Clown Question

[zhewitt04]

What clown should i get. I want a wild one so it will pair with an anenome. I really like the maroons but i don't know anytihng about them. I had a clarki who died of old age(5 years old). I thought it would add some color to get a maroon and also different but if they are more territorial or don't accept anenomes as well i might go with a clarki again. I would love to hear suggestions from anyone willing. I have a 55 gallon with a tomini tang and a small naso. I have only live rock right now but i am getting my lighting soon maybe even this weekend. I would love to get a carpet anenome for the future clown if that matters
Thanks

[Ohiomom]

Honestly, if you have 2 tangs in a 55 you are over the limit as it is..both these fish need a much larger tank..clowns are also territorial..just an fyi..

[zhewitt04]

I am upgrading soon. The naso is only 2 inches and the tomini is about 4. I am jsut curious about the clowns

[thegrun]

Maroons are probably the most aggressive clown fish. They will lay stake to a spot and defend it from all intruders, regardless of size. Unless you plan on getting a very large aquarium, I would recommend another type.

[Guygettnby]

maroons are very pretty clowns but without a doubt they are the meanest. all clowns will host in time from what i have seen. but a wild caught clown has a better chance of hosting right away.

also as mentioned above, all clowns are territorial. they are a member of the damsel family and they can all be mean to a point. the nicest clown i have found to date would be the skunk clownfish. i have a pair of them right now and they host almost everything in my tank. i have had maroons, clarkis, false percs, true percs, tomatos, flames, black and whites as well as sadlebacks. out of all of them the nicest by far were the pink skunks. they are still abit bold but timid in a way compared to the others. but i also only keep my clown fish in pairs.

[Toddrtrex]

Unless your Clarkii was 12-15 years old when you bought it, it didn't die of old age. A couple of months ago I sold my mated pair of Clarkiis, and they had been with me for 10+ years. They are expected to live 20+ years.

When you say "carpet" for the clowns, what type of carpet? But, I wouldn't get either of the two common "carpets" until you figure out what you are doing with your tank.

I personally have had the following clowns hosted by a Haddoni carpet
Cinnamon -- Amphiprion melanopus
SI Percs
Clarkii
Pink Skunks -- Amphiprion perideraion
Saddlebacks -- Amphiprion polymnus

[zhewitt04]

I thought clowns only lived 5 to 7 years in captivite. I might be wrong I got him when he was full grown and had him for 3 or 4 years

[Toddrtrex]

Originally Posted by zhewitt04

I thought clowns only lived 5 to 7 years in captivite. I might be wrong I got him when he was full grown and had him for 3 or 4 years

Excluding outside sources, clowns should live 15-20 years in captivity. I considered mine just nearing middle aged when I sold them.

[username in use]

Ive heard reports of upwards of 30 years.

[Beaun]

You dont need to get wild to have them host. It is possible to get tank raised to host in an anemone (or the anemone to host them really).

It really depends on what you like. If you want an aggressive clown, you need to realize that and work around it. It's fine to get a marron, but working with what you want is important to it thriving in your system. Also, the Naso will get too big for a 55 very quickly, but the tommini will be fine.

[zhewitt04]

So the maroon will be fine and not a promblem? I am aware that the naso will get to large and if I do not upgrade by then i have others that would take the fish with larger tanks(125G) . If i get a smaller clown than the two tangs will that help with the aggression? Should I introduce the clown or the anenome first? I have not bought either yet so.

[Toddrtrex]

Originally Posted by zhewitt04

So the maroon will be fine and not a promblem? I am aware that the naso will get to large and if I do not upgrade by then i have others that would take the fish with larger tanks(125G) . If i get a smaller clown than the two tangs will that help with the aggression? Should I introduce the clown or the anenome first? I have not bought either yet so.

Before getting an anemone....

What lights do you have?
What are the current parameters of your tank -- with numbers
What filtration
And most importantly, what type of anemone?

[Nanz]

Maroon clowns are very pretty fish. I have a pair that has been breeding for close to a year now. I stopped collecting the fry since they are time consuming to raise but I still have about 100 juveniles in a 55.

Maroons like rose bubble tip anemones and green bubble tip anemones. You should have at least 4x54 W T5s above your 55 gal for an anemone. The anemones will help pacify the clowns. They are aggressive but they would rather lay in the anemone than chase a tang around the tank. I have a yellow tang and two lyre tail anthias that my clowns don’t bother and my clowns are even laying eggs.

EDIT: One exception to the rule is another clown fish. I had a clownfish in a separate aquarium that was close to my tank with the pair of clowns and they would swim to the opposite side of the tank and rear up against the glass trying to get to the other clown fish.

[zhewitt04]

I am going to purchase 4 54 watt t5's. As far as my parameters i have not checked this week. I always check on Saturday or Sunday and they have been in spec for quit sometime. I could give you the exact numbers after this weekend. I really like carpet anenome, bubble tip, and seabea. I guess the better question is what everyone recomends. I heard bubble tips are good any reason not to get a carpet. I also don't want to pay a fortune for an anenome I like the cheaper carpets. I know the bubbletips are alittle more.

[mudbone]

It depends on the clown I think. I had tank raised clown in he hosted in with a an hour after putting him in the tank