for you clown experts

gopens · 10/03/2006, 07:48 PM

last week i bought 3 tiny percs (about an inch or so). they are in the q-tank now and will be there for another 5 weeks. someone told me today that 2 will pair up and the third will be lefy on its own, and will soon die. after i heard this, i paid more attention to how the fish got along. and sure enough, it seems that 2 of them do hang out and the third stays close by. but the pair doesn't bother the third at all. will this change. they all seem to get along just fine, but again they are only in a 20 gallon tank right now, they will be getting moved to the 80 gallon main tank. even if the 2 do pair, does that mean the third will die or can it still live a normal life in the tank. thanks for any help.

Andrew · 10/03/2006, 07:51 PM

There's a chance they will leave the other clown alone and not bother him but most likly he will be singled out and picked on in the future.

bertoni · 10/03/2006, 07:56 PM

I agree. I'd take one back, although it's possible they'd get along as a pair and a single clown, with separate territories.

gopens · 10/03/2006, 08:11 PM

could i go get a fourth to even them out?

Andrew · 10/03/2006, 08:14 PM

Having two sets of clowns in that small of a tank wouldn't go over too well. In that cause, you would be risking having two of them being picked on or killed in the long run.

Stealth70mde · 10/04/2006, 01:19 AM

I bought four juvenile percs about 10 months ago about the same size as yours.

For the first few months everything was perfect. Then, as they started to grow up, I saw more and more territorial behaviors developing (jerking and chasing).

After a while, two paired up and one of them definitely became bigger. The problems started there.

The smallest of the four was constantly chased (rarely bitten but the intention was there) and had no choice but staying in at the surface. I eventually found him dead on the floor behind my aquarium... He was thrown out or jumped out of a 1 inch gap I had between the eggcrate and a piece of equipment...

I bought another smaller juvenile and then they started to attack the third from the first group I had. They left alone the newest juvenile and the pair still tolerates him.

The one being attacked is living a life of misery as he is also always confined to the surface in a corner. He might not live the best life but he seems to have found tricks to defend himself and hides pretty well.

Anyway, looking back, two would have been enough...

I have a 55G and it is surely too small for 4 percs.

PatMayo · 10/04/2006, 10:41 PM

I would heed the advice. They are in the damsel family I believe, however not as aggressive as the blue types. I have 2 clarki's in a 90. The female is huge and the male is a small by comparison. They were the same size when I got them.

(I'm assuming the male is the small one now.) I doubt I will have any other fish in this tank now since they have been in there by themselves for so long. They think they own the tank. Although they seem to stick on one side mainly. I would hate to take a chance though because the one is getting real big. I have had these 2 fish since October of 2005. They came from my 46 galllon.

Regards,

Pat

Stealth70mde · 10/05/2006, 09:28 PM

Hey Pat,

The 4 percs are only aggressive toward themselves and leave the other species alone in my case.

I have, on top of the 4 false percs, the following:

2 purple firefish (Nemateleotris Decora)
2 firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
1 blenny bi-color
1 mandarin (female)
1 cleaner shrimp

They almost never fight inter-species and when it happens it is very brief and nothing to be worried.

Cheers,

Marc.

10/03/2006, 07:48 PM	#1
gopens Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 284	for you clown experts last week i bought 3 tiny percs (about an inch or so). they are in the q-tank now and will be there for another 5 weeks. someone told me today that 2 will pair up and the third will be lefy on its own, and will soon die. after i heard this, i paid more attention to how the fish got along. and sure enough, it seems that 2 of them do hang out and the third stays close by. but the pair doesn't bother the third at all. will this change. they all seem to get along just fine, but again they are only in a 20 gallon tank right now, they will be getting moved to the 80 gallon main tank. even if the 2 do pair, does that mean the third will die or can it still live a normal life in the tank. thanks for any help.

10/03/2006, 07:56 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree. I'd take one back, although it's possible they'd get along as a pair and a single clown, with separate territories. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/04/2006, 10:41 PM	#7
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	I would heed the advice. They are in the damsel family I believe, however not as aggressive as the blue types. I have 2 clarki's in a 90. The female is huge and the male is a small by comparison. They were the same size when I got them. (I'm assuming the male is the small one now.) I doubt I will have any other fish in this tank now since they have been in there by themselves for so long. They think they own the tank. Although they seem to stick on one side mainly. I would hate to take a chance though because the one is getting real big. I have had these 2 fish since October of 2005. They came from my 46 galllon. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

10/03/2006, 07:51 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	There's a chance they will leave the other clown alone and not bother him but most likly he will be singled out and picked on in the future.

10/03/2006, 08:11 PM	#4
gopens Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 284	could i go get a fourth to even them out?

10/03/2006, 08:14 PM	#5
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	Having two sets of clowns in that small of a tank wouldn't go over too well. In that cause, you would be risking having two of them being picked on or killed in the long run.

10/04/2006, 01:19 AM	#6
Stealth70mde Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 65	I bought four juvenile percs about 10 months ago about the same size as yours. For the first few months everything was perfect. Then, as they started to grow up, I saw more and more territorial behaviors developing (jerking and chasing). After a while, two paired up and one of them definitely became bigger. The problems started there. The smallest of the four was constantly chased (rarely bitten but the intention was there) and had no choice but staying in at the surface. I eventually found him dead on the floor behind my aquarium... He was thrown out or jumped out of a 1 inch gap I had between the eggcrate and a piece of equipment... I bought another smaller juvenile and then they started to attack the third from the first group I had. They left alone the newest juvenile and the pair still tolerates him. The one being attacked is living a life of misery as he is also always confined to the surface in a corner. He might not live the best life but he seems to have found tricks to defend himself and hides pretty well. Anyway, looking back, two would have been enough... I have a 55G and it is surely too small for 4 percs.

10/05/2006, 09:28 PM	#8
Stealth70mde Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 65	Hey Pat, The 4 percs are only aggressive toward themselves and leave the other species alone in my case. I have, on top of the 4 false percs, the following: 2 purple firefish (Nemateleotris Decora) 2 firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) 1 blenny bi-color 1 mandarin (female) 1 cleaner shrimp They almost never fight inter-species and when it happens it is very brief and nothing to be worried. Cheers, Marc.