friendly with clowns

hey guys im new here and im thinking about putting a tank together, i want some clown fish, hopefully they would pair, and i was wondering, what other fish go well with clown fish? i hear that damsels are good for helping to cycle the water at first, would they be ok together?

 

Clowns are actually a type of damsel fish lol...I didn't believe it until I read it in a marine fish book. They should be okay together. You could always ask your lfs if you can use them to cycle the tank and then bring them back when you are ready to get some clowns. See if they might make an exchange. They probably wont, but if i remember correctly, damsels are only a few bucks.

But overall, I don't think the clowns will fuss with the damsels, though some other damsels can be aggressive.

 

If you plan on adding multiple Clowns, then I would add them at the same time to lessen the possibility of aggression. Bruce is right in that clowns are members of the damsel family-and many, but not all of them have a boisterous side to them that could pose a problem to future inhabitants.
Tangs, Flasher and Fairy Wrasses, Blennies, Gobies and Basslets are ideal with a reef set-up though there are other fish as well.
Do some research to better inform you as to making the right and best decision for your particular needs and wants!
Good luck!

 

any fish except predator fish are good with clowns.just remeber your tank size makes a difference.oyea and try to stay away from the highly aggreesive fish they tend to limit what you can do with the tank.

 

Well tank size would dictate what you add But i always use Just one little yellow tail damsel to cycle and if you want a pair of mated clowns ? We have them also several species of them.. And we have single tank raised clowns also different species .. But never add more then one yellow tailed damsel a shy peaceful fish unless they pair off and with just one that would never be a worry.

 

If first starting out, things will go much easier if fish are juveniles.

My clowns and damsels, yellowtail, striped have long done well together.

Were added young and over relatively same time period.

 

if you plan on adding live rock or have already added it then there is no need to add anything else to start the cycle.if you do use fish to start the cycle and they die,and they probably will,then leave their dead bodies in the tank and their bodies will start the cycle.

 

Tis true, clowns are a close cousin to the damsel..Clowns can tend to be boisterous. I have been attack by the female of a mated pair when coming even close to the BTA in which they host. Our mated pair are quite docile and when we have our hands in the tank the large female will swim right up to your arm and give it a little peck...LOL...I think it realizes that I rescued it from our LFS. She had finrot and Lymphocystis. She was swiftly put into quarantine where she stayed for about six weeks where we treated her with an antibiotic. There came a time where we were hand feeding her...She is awesome in our dispaly tank.8)

On another note while in a fish store in Northern Va. yesterday we saw one of the most perfect mated pair of Picasso Clowns and their anemone...

 

Clowns are great fish for a reef tank! They have a great personality and in my experience have not been very aggressive. On the other hand i have watched damsels change from cute little juveniles into large rather angry fish who have killed other co-inhabitants. I would stick to more passive fish like flashers, gobies, tangs etc.

A word of advice, go buy a reefkeeping/saltwater fishkeeping book. I have a few and they have been the most invaluable source of information. Check the internet aswell and research any fish you think you would like to keep and make a list. Once you have your list check that they are all compatible and then your on your way!

Good luck and if you need a hand or a question answered, just drop a post!

Breed

 

I had one clown in with a 3 striped damsel.. Didn't have any problems.. Took the damsel out when I got another clown..My issues where tank size....