Adding clowns to existing clowns

Megatrev62 · 04/29/2012, 02:41 PM

Hi, a friend asked me a question and I thought I'd get opinions here.
He just recently upgraded from a 60gallon high to a 130 gallon 72x18x24. He had the 60 for approximately 9 years.
He purchased a bubble tip anemone about 3 months ago and it had split. The two percs he's had for sometime just accepted one anemone. He's thrilled, this just happened yesterday.

Question: He wants to purchase 2 sebae clowns for the other nem. He spoke and asked j&l aquatics and they said it would be fine. I'm asking you. They said it wouldn't be a problem. What do you think?? Thanks

f3honda4me · 04/29/2012, 02:45 PM

It'll be fine until the sebae decide to kill the percs. His tank can only have one pair. They will fight like WWiii eventually until only one pair is left.

Megatrev62 · 04/29/2012, 02:52 PM

Thanks,that's what I'm thinking. If that's the consensus I'll let him know.

BossHoggin · 04/29/2012, 03:03 PM

Considering the age of the perculas they must be pretty big/boisterous correct? Perhaps adding just one (comparatively) moderate sized sebae would have a different outcome. How close the anemones are to each other in that big of a tank would probably also be a factor; at opposite ends it would have a far better chance of co-existence than side-by-side obviously. Just my 2 cents, I've seen clown mixing before but have no personal experience.

Megatrev62 · 04/29/2012, 03:06 PM

Thanks, he tells me the nems are 4 feet apart? The percs are full grown.

f3honda4me · 04/29/2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossHoggin

Considering the age of the perculas they must be pretty big/boisterous correct? Perhaps adding just one (comparatively) moderate sized sebae would have a different outcome. How close the anemones are to each other in that big of a tank would probably also be a factor; at opposite ends it would have a far better chance of co-existence than side-by-side obviously. Just my 2 cents, I've seen clown mixing before but have no personal experience.

Adding one clown will equal one dead clown. The percs WILL kill it. And the distance between the nems doesn't matter. A pair of clowns, particularly the female, will claim the whole tank as "theirs" and will attack any other clowns.

ek9vboi · 04/29/2012, 04:38 PM

As much as you read and what people say, it is possible. I had a pair for true percs and one had recently jumped. Got a ocellaris and black/white clown to put in. I knew I was chancing it but the true perc (female) messed with them for the first day and it's fine now. As long as there is enough food for them to eat. Other then that the two new fishes know who runs the show.

f3honda4me · 04/29/2012, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ek9vboi

As much as you read and what people say, it is possible. I had a pair for true percs and one had recently jumped. Got a ocellaris and black/white clown to put in. I knew I was chancing it but the true perc (female) messed with them for the first day and it's fine now. As long as there is enough food for them to eat. Other then that the two new fishes know who runs the show.

And how long have you had 3 clowns in your tank. And how big are they? They can get along fine for a while then bam.

Megatrev62 · 04/29/2012, 08:05 PM

Thanks for all the input. He has decided not to chance it.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/29/2012, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megatrev62

Thanks for all the input. He has decided not to chance it.

Good. Once a pair starts to spawn they will kill any other clowns in the tank.

matt frizz · 04/30/2012, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

Good. Once a pair starts to spawn they will kill any other clowns in the tank.

Once a pair starts to spawn and gets big enough they'll kill any fish smaller than they are IME.

That's why mine are back at the LFS now. After 3 years they killed Midas Blenny, Blue spotted jawfish (violently), exquisite wrasse, and forced a YWG into hiding for years. I honestly don't know what he ate, just pods apparently because he never came out at feeding time.

Where in Northern VA are you? I'm in leesburg.

04/29/2012, 02:41 PM	#1
Megatrev62 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: ST.John's Newfoundland Canada Posts: 1,712	Adding clowns to existing clowns Hi, a friend asked me a question and I thought I'd get opinions here. He just recently upgraded from a 60gallon high to a 130 gallon 72x18x24. He had the 60 for approximately 9 years. He purchased a bubble tip anemone about 3 months ago and it had split. The two percs he's had for sometime just accepted one anemone. He's thrilled, this just happened yesterday. Question: He wants to purchase 2 sebae clowns for the other nem. He spoke and asked j&l aquatics and they said it would be fine. I'm asking you. They said it wouldn't be a problem. What do you think?? Thanks __________________ Please understand honey,it's not just me!!! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon, mixed reef,fuge.

04/29/2012, 02:52 PM	#3
Megatrev62 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: ST.John's Newfoundland Canada Posts: 1,712	Thanks,that's what I'm thinking. If that's the consensus I'll let him know. __________________ Please understand honey,it's not just me!!! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon, mixed reef,fuge.

04/29/2012, 03:03 PM	#4
BossHoggin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Compton, CA Posts: 198	Considering the age of the perculas they must be pretty big/boisterous correct? Perhaps adding just one (comparatively) moderate sized sebae would have a different outcome. How close the anemones are to each other in that big of a tank would probably also be a factor; at opposite ends it would have a far better chance of co-existence than side-by-side obviously. Just my 2 cents, I've seen clown mixing before but have no personal experience. __________________ Josh 60B mixed reef w/ 33G sump/refugium 125G FOWLR w/ Eshopps R_300

04/29/2012, 03:06 PM	#5
Megatrev62 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: ST.John's Newfoundland Canada Posts: 1,712	Thanks, he tells me the nems are 4 feet apart? The percs are full grown. __________________ Please understand honey,it's not just me!!! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon, mixed reef,fuge.

04/29/2012, 08:05 PM	#9
Megatrev62 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: ST.John's Newfoundland Canada Posts: 1,712	Thanks for all the input. He has decided not to chance it. __________________ Please understand honey,it's not just me!!! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon, mixed reef,fuge.

04/29/2012, 02:45 PM	#2
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	It'll be fine until the sebae decide to kill the percs. His tank can only have one pair. They will fight like WWiii eventually until only one pair is left.

04/29/2012, 04:38 PM	#7
ek9vboi Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 3,027	As much as you read and what people say, it is possible. I had a pair for true percs and one had recently jumped. Got a ocellaris and black/white clown to put in. I knew I was chancing it but the true perc (female) messed with them for the first day and it's fine now. As long as there is enough food for them to eat. Other then that the two new fishes know who runs the show.