New Tank All Clowns

Z06-Hec · Mar 6, 2015

Ok so I'm helping a friend setup a new tank.
45 Cube.

The idea is only clowns so we are going to try
all Ocellaris
3 black disbar
2 wyoming whites
2 flurry
2 snowflake
6 regular clowns

Anyone have any advice?
My plan is 3 acclimation boxes all besides each other and let them sit for a day. They are all getting introduced at the same time to the new tank.

What are the thoughts here?

Wesley42079 · Mar 6, 2015

With that many clowns all in one tank, I definitely recommend borders to separate them, just in case they start pairing off. I once had a tank with 8 perc's and eventually after a few months, I was only left with 1-2 clowns.

Good luck with the clownfish adventure.

OrionN · Mar 6, 2015

With that may clowns in a small tank, you will see them pick each other off as they get older. I raised clowns so I have a lot of baby clowns. When they are small in alrge number, they are OK. As they get older, the become much more agressive and will eliminated most of them. In very large tank maybe it is OK but not a 45 gal.

glb · Mar 6, 2015

I agree. I think that's too many. You don't want to lost them because they fight each other. Good luck!

jayjigga · Mar 6, 2015

There's a couple things that help in these scenarios, and a 45G cube is definitely not one factor on your side.

Frequent feedings, multiple hosts, and enough places to swim away from aggression are the 3 things to come to mind, at the moment. Where are you on beefing up filtration and what's the exit strategy if and when you notice aggression?

Z06-Hec · Mar 12, 2015

jayjigga said:
There's a couple things that help in these scenarios, and a 45G cube is definitely not one factor on your side.

Frequent feedings, multiple hosts, and enough places to swim away from aggression are the 3 things to come to mind, at the moment. Where are you on beefing up filtration and what's the exit strategy if and when you notice aggression?

Didnt see this...
So he has his old tank as a back up if they need to get split, worst case scenario if it does not work out i have a 150 gal 6 foot, i can take some off his hands.
I really dont expect an issue with most of them except the black ones since they are bigger.
I already have him set up with a auto feeder that can feed 4 times daily while he is at work.
Lid to prevent anyone from jumping out.
and if he needs to add some more rock to create caves that should help for any needed hiding spots...

Everyone and their mother told me i could not house the angels i have together, at one point i had Emperor, majestic and blue face... no issues...
A little agression at first from Majestic to blue face but after a few months that has changed.
If anything because she has calmed down it encouraged the blue face to come out more and he acts like a p-rick sometimes and chases her.
Even with i had my Powder blue in there with my purple tang, Majestic Angel and Blue face there really was only chasing back and forth and nothing more.

With my clowns now i have a paired Wyoming whites and paired nearly nakeds and they chase each other as well but nothing more than that.

If his tank gets any more aggressive, we can always get rid of some, pass them on to me, or sell them.

It is also said everywhere... cant keep angels with corals and clams...
Powder Blue are reef safe... NOT
If anything my powder blue destroyed my 2 gonis, and picked at EVERYTHING else.... He had to go...
My angels really only pick at my red lobo, for some odd reason the leave the green one alone...

jayjigga · Mar 12, 2015

Majority of the issues happen later, when they mature. They can be fine for a while, and it's good that you have a contingency plan if it goes south, but that only works if you're around to stop the fighting. I think it'll work for a couple months, but without any established hosts, it's going to be harder. All the harem tanks you see show numerous anemones.

Just because you're disproving advice from others, doesn't mean you're not an anomaly. A lot of the fish compatibility advice is given with the long-term scope in mind. People have claimed to having a pair of clowns for years and having the female go nuts one day for no reason (that we're aware of). Fish can't always be predictable, so the community tends to err on the side of caution. We're obviously not going to be able to stop this experiment, but you asked our advice. A 45G is a pretty small tank for a harem, that's the bottom line. Good luck and we all hope for the least amount of casualties. We love our fish and wouldn't want to see them suffer

Z06-Hec · Mar 12, 2015

I hear you, thanks. try to take shots and progress in the coming months.

PvD · Mar 18, 2015

Z06-Hec said:
I hear you, thanks. try to take shots and progress in the coming months.

Where'd you find someone stupid enough to let you build them a tank?? :tongue:

jayjigga · Mar 18, 2015

PvD said:
Where'd you find someone stupid enough to let you build them a tank?? :tongue:

Haha, how's the new tank? Get an automatic feeder that can do multiple feedings.

Z06-Hec · Mar 18, 2015

LOL Everyone meet PVD, the fool that works with me that i am helping... LOL...
Yes i made him buy an auto feeder as well. up to 4 feeds a day programmable.

Tank has been running for a few weeks with all the stuff from the old tank. Some Goni and Xenia, and some fish. The clowns arrive tomorrow.
My supplier has had them for a little over 2 weeks in a tank all divided, i think that will help when we start acclimating them in PVD tank.

Z06-Hec · Mar 22, 2015

Ok so just an update. The supplier ended up sending 11 clowns not 15. 2 died on him, and he says the snowflakes must have both jumped out. A little hard to believe both snowflakes jumped his tank but whatever, he gave a refund for them. When we got the fish we did about a 2-3 hour acclimation. 1 of the clowns looked exhausted and eventually died on us. The rest of them are looking good on day 4 so far. No fighting or any aggression. Will try to get some shots soon.

Z06-Hec · Mar 24, 2015

Ha so PVD is out of town and gave me his foscam id and password... one of his clowns is now hosting in his Goniopora... So cool...
I know they can potentially kill the goni if they are too rough but it looks so cool.
I have like 7 nems in my tank and none host my clowns. GRRRR