Pairing Captive Bred Ocellaris Clownfish-Ideal size difference?

[Zionas]

Hi everyone, like many of you (pretty much all of you) I will be getting a pair of Clowns for my tank and I am definitely getting then Captive bred (why buy wild caught when they’re far more fragile and susceptible to disease?).

I am wondering what is the best size difference for them to end up as a match. Personally I am thinking that one should be 1/3 to 1-2 bigger than the other, so that it will become the female (if not already a female) and that the smaller one will become the male and submit.

In more specific numerical terms, I am planning to have one Ocellaris about 2-3cm (1”-1.2”) and the other about 4-5cm (1.5”-2”). Will it be enough of a difference to ensure they won’t fight?

I heard pairing Clowns is pretty easy with the exception of Maroons. Or maybe I can just get two small Ocellaris in the 3-4cm range and they’ll eventually pair up?

 

[Peace River]

Clowns are weird, but amazing and there are no guarantees. Two small or one small and one large/medium is typically the best way to go for most species of clownfish.

 

[Katrina71]

The hatchery I visited, every female chose a tiny male if given a choice.

 

[Zionas]

If they’re both captive bred, would two of approximately the same size work even if they’re not from the same batch?

Or would 1 small (2-3cm), 1 medium (4-5cm or 5-6cm) be better for Ocellaris? (And other species for that matter)

What are the chances of it not working out, or working out but they split later on? I really need a pair and don’t want a single Clown to be lonely.

 

[Peace River]

If they’re both captive bred, would two of approximately the same size work even if they’re not from the same batch?

Or would 1 small (2-3cm), 1 medium (4-5cm or 5-6cm) be better for Ocellaris? (And other species for that matter)

What are the chances of it not working out, or working out but they split later on? I really need a pair and don’t want a single Clown to be lonely.

They don't need to be from the same batch. IME it is not that they either pair easily or not at all - it can be a continuum from easy, or it takes a little time, or it takes a little more effort, or you may have to try a few different fish (some LFSs will let you switch out a clownfish for a little bit of additional cost), or a female that is so ornery she just won't put up with another fish in the tank. If you don't want to deal with any aggression then clownfish may not be the best option for you, but usually you can eventually get to a pair if you maintain good water quality and healthy fish.

 

[Zionas]

At what age do they usually reach sexual maturity (for females)?

I think I’m going to try one medium sized and one small, and hopefully that will give me a good chance of success. The other fish in my tank at that point (my first three fish) will be a One Spot Foxface. Hope the Ocellaris pair can get along with the Foxface peacefully.

 

[Peace River]

As a general rule I look toward two years although it can happen sooner or later. @Brandon Smith - what are your thoughts on clownfish maturity?

 

[Zionas]

What about the size at which a clownfish normally becomes a mature female?

 

[Rjramos]

I got this pair in Feb 2016. Almost even but the male was slightly smaller, as they grew, he stayed way behind.

 

[Zionas]

Not a fan of the designer varieties, much prefer the original or the Darwin variety, but aww they’re cute.

Were they already paired or did you toss them into the tank and eventually they paired? How long did it take and how much aggression was there?

 

[Nick Steele]

I believe it all comes down to the individual fish mentality. I’ve seen clowns the same size do fine together, one will be submissive and grow much slower then the more aggressive one. I’ve also seen smaller ones say .75 inch never back down from a 1 inch fish slowly outgrow it and they had to be separated.

At what age do they usually reach sexual maturity (for females)?

I think I’m going to try one medium sized and one small, and hopefully that will give me a good chance of success. The other fish in my tank at that point (my first three fish) will be a One Spot Foxface. Hope the Ocellaris pair can get along with the Foxface peacefully.

I’ve heard mature females are 1.5-3 years and mature males are 6 months.

 

[Brandon Smith]

Typically with occy's and percy's the female needs to be 2-4 years old to reach maturity. The male only need to be 6 months old. For maroon's, the females I believe needs to be 4-6 years old to reach maturity. I am not sure about male maroon's.

I would not buy a clownfish based on size assuming it is a female. What you can do though of you already have a clownfish you want to be a female is to introduce a smaller clownfish. There is some debate if clownfish are born sexless or as a male. Males can change to female, but females cannot change back to a male. I have 16 pairs in my system currently. I have really nice females along with some nice sized males as well. If there is a particular designer you are looking for, there are several Facebook groups that you can post on with what you would be looking for.

 

[Zionas]

@Brandon Smith Thanks for replying. I plan to buy two and introduce them at the same time. They won’t be designer clowns as I’ve never been a fan of them, just 2 of the regular variety or the Darwin variety. Do you think it’s better to have them both be more or less the same size, or for one to be bigger than the other? If so, what should the size difference be?

I am thinking of getting one 2-3cm (1-1.2”) and the other 4-5 (1.5”-2”) long. Will that be enough of a difference? How common is aggression in the initial couple of days, and how common is it that Ocellaris don’t pair up at all?

Thanks.

 

[mann1139]

I am thinking of getting one 2-3cm (1-1.2”) and the other 4-5 (1.5”-2”) long. Will that be enough of a difference? How common is aggression in the initial couple of days, and how common is it that Ocellaris don’t pair up at all?
[/QUOTE]

It could be. If they are from the same tank, there might be some light nipping, but they should re-establish themselves fairly soon.

As has been said in the thread, clowns pairing is not an exact science. Add them, watch them, but if they start doing real damage to each other be prepared to separate (just like any other introduction).

 

[Zionas]

Great. I think I’m confident enough to go ahead. It seems that many have succeeded and since Ocellaris are among the least aggressive of Clowns, they shouldn’t cause much trouble for my other fish. The third fish I’ll have in my tank at that point will be a OSFF. Will the FF likely be attacked by the Clowns?