Clownfish pairing

shereth · 11/17/2009, 09:15 AM

So a few weeks ago we picked up a juvenile tank-bread occelaris clown who seems to have settled nicely into the tank. It has this behavior that, at least outwardly, makes him look like he wants to be friends with all of the other fish - he likes to hover around the foxface when he's nearby, will hang out near the jawfish when that one's out, and so on. Liked to swim around with the firefish before they vanished. My wife insists that he (she?) is lonely and needs a friend, since most of the time he's by himself (the jawfish is tucked away in the burrow and the foxface is busy darting around somewhere else).

While I am not entirely convinced the fish is lonely (I don't know that fish get lonely do they?) she's insistent on it and is wondering about adding another one to see if they pair up. I have a few concerns about this, however, as I've heard that one should add clownfish pairs at the same time to prevent fighting over territory. Ours doesn't seem to have staked out any territory (other than the fact that he likes to sleep next to the return) - unless he considers the whole tank his territory

At this point is it even worth trying, or would it simply be easier to convince my wife that he's not lonesome?

Guygettnby · 11/17/2009, 09:27 AM

i have paired many clowns in the past and it is really rather simple. to make sure things go smooth you just need to make sure you get another clown wich is smaller then the one you have now and make sure it is a juvi that is not sexed yet. i usualy alow the new clown abit of extra time to aclimate floating in the bag so the other clown will see it and start to get used to it. i dont know if that last step really helps or not, but i have not had a problem pairing them up yet.

dirtStar · 11/17/2009, 10:29 AM

The juvi clown is going to react either way.
You might get another, and they may not hang together.

You will find good useful info in the anemone and clowns section on the forum here.
if you keep the juvi in for a while, it would probably be a female,
so you would have to add a juvi again to make sure it is male.

broberts · 11/17/2009, 09:17 PM

I would get another juveniles tend to be less territorial in my experience and your fish will benifeit from the company, and possibly pair up.

wku5 · 11/17/2009, 10:03 PM

whats the best site to get paird clowns from?

MR HONDA · 11/17/2009, 10:07 PM

Guygettnby is right about pairing them up clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites. They are hatched as sexually immature fish. and become physically mature (12-24 months) they will either remain sexually immature, change into a male or change into a male then female. , and male to female never to be male again.

A clownfish kept by its self will become a female in a short period of time in as little as a month from what i have read....hope this helps...

DOTZ · 11/17/2009, 10:14 PM

inlandunplugged dot com has some of the nicest pairs I've seen. They're in Terre Haute, IN but will ship. I have seen them in person and they're beautiful, but they are kinda steep.

MR HONDA · 11/17/2009, 10:30 PM

If you do some looking around you can get them for around 50.00 a pair off some one getting out of the hobby at least that is what i payed for the last 2 pair i got...

minnesotareefer · 11/17/2009, 11:35 PM

wow that place is selling a pair o clowns for like $1200 . . . wow

fishy125 · 11/18/2009, 07:06 AM

Don't splurge for a pair, just make sure it is smaller, mine have always paired with no problem.

Guygettnby · 11/18/2009, 08:27 AM

there is no point in going out and buying a paired set of clown fish right now. just go buy yourself a juvi clown wich is smaller then the one you have. the chances that the clowns will not pair up is extremely slim in my experiences. infact i have never had a pair that have not ended up pairing.

but on the other hand if you just dont trust it and want to spend the extra money for a pair of them.....wich most the time they are not really paired.....then good luck with it all and make sure to take the 3rd clown out of the tank.

firebirdude · 11/18/2009, 09:04 AM

I have tried three times to pair regualr ol' ocelaris clowns without success. All were tank raised and came from a tank with 30+ clowns in them. So I'm quite certain I was buying juveniles. I was always certain to buy the smaller, but still very healthy looking clowns. Just no luck.

I have heard about people who buy the small "netting baskets" or "net cages" that you hang on the side of the tank usually for pregnant fish. Stick one of the clowns in there. Helps them get introduced to each other without being able to tear each other apart. Hell, it might be a better idea to put the clown you have now in there and let the new clown roam free for a few days. Let the new clown start to get some territorial-ness while the existing clown is penned up. Try to even them out. lol

11/17/2009, 09:15 AM	#1
shereth Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 73	Clownfish pairing So a few weeks ago we picked up a juvenile tank-bread occelaris clown who seems to have settled nicely into the tank. It has this behavior that, at least outwardly, makes him look like he wants to be friends with all of the other fish - he likes to hover around the foxface when he's nearby, will hang out near the jawfish when that one's out, and so on. Liked to swim around with the firefish before they vanished. My wife insists that he (she?) is lonely and needs a friend, since most of the time he's by himself (the jawfish is tucked away in the burrow and the foxface is busy darting around somewhere else). While I am not entirely convinced the fish is lonely (I don't know that fish get lonely do they?) she's insistent on it and is wondering about adding another one to see if they pair up. I have a few concerns about this, however, as I've heard that one should add clownfish pairs at the same time to prevent fighting over territory. Ours doesn't seem to have staked out any territory (other than the fact that he likes to sleep next to the return) - unless he considers the whole tank his territory At this point is it even worth trying, or would it simply be easier to convince my wife that he's not lonesome?

11/17/2009, 10:29 AM	#3
dirtStar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: AKRON PA Posts: 234	The juvi clown is going to react either way. You might get another, and they may not hang together. You will find good useful info in the anemone and clowns section on the forum here. if you keep the juvi in for a while, it would probably be a female, so you would have to add a juvi again to make sure it is male. __________________ 75/15, CPR BP, ACjr, 1/10ch, UV, LF PhosBan, ATO, 2x250W MH, 2x54W Actinic, LED, Inverts, Coral Banded and PM Shrimp, Shrooms, Trees, Devils Hand, 15in SStar and 24in BStar LM Blenny, Starry Dnet, Flame Angel, Yellow Tang, 3 stripe and blue devil damsels, 4 Nemo including mating pair and 1 B&W misbar NEW: Green Mandarin, Pictichromis diadema "dotty" Centropyge flavicauda Whitetail Pygmy Angel Last edited by dirtStar; 11/17/2009 at 10:30 AM. Reason: link

11/17/2009, 09:27 AM	#2
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	i have paired many clowns in the past and it is really rather simple. to make sure things go smooth you just need to make sure you get another clown wich is smaller then the one you have now and make sure it is a juvi that is not sexed yet. i usualy alow the new clown abit of extra time to aclimate floating in the bag so the other clown will see it and start to get used to it. i dont know if that last step really helps or not, but i have not had a problem pairing them up yet.

11/17/2009, 09:17 PM	#4
broberts Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 60	I would get another juveniles tend to be less territorial in my experience and your fish will benifeit from the company, and possibly pair up.

11/17/2009, 10:03 PM	#5
wku5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Danville, ky Posts: 237	whats the best site to get paird clowns from?

11/17/2009, 10:07 PM	#6
MR HONDA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 130	Guygettnby is right about pairing them up clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites. They are hatched as sexually immature fish. and become physically mature (12-24 months) they will either remain sexually immature, change into a male or change into a male then female. , and male to female never to be male again. A clownfish kept by its self will become a female in a short period of time in as little as a month from what i have read....hope this helps...

11/17/2009, 10:14 PM	#7
DOTZ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Benton, Il Posts: 1,764	inlandunplugged dot com has some of the nicest pairs I've seen. They're in Terre Haute, IN but will ship. I have seen them in person and they're beautiful, but they are kinda steep.

11/17/2009, 10:30 PM	#8
MR HONDA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 130	If you do some looking around you can get them for around 50.00 a pair off some one getting out of the hobby at least that is what i payed for the last 2 pair i got...

11/17/2009, 11:35 PM	#9
minnesotareefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 78	wow that place is selling a pair o clowns for like $1200 . . . wow

11/18/2009, 07:06 AM	#10
fishy125 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 62	Don't splurge for a pair, just make sure it is smaller, mine have always paired with no problem.

11/18/2009, 08:27 AM	#11
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	there is no point in going out and buying a paired set of clown fish right now. just go buy yourself a juvi clown wich is smaller then the one you have. the chances that the clowns will not pair up is extremely slim in my experiences. infact i have never had a pair that have not ended up pairing. but on the other hand if you just dont trust it and want to spend the extra money for a pair of them.....wich most the time they are not really paired.....then good luck with it all and make sure to take the 3rd clown out of the tank.

11/18/2009, 09:04 AM	#12
firebirdude User and Abuser Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,836	I have tried three times to pair regualr ol' ocelaris clowns without success. All were tank raised and came from a tank with 30+ clowns in them. So I'm quite certain I was buying juveniles. I was always certain to buy the smaller, but still very healthy looking clowns. Just no luck. I have heard about people who buy the small "netting baskets" or "net cages" that you hang on the side of the tank usually for pregnant fish. Stick one of the clowns in there. Helps them get introduced to each other without being able to tear each other apart. Hell, it might be a better idea to put the clown you have now in there and let the new clown roam free for a few days. Let the new clown start to get some territorial-ness while the existing clown is penned up. Try to even them out. lol