Multiple clownfish pairs?

[MjOB]

My tank is finally done cycling and I'm looking to start with clownfish for my tank. It's ~360 gallons (8' x 30" x 30") with a 120 gallon sump.

I know with clownfish, unless you get a harem, eventually the female and her bonded male will likely kill everyone else. A lot of people seem to have success putting 2 different pairs of clownfish in their tank, with inevitably the discussion going to "it depends on the specific fish personalities" which I get.

What I'm wondering, is it reasonable to try doing multiple pairs of clownfish in the tank - all introduced at the same time, while juvenile, as the initial fish in the tank? I was thinking a pair of Ocellaris, a pair of Skunk Orange, and a pair of Picasso Percula? (So 3 different species - ocellaris, sandaracinos, and percula) Or would I just be setting myself up for disaster within a few months?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My tank is finally done cycling and I'm looking to start with clownfish for my tank. It's ~360 gallons (8' x 30" x 30") with a 120 gallon sump.

I know with clownfish, unless you get a harem, eventually the female and her bonded male will likely kill everyone else. A lot of people seem to have success putting 2 different pairs of clownfish in their tank, with inevitably the discussion going to "it depends on the specific fish personalities" which I get.

What I'm wondering, is it reasonable to try doing multiple pairs of clownfish in the tank - all introduced at the same time, while juvenile, as the initial fish in the tank? I was thinking a pair of Ocellaris, a pair of Skunk Orange, and a pair of Picasso Percula? (So 3 different species - ocellaris, sandaracinos, and percula) Or would I just be setting myself up for disaster within a few months?

I have 4 breeding pairs and no issues

 

[MjOB]

I have 4 breeding pairs and no issues

What types?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What types?

one pair snowflake and other 3 are perculas

 

[andy28115]

Skunks would not do well I don’t think. Ime they stress easily and will be reclusive.

 

[Rtaylor]

Since it’s such a large tank, it may work. Trouble is, clowns aren’t sexually mature until at least 2 years old and even if it works up until that point, that’s when they become increasingly aggressive, so it could change at any time. Adding a lot of anemones might increase your odds. Clowns can live for 30 years, I hear lots of anecdotes about people keeping multiple pairs of relatively young/juvenile clowns….I’m sure it exists, but I don’t know of anyone with multiple sets of 10 year old clown pairs.

 

[Cell]

360G tank, I'd go for it. Ideally strategically place some nems or or poetential hosts to create some natural territories with a decent amount of space in between.

 

[MjOB]

360G tank, I'd go for it. Ideally strategically place some nems or or poetential hosts to create some natural territories with a decent amount of space in between.

Not to stress the nems, do you think - get the clownfish, and 9-12 months later, get 4 nems, try to space them equally across the tank (use a clam/nem holder which they'll proceed to ignore) once the tank is more mature?
Or get nems earlier and hope they tolerate a less mature tank?

 

[Cell]

Not to stress the nems, do you think - get the clownfish, and 9-12 months later, get 4 nems, try to space them equally across the tank (use a clam/nem holder which they'll proceed to ignore) once the tank is more mature?
Or get nems earlier and hope they tolerate a less mature tank?

Former is probably best. Depends on how you are starting your tank ie. live rock vs dead rock and your experience level. A mature, stable tank gives you the best chances of success, but it's not impossible for a nem to thrive in a newer tank either.

 

[MjOB]

Former is probably best. Depends on how you are starting your tank ie. live rock vs dead rock and your experience level. A mature, stable tank gives you the best chances of success, but it's not impossible for a nem to thrive in a newer tank either.

Admittedly not very experienced, especially regarding coral / nems.

I used about 280 pounds of MarcoRock (did a NSA aquascape) - so dead rock, along with 320 pounds of Caribsea Dry Aragonite - so also dead.

Cycle just completed on the tank. Took 7 weeks, used API's starter bacteria since a bottle came with each 40lbs of MarcoRock. I am loosely following BRS' 5 minute guide and their ULM guide (not planning on going ULM, though) - used ammonium chloride for the cycle, can get it to go from 3.0 to 0.0 in <18 hours, and nitrites finally are gone.

Just added some macroalgae (sea lettuce and red ogo, will use to feed tangs down the line), cephalopods, and am daily dosing phytoplankton in the refugium right now.

So, as noted opening post - I am finally looking to get some fish. Am following their recs on not turning on the DT lights though for at least a month or two, so no corals yet.

I am good with the plan of - get several pairs of clownfish, wait a month or so, get next set of fish (tangs, wrasse, lawnmower blenny), wait a month or so, turn on lights - start getting some corals, then ~9 months from introducing the clownfish, getting some nems.

 

[Shawaiz_106]

Admittedly not very experienced, especially regarding coral / nems.

I used about 280 pounds of MarcoRock (did a NSA aquascape) - so dead rock, along with 320 pounds of Caribsea Dry Aragonite - so also dead.

Cycle just completed on the tank. Took 7 weeks, used API's starter bacteria since a bottle came with each 40lbs of MarcoRock. I am loosely following BRS' 5 minute guide and their ULM guide (not planning on going ULM, though) - used ammonium chloride for the cycle, can get it to go from 3.0 to 0.0 in <18 hours, and nitrites finally are gone.

Just added some macroalgae (sea lettuce and red ogo, will use to feed tangs down the line), cephalopods, and am daily dosing phytoplankton in the refugium right now.

So, as noted opening post - I am finally looking to get some fish. Am following their recs on not turning on the DT lights though for at least a month or two, so no corals yet.

I am good with the plan of - get several pairs of clownfish, wait a month or so, get next set of fish (tangs, wrasse, lawnmower blenny), wait a month or so, turn on lights - start getting some corals, then ~9 months from introducing the clownfish, getting some nems.

How did it go ?