Clownfish: Tank raised, or wild caught?

Dear readers--

In a few days, I will be buying my first fish... either a clownfish, or a clownfish pair. I like the look of true/false percula clownfish.

My understanding is that tank raised and wild caught clownfish have their own perks and downsides, which I will attempt to summarize:

TANK RAISED:
Perks: less aggressive, more hardy
Downsides: less vibrant colors, if adding anemone later the chances of them hosting in it are slimmer.

WILD CAUGHT:
Perks: super vibrant colors, much more willing to host in an anemone added later.
Downsides: might be a little more aggressive, and if I buy ONE now and decide to add another to pair it in a few months or something, it may be too territorial for this to work, less hardy.


Here's what I'm thinking... I prefer wild caught because I'm all about colors. Also, I do plan on adding an anemone later and I really hope the clown(s) host in it.

How much "less hardy" are the wild caught ones? I've never had a saltwater tank so it's hard for me to gauge how much I'd have to screw up to kill a wild caught versus tank raised clown.

Also, what are your thoughts on adding one or two clowns? Everyone has a different opinion, and I think I'd prefer one just because my tank is only 30g, and 2 start taking up a lot of my room.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!

 

I would recommend a tank raised specimen but I guess that's up to you. But I'm sure others will join in here soon.

 

Thanks Missionsix, thats what I was going for but couldn't get the thought out through this darn hangover lol.

 

Amen!

oh, and to add to it, I'd go with a pair. I have a single perc right now ... and need to add another, he kinda just hangs out in the corner by himself, looking lonely. I've read that is typically what happens when they are housed by themselves

 

If you feed tank-raised clowns foods like cyclopeeze or other foods high in Astaxanthene like Cyclopeeze, etc. you'll get very good coloration.

 

I've seen wild caught next to tank raised, the tank raised always have less vibrant colors in my opinion, even when fed well. There are some beautiful tank raised clowns, but put them side by side and the wild caught always wins IMO.

My Maroon clown was wild caught from the Indian Ocean. He had a layover at London Heathrow before arriving in Tampa and picked up by the LFS. From the ocean, to my tank

 

definately go with the tank raised. taking stuff from the wild just to get better coloring isn't the way to go. don't buy a pair either, it's a waste of money. just get two different clowns (tank raised) and get them from different tanks or at different times. 90% of the time, they will eventually become paired.

 

Can a black and white clown pair with a true/false perc?

 

100% totally agree with previous posters. Your main concern is coloration, well heqalth and diet are the biggest factors in that, so it can go either way.
The biggest issue is there is already enough strain on our oceans. If you can, go captive bred. No need to add to the destruction.
Also something I failed to see mentioned: wild caught clowns are not very hardy, at all. A lot of them will stop eating in a weeks period and slowly die in captivity.