Tank mates for my clowns

[Cameron]

I currently have a 20 gallon set up, which I know is a pretty small tank. It's 36x10x12, so the length actually makes it seem a lot bigger than it is. I currently have a couple clowns in there that I bought together less than a week ago. They were in a tank with about 4 other clowns at the LFS. I'm not sure if they've technically paired up or not, but they go everywhere together. I'm not ready to add any tank mates as of yet, but I'd like to add something within the next couple of months. After reading about how territorial clowns can be, especially when paired, I'd really like to do my research before adding anything else in. What kind of fish do you think would be ok with a pair of clownfish? I've considered adding another pair, perhaps some designer clowns, but is this asking for trouble? The LFS also has a couple of green mandarins that he has had for a few months now that are living entirely on frozen food. I'd love one of those, but I don't feel I possess the experience to care for one properly. I'd like to add two more fish, and if I don't do the two clowns, I'd like to do two different kinds. What do you guys recommend? I've added a picture of my tank for reference. Thanks!

 

[saltyphish]

I would not add anymore clowns to a 20 gallon tank. Even in bigger tanks they can fight a lot. I would not add another fish to that tank personally but if you do firefish are nice but jump so need a lid.

 

[Tahoe61]

^ Agreed, a twenty is too small for another pair of clowns. In the long run there is would aggression issue.

Beware of the Mandarin supposedly eating frozen food, it's rarely that easy, the old too good to be true adage. Your tank is too small and too young to be thinking about Mandarins.

A Royal Gramma, Chalk Bass, Cardinals would fit in nicely.

Great start on the tank BTW.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would not add much to a 20 with a pair of clowns. If anything, a goby shrimp pairing. Clowns usually leave them alone.

 

[Cameron]

Thank you guys, I figured that adding a pair of clown would be all bad, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I think that the green mandarin is a gorgeous fish, but again, I don't know if it's something I'm prepared to handle, so I've been looking at other things. I really like the idea of the shrimp and a goby, I'm just not sure how my wife would feel about it. When I first set up the tank, we had a clown fish in there with a shrimp, and I added them before the cycle was done (I didn't know better at the time), and when the clown started dying, the shrimp did his job and started eating him. My wife is convinced that the shrimp killed him, and I haven't been able to convince her otherwise, so needless to say, she hates the idea of having a shrimp in there. I'm considering the idea of adding a goby and maybe a basslet later on, but if I were to do this, I'd add them one at a time with at least a few weeks in between to see how they do so that I can get an idea of whether a 4th fish will just be too much for my tank. I'm trying to take this as slow as possible now, which has proven to be quite difficult since I am such an impatient person.

Also, thank you for the comment on my tank Tahoe, it's coming along

 

[DeniseAndy]

The good news on a shrimp goby pair is she will not likely see the shrimp too often and it actually looks quite different than a cleaner or peppermint as you probably had. Careful depending on the basslet. Especially if the clowns deem the tank their own prior to adding it. I love clowns, but you have to respect their nature. Aggressive and territorial.

 

[Cameron]

That's good to know about the Basslet. I'll talk to the wife about the goby and shrimp, hopefully I can convince her that this shrimp won't be an 'evil jerk' like she believes the other one was.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Explain how the shrimp and goby work together. This is what we work on with all the kids I present to. Symbiotic relationships.

 

[Cameron]

That's what I was planning to go with. I was thinking of explaining it as a less aggressive shrimp as the peppermint that we had, and showing her some videos of how they work with the fish to help keep each other safe from predators.