Why do people hate clownfish!?

[DalPal25]

Everyone hates clownfish but they're one of the fish I'm most excited about getting! I'm just starting a saltwater tank for the first time and hearing all these people say clownfish are awful makes me nervous about getting one. So attention clownfish haters: tell me why you dislike them

 

[Untamedrose]

umm what? Clowns are easily the most popular SW fish, nearly every single reefer has had some at one point or another.

 

[BoneXriffic]

I love them. However some species can be quite mean, such as the tomatoe clown. Also they can be agressive to new tank mates some times. Especially new clowns.

So if you love clowns and want them i reccomend doing research on care and compatibility

 

[Kershaw]

Yea not sure who you know that hate clowns. I think they are a great addition to any reef tank. I love black onyx snowflake clowns

 

[DalPal25]

I swear, I've seen it! The guy who runs the Bulk Reef Supply YouTube account commented back on one of his videos saying they're jerks and I just saw it again on a thread about what kind of corals people hate most and someone put "clownfish... Even though they aren't even corals, I just hate them" and someone replied in agreement! It raised red flags for me hahaha I'm still looking forward to getting a couple

 

[DalPal25]

I guess I worded it poorly by saying everyone because obviously the vast majority loves them. I just find anyone that hates them to be alarming and I've seen a decent amount lately, that's all

 

[Mmbra]

Honestly i love my 2 ocellaris clowns. I have actually been developing a hatred for my skunk cleaner shrimp. They steal food from my corals and it makes it impossible to spot feed. Plus catching these guys is nigh on impossible so i guess im stuck with em.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Honestly i love my 2 ocellaris clowns. I have actually been developing a hatred for my skunk cleaner shrimp. They steal food from my corals and it makes it impossible to spot feed. Plus catching these guys is nigh on impossible so i guess im stuck with em.

Have you tried broadcast feeding about 5 minutes before spot feeding. Usually distracts them

 

[DracoKat]

I love my clowns! They're the traditional nemo kinds. They are full of personality and I love the way they wiggle when they swim.

the only thing I don't like.. my female is very territorial and she bites me whenever I stick my hand in the tank. I am hoping she gets over this when I move them to the larger tank in a few months

 

[knukles55]

I can see people hating clown fish if you bought a pink gonipora or any coral that sways in current that catches a clown fishes eye to host it. Ends up stressing the coral so much till it's dead sometimes

 

[Joshky]

I don't hate clowns, I don't even dislike the "designer" clowns (overall)..... what I dislike are how many irresponsible breeders there are not culling fry that should be culled. Most tank bred clowns these days look like garbage if you compare them to a wild caught clown.

 

[StrangeDejavu]

Honestly i love my 2 ocellaris clowns. I have actually been developing a hatred for my skunk cleaner shrimp. They steal food from my corals and it makes it impossible to spot feed. Plus catching these guys is nigh on impossible so i guess im stuck with em.

Mine is so obnoxious about this too. What helps is to feed the tank, then feed the coral as mentioned above. Then, right before I take the cover off my Acan or other coral after feeding, I drop a NLS pellet to the shrimp. It's too busy trying to chomp through the hard pellet to pull food out of the Acan mouth at that point. YMMV, but it works well for me.

 

[DalPal25]

I love my clowns! They're the traditional nemo kinds. They are full of personality and I love the way they wiggle when they swim.

the only thing I don't like.. my female is very territorial and she bites me whenever I stick my hand in the tank. I am hoping she gets over this when I move them to the larger tank in a few months

Does it hurt when they bite?

 

[DracoKat]

It doesn't hurt. startles me every time though! it's a small pinch and does not hurt at all

 

[Untamedrose]

I swear, I've seen it! The guy who runs the Bulk Reef Supply YouTube account commented back on one of his videos saying they're jerks and I just saw it again on a thread about what kind of corals people hate most and someone put "clownfish... Even though they aren't even corals, I just hate them" and someone replied in agreement! It raised red flags for me hahaha I'm still looking forward to getting a couple

Should check out the BRS guys 120 gal clown fish Harlem tank....he put nothing in it(well LR and cleaning crew too) but a bunch BTAs and 30 clowns.
Clowns can be moderately aggressive, and they can gang up on each other. Like in the 120 I just mentioned they were black and whites, one of them had a little bit of orange on it's nose so it stood out and was getting picked on (had to be removed for its own safety.)

Especially while trying to figure out who gets to be the girl. Dominance stuffs...and you do NOT want to end up purchasing two girls by accident. It wont end well. Always go for the medium to smallest ones in a school of all about the same size. Some people try crossbreeding(with some success) not sure I'd recommend that for a beginner, get the same species.
They can also get territorial especially after they claim an anemone. (mine trys to bite my hand if I get near hers)
Tomatoes and Marroons are the two worst for this.

But over all clowns arnt hated....
They are a great beginner fish...that is pretty easy to keep, is active around the tank(meaning some fish just hang in a corner or in a hole and your lucky to see at feeding time)
and the whole anemone hosting relationship is just cool...seriously.
OH and they are pretty easy to breed...should you ever wanna get into that.

 

[Kershaw]

My two snowflakes eat from my hand with out biting me. And I could probably just grab them if I had to remove them lol. I did have a big female snowflake a few years ago that would bite. But never bothered me that much.

 

[Kershaw]

I heard the maroon clowns are the ones that draw blood

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I "hate" clownfish.....

These were the shirts we had made for our store....

@Kungpaoshizi probably would have liked them!

 

[Untamedrose]

My two snowflakes eat from my hand with out biting me. And I could probably just grab them if I had to remove them lol. I did have a big female snowflake a few years ago that would bite. But never bothered me that much.

I've got the blood oranges, the half maroons....and they arnt unfriendly, but female is protective of the BTAs. Her nibs hardly hurt(nothing compared to the kitten!) just more what..what are you doing!

 

[4FordFamily]

I'm not really a fan of clowns, especially not designer clowns. Out of probably 60 fish, 2 are clowns and they're your basic ocellaris and black ocellaris and they're only around still because my wife likes them.

Percula and ocellaris are not overly aggressive, clarkii and skunk clowns IMO are pretty nasty, as are fire and tomato. I've had all of those and was quickly not a fan. Damsels on the other hand I "hate".

In a small tank clowns provide good color and a hardy choice. For large tanks I would rather stock wrasse or something else for the bio load to beauty ratio!

Designer clowns do absolutely nothing for me. To me it's like "pimping out" a yugo.