Spotcinctus, Fire, or Saddleback?

PicassoClown04 · Aug 22, 2020

I'm having a dilemma for stocking my 45 gallon. These three are my favorites but I've found very little information on them, can y'all help me? There will be slow moving, docile fish in this tank so they can't be too aggressive and I'd like to see them host my anemone. Those are basically the only two requirements. If you've had any of these fish, Id love to hear your experiences with them!

Scurvy · Aug 22, 2020

Spotty’s are my favorite clown. Tried a pair once and lost both inside of 72 hours. @NY_Caveman has a beautiful pair.

PicassoClown04 · Aug 22, 2020

Scurvy said:
Spotty’s are my favorite clown. Tried a pair once and lost both inside of 72 hours. @NY_Caveman has a beautiful pair.

Dang, did they come to you sick? Sorry they didn't make it

. I hear they should be kept in groups of 2+?

TriggersAmuck · Aug 22, 2020

I love my pair of Fires, but they are on the feistier, more lively side which could be too much for peace loving reef denizens. They are almost guaranteed to host bubble tips, and they are sure to provide you with hours of entertainment in attacking any part of your body which is submerged in the tank. (My female is particularly good at finding that soft skin in between the knuckles which can be quite painful!). When the female started getting bigger my Royal Gramma started hiding all the time, though I never saw her attack the gramma. But Occam's Razor would say it was probably due to aggression. The smaller male is pretty easy going in comparison. Neither of them ever bother the smaller gobies (Green Banded, Red Striped, Red Headed, Yellow Clown, Yellow Neon) in my tank.

When I have seen other Fires in LFSs they are always displaying very strong personalities, which can be good or bad depending on your intent.

Scurvy · Aug 22, 2020

footgal said:
Dang, did they come to you sick? Sorry they didn't make it . I hear they should be kept in groups of 2+?

Yeah, I got to believe they arrived with something going that quickly.

lemonade · Aug 22, 2020

I've had a pair of Spotcinctus for about 5 years now. I would say they are very docile for anemone fish

PicassoClown04 · Aug 22, 2020

Follow up question: where did y’all buy your fish? I’ve never seen these at my lfs

KingTideCorals · Aug 22, 2020

I have a pair of spotcintcus' in my lagoon, if youre interested check out my channel below and see the tank tour! Show a bit of em, and I cannot wait for them to grow out. Probably some of the best looking clowns when in full adult form/size.

lemonade · Aug 22, 2020

My LFS got them through ORA I believe.

My pair about 5 years back the day I brought them home.

Today

PicassoClown04 · Aug 22, 2020

lemonade said:
My LFS got them through ORA I believe.

My pair about 5 years back the day I brought them home.

Today

Wow they’re big now! Do you think a pair/trio would be okay in a 45 lagoon?

lemonade · Aug 22, 2020

I've never had a trio of clowns/anemone fish so I'm not sure on that. I would say you wouldn't want more than two in a 45. These are quite large as adults, mine are in a 150 and sometimes I feel they have almost out grown it.

When I've gone periods without a nem in the tank they were much more active and roaming the tank, but for the most part stay in their little zone near the anemone.

NY_Caveman · Aug 23, 2020

footgal said:
I'm having a dilemma for stocking my 45 gallon. These three are my favorites but I've found very little information on them, can y'all help me? There will be slow moving, docile fish in this tank so they can't be too aggressive and I'd like to see them host my anemone. Those are basically the only two requirements. If you've had any of these fish, Id love to hear your experiences with them!

Scurvy said:
Spotty’s are my favorite clown. Tried a pair once and lost both inside of 72 hours. @NY_Caveman has a beautiful pair.

I do have a pair of Spotcinctus (A. bicinctus). I bought them from Manhattan Aquariums in person (same ownership as @uniquecorals ). @Cultivated Reef is a good online source too and Holly is very helpful.

I first added just one Spotcintus to my 45 gallon AIO and later added a smaller as a male. They are not aggressive to other fish, but sometimes the female shoos them away. Never relentlessly. Of course, fish are like people and each has their own personality.

I have Bubble Tip Anemones (one and then a clone split) and they host both clowns. The first Spotcinctus I added took about three days to go in. The male I added later took longer, but was added as a juvenile. As he submitted and grew into his role as a male, he began going into the clone anemone. In time as the Clownfish grew closer, he went freely to both anemones.

PicassoClown04 · Aug 23, 2020

NY_Caveman said:
I do have a pair of Spotcinctus (A. bicinctus). I bought them from Manhattan Aquariums in person (same ownership as @uniquecorals ). @Cultivated Reef is a good online source too and Holly is very helpful.

I first added just one Spotcintus to my 45 gallon AIO and later added a smaller as a male. They are not aggressive to other fish, but sometimes the female shoos them away. Never relentlessly. Of course, fish are like people and each has their own personality.

I have Bubble Tip Anemones (one and then a clone split) and they host both clowns. The first Spotcinctus I added took about three days to go in. The male I added later took longer, but was added as a juvenile. As he submitted and grew into his role as a male, he began going into the clone anemone. In time as the Clownfish grew closer, he went freely to both anemones.

Thank you! Your clowns are beautiful and look great in their nems! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for!!!