How many captive bred same type clowns can you keep with other fish?

[Aquarist76]

Hey all,

I'm planning on setting up a new 200G tank (approx 72x24x24); mostly LPS reef. Right now I'd love to have a group of Storm Clowns in there. I was thinking maybe 1 large orange storm and then 2 small orange, 2 small black, and 1 mocha storm. There would be other fish in there such as some tangs, wrasses, tilefish, goby pair.

Any thoughts on this? Since they're captive bred and all the same species I figured it seemed likely to work. You never know to you try though.

I have some BTAs I can put in there but I don't know if have enough for all the fish. I maybe have 5 BTAs each 3-4in now. I also have 2 Ritteri 6-8in. I didn't know if it would be better to have no nems so there's no fighting over them. If I put all my nems in the new tank I'll have some very upset clowns in my smaller tanks though.

I do currently have a 180G with a pair of Ocellaris and Latz together with no nems and no problems. I figured that may work because they are phylogenetically so far separated and I have to say it couldn't have gone better. They don't pay each other any attention whatsoever.

 

[Gareth elliott]

In larger tanks i have seen pairs few feet. I am not sure if they survive long term like this or not tbh. In the wild a large group of clowns will be of the same family. Mother, father, and offspring.
There are harem tanks, but not sure what other fish id keep with that many clowns

 

[motortrendz]

I have 2 pairs in a 4ft tank.. they pretty much stay to their corners. But will mingle in the middle. But pretty much never cross that imaginary line or the female will chase them back.

 

[mort]

Clown harems are tricky. If the tank is large enough you can sometimes get away with pairs at either end but having multiple clowns is sometimes only a temporary thing before they begin to pick on one another.
Large groups is unnatural tbh (as in 15-20+) and they wouldn't be seen swimming about all together unless in a grow out tank. It's cool to look at but even among siblings (it's generally thought getting clowns from the same spawn has best longterm group success) you see dominance eventually. The problem is if you have to small a group then the subordinates can be picked on but to large a group and the dominant fish that turns female won't be able to stop the next dominant fish also becoming female, which leads to war.
There are plenty of harem threads out there so I'd read a few of those or go for young clowns and see how they do but with a plan of how to separate any that get bullied before they are killed.

In the wild a large group of clowns will be of the same family. Mother, father, and offspring.

It may seem like they are a family unit but this isn't the case. The dominant female and male lay eggs which they protect until they hatch but after that the young head for the moon and into the plankton. They then spend a while drifting around in the ocean currents before settling back on the reef, potentially very very far from their parents. It's then a game of survival for them to find a anemone and be accepted by the other clowns before they are predated. This is how fish spread in general and how they keep their genetics strong.