Question for Clown Aggression Experts

BostonReefer300 · Jan 24, 2022

OK, so I have a pair of plain old ocellaris clowns in my biggest DT that, surprise, surprise, have never taken to the two giant rose bubble tip nems in the tank. They much prefer to host next to the loc-line water inlets. Anyway, I tried adding a couple of longfin blacktail clowns figuring clown aggression shouldn't be a problem given that my 300G was big enough, the blacktails were different enough, and there should be no fighting over the nems. WRONG! I barely managed to net the blacktails before the demon Nemos slaughtered them. The blacktails, by the way, never showed any interest in the nems while they were running for their lives---nor have they even noticed the nem in their new home, my daughter's tank.
Anyway, I have a couple of cheap skunk clowns in an entirely different anemone tank who love the nems in there and the nems are thriving. If I weren't so manly, I'd also say they look so cute frolicking in the nems.
SO, I've been seriously contemplating getting another couple skunks to add to my DT. They look really different from the Nemos and I'm counting on their well-known affinity for nems to give them a territory to call their own.
Thoughts on this please? Am I just a sadist who is throwing these skunks into the gladiator ring? I really want the nems in my DT to have some resident clowns. My daughter thinks that would be cute.
Many Thanks!

fishguy242 · Jan 24, 2022

hi ,unfortunately ,don't think good idea , occy's have shown it's their tank,
skunks can be mellow,also can turn aggressive,
jmo ,may be able to add single larger adult maroon variant.
may keep occy's at bay .might not,maroon should take to nem.
either way ,playing with fire.

BostonReefer300 · Jan 24, 2022

fishguy242 said:
hi ,unfortunately ,don't think good idea , occy's have shown it's their tank,
skunks can be mellow,also can turn aggressive,
jmo ,may be able to add single larger adult maroon variant.
may keep occy's at bay .might not,maroon should take to nem.
either way ,playing with fire.

Thanks, I had my doubts obviously. A small part of me wants to give it a try anyway since skunks are so cheap, but my conscience wouldn't let me do that to the poor animals. I barely got the longfins out of my DT alive and skunks are a lot quicker. I didn't realize that maroons typically will host with a nem. Thanks!