellaris did mate they'd make "mocha clowns". These clowns are a dull orange/brown and some even go mainly black. I currently have a premium onxy and Picasso pair that I'm trying to breed.

 

[jCoffin]

You can mix my brother has pair of black ice clowns and one oc in the same tank they do fine together

I still have yet to see that tank. I'd like to go frag shopping there soon lol.

 

[jCoffin]

You can mix clowns, I've been doing it for awhile. And orange occlarris and black occellaris are the basically the same fish, same family and all, just different color variants, it's like a black lab and a brown lab. It's a little more risky to mix different species how ever. For example a oc and a maroon can get along, and even breed, but the maroon may also be very aggressive towards the other or vice versa. Snowflakes are selectively bred to achieve that pattern, like all designer clowns. If your black and orange occellaris did mate they'd make "mocha clowns". These clowns are a dull orange/brown and some even go mainly black. I currently have a premium onxy and Picasso pair that I'm trying to breed.

Oh wow those are some nice fish. I'm guessing the pic on the right is of the Picasso? I've never seen that barring but like it a lot. Is it considered one of the designer clowns? I've seen the snowflake and platinums but like the barring of yours. It's a more balanced mix IMO.

 

[ohio reefer]

Oh wow those are some nice fish. I'm guessing the pic on the right is of the Picasso? I've never seen that barring but like it a lot. Is it considered one of the designer clowns? I've seen the snowflake and platinums but like the barring of yours. It's a more balanced mix IMO.

Thanks! And both of them are considered "designer". I picked him up for 12$ at my lfs. They were having a sale and every 50$ you spent you got 10$ in gift cards. I already had almost 400$ in store credit and gift cards so I bought clams, anemones, and coral. Then I had 100$ off the clown and he was the only one they had and was marked at 112$. The black one is the onxy and the one with with the strange barring is the Picasso.

 

[jCoffin]

Thanks! And both of them are considered "designer". I picked him up for 12$ at my lfs. They were having a sale and every 50$ you spent you got 10$ in gift cards. I already had almost 400$ in store credit and gift cards so I bought clams, anemones, and coral. Then I had 100$ off the clown and he was the only one they had and was marked at 112$. The black one is the onxy and the one with with the strange barring is the Picasso.

Ah nice but I feel the label designer has made the clowns a little bougie lol. But I get the whole more desirable aspect. And you got a heck of a deal on those! Way to go smart shopping! Now I'm wondering what an offspring from my standard oc clown and a Picasso would look like... If they hit it off lol.

 

[reefobsessed]

What size is considered medium. I have 2 oc clowns in my 29, one fancy and one black ice. They are not showing signs of pairing (been together for 2 weeks) and both are non aggressive, very passive. I have set up a 20L for two clowns and anemones. I have purchased another black ice and will be bringing it home Friday. The one I am purchasing is slightly bigger than the one I have. The one I have is about 2 inches. Would it be safe to put them together? They will both be going into new surroundings.

 

[jCoffin]

I'd read reply #6 from Ohio reefer to get the gist for the how's and whys of clown sizing when adding one to your aquarium. As far as sizes and standards go I think each shop will judge differently but I'd say that any clown 2" and under, nose to tail, would be small, 2-3 1/2 would be medium and 3 1/2+ would be large/jumbo.

 

[ohio reefer]

If anyone would like I could email you the info for my lfs. They have occellaris about 1-0.5 inches. Raised in the store so are extremely small