Clowns

I have a question about clown fish.
I currently have 2 maroon clown fish a larger one and a smaller one that are paired up together.

I would like to add 2 tank bred Ocellaris Clownfish.

My two maroon clowns are so laid back and keep to themselves all the time in a cave in the corner....I hardly see them sometimes.

Will they get along or fight...can you not have different types of clownfish in the same tank. Like maroons, skunk, percula, ocellaris...etc?!?

 

Personally I wouldn't try it. Different clowns can be kept in the same tank as long as it's large enough. I think 135gal might be enough but if I remember correctly the maroon clowns are one of the most aggressive clowns. However since you said the maroons are sticking together in a cave in the corner, it might just work out to where the new clowns inhabit the other corner.

 

Maroons usually don't play nice with other clowns. But your tank may be big enough for two types to find there own space. As always its going to be a risk, you never really know how fish are going to act. If your LFS would take them back you could give it a try, if the maroons get too crazy you would have to take the new ones back.

 

Its funny because I heard the maroon were really agressive also...but I must have two of the sweetest ones.

I am telling you...I see them once in the morning...only the big one...and when they eat....even then...they wait for the food to drop in their corner of the tank.

Other fish go in there cave and they dont even really care...its weird....I guess its true you never really know what fish will do.

The tank is 6' long so there is a chance it might work.

Man...I just hate having to catch fish to bring them back....what a PITA...I wish there was an easy way to catch them....then I would experiment more.

 

I found an easy way to catch fish is to entice them to the top with food while holding a clear tupperware container in the other hand. While they are distracted just scoop them up. It's always worked for me.

 

I wish I could do that...I usually wind up pulling rock out, insterting a plastic divider and narrowing down the size to catch the fish.

Then I chase it with a net to a corner and scoop it up. Sucks!!!

 

Clownfish are VERY territorial. Even if they don't seem aggressive, they will be if something invades their space. I watch mine get along all day with the chromis in the tank, they get up close to their frogspawn, and all get along... but if i put my hand in the tank too close they will draw blood. Silly unpredictable fish.

Are they hosting an anemone? I've heard multiple anemones are important in keeping multiple pairs of clowns in large tanks, but that could just apply to conspecifics.

 

No...they're not hosting anything....I dont have any anemone's in the tank...they just hang out in the back corner in a cave.

 

cause there's no other clowns in there with them. i've seen it work but they were added at the same time.none had any claimed territory.