Will Mixed Ocellaris Clowns Host Together?

[SomefinsFishy]

Hi, I'm completely new to the hobby but I've done hours of research and forum reading. I have a 60 gallon tank with nothing in it yet but i plan to get live rock and live sand today to start the cycle.
I was wondering if (after my cycle) I could get a tank bred ocellaris clown and a Darwin ocellaris clown (black clown), at the same time, and put them in together. Would they like eachother? Would they host in the same anemone together? I also read this could work out if 1 is slightly bigger than the other. Anyone who has done this I would greatly appreciate hearing about their experience and everyone elses opinions are welcome as well!
Also, for the types of anemone I wanted to start out cheap in case things don't work out, so I was thinking of getting a Condylactis anemone for them. I know that it may be hard to get them to host it but I've seen much success as well. I do not plan to breed them so any suggestions about keeping that from happening would be awesome.

[SomefinsFishy]

Not everyone at once... Lol

[TigeBell]

IMHO, go with a BTA or a natural host for an Ocellaris not the Condy.

The clowns will work together okay. A problem would be mixing an ocellaris and possible a Maroon Clownfish for example.

[Eastamherstbias]

Yes, introduce them both at the same time and you should be fine. Get them young.

[Ambition]

Mixing an orange ocellaris clown and a black and white ocellaris won't be a problem if you get both young with a slight size differential between the two so that one will become female without too much hassle. Both of these clowns are the same species, the black and white is just a color variant of the orange ocellaris. The only way to make sure they won't breed is to keep one. There are many people who have a pair of clowns that spawn, but don't raise the babies. Let them breed, if they are healthy they will do so at some point.

As for anemones, don't get a condy for them. They have been known to eat clowns. Condys are also found in Atlantic waters, where there are no clowns, thus is not a host anemone. It has been done before, but there is a pretty good risk. If you want an anemone, which is not needed in any way to keep clownfish, start with a bubble tip anemone. Also, make sure your tank is at least 6 months past cycling before you get an anemone otherwise the tank won't likely be mature enough for one.

As and FYI, clowns don't host anemones. The anemone hosts the clownfish.

[Kadacro]

Like everyone said above, add them at the same time and the same size and you'll be fine.

I have a pair of black and whites and a ocellaris clown in m tank. They all share a RBTA, the ocellaris clown was added because I stripped my nano cube and I had no where else to put it. He was still a baby when added and the pair accepted him to my surprise. I don't recommend this though.


HTH

[SomefinsFishy]

okay so I will definately get a bta when the tank is ready thankyou guys! And kadacro your fish are so cute ! I think the black and orange is an intresting combo

[rssjsb]

Originally Posted by Kadacro

Like everyone said above, add them at the same time and the same size and you'll be fine.

I have a pair of black and whites and a ocellaris clown in m tank. They all share a RBTA, the ocellaris clown was added because I stripped my nano cube and I had no where else to put it. He was still a baby when added and the pair accepted him to my surprise. I don't recommend this though.

Agree with your advice. Just FYI, your black and white clowns are also ocellaris, which is why this is working out for now. You should have a plan B for when your B/W pair starts spawning, though.

[Kadacro]

Originally Posted by rssjsb

Agree with your advice. Just FYI, your black and white clowns are also ocellaris, which is why this is working out for now. You should have a plan B for when your B/W pair starts spawning, though.

Yeah I'm completely aware of the B&W's being ocellaris. Normally though when a pair have paired up they won't let another near them never mind in their anemone, hence the surprise part.

[rssjsb]

Sorry - I wasn't sure about that based on the way you phrased your post.

Anyway, pairing is one behavioral juncture for sure, but once they start spawning they can get surprisingly intolerant of fish they used to ignore. My occies are really wimpy unless they've got eggs. When they do, all bets are off. My female has the scars to prove it. It's usually limited to bristle worm "lip piercings," but she's also gone after my Kole tang and been slashed. She's also gone after my filefish before.

[Kadacro]

Originally Posted by rssjsb

Sorry - I wasn't sure about that based on the way you phrased your post.

Anyway, pairing is one behavioral juncture for sure, but once they start spawning they can get surprisingly intolerant of fish they used to ignore. My occies are really wimpy unless they've got eggs. When they do, all bets are off. My female has the scars to prove it. It's usually limited to bristle worm "lip piercings," but she's also gone after my Kole tang and been slashed. She's also gone after my filefish before.

Ah no worries, I thought we were generally talking about ocellaris ..... but I can see my error in my post haha


That's what I'm waiting on TBH. It's all hunky dory just now but might not be a few months down the line. Like I said I don't recommend it to anyone.