Can I add one more clown fish

slowlips · 07/24/2009, 08:11 AM

Hi I have a 29g reef tank with one tomato clown and one blue with yellow tail damsel.Can I add one regular(yellow and black) clown fish.Will the two clowns fight or is it OK?

~reefchik~ · 07/24/2009, 08:14 AM

You might get lucky, but the most aggressive and territorial fish I ever had in my 55 reef was a tomato clown.

MrHarvard · 07/24/2009, 08:17 AM

Well thats a tricky question and you will get different answers from different people. IMO as long as the clown you plan on adding is alot smaller than the one you already have you should be ok. Now having two different kinds of clowns can sometimes be a problem as well. I have seen people have success with different kinds of clown in the same tank. The clowns will probably fight alittle in any case to establish who the boss of the tank will be. IMO i would probably buy another small tomato to be safe but thats you call.

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/24/2009, 08:19 AM

I would absolutely not suggest adding a clown of a different species in a tank that small. Clowns can be very territorial, especially against "competition" (other clowns they are not bonded with), and tomatoes are among the more aggressive clowns to begin with.

Mixing an ocellaris or percula (I'm assuming these are what you mean by "regular clown") with a tomato might work in a huge tank, but I would guess the chance for success in a 29 would be slim to none.

If you must have another clown, get a juvinile of the same species, and read up on how to safely introduce it to your existing clown.

thegrun · 07/24/2009, 08:29 AM

Tomatoes are one of the more aggressive clowns, particularly as they mature. I foresee nothing but trouble in your future if you add another clown (other than a tomato).

slowlips · 07/24/2009, 08:37 AM

Ok I will not add another clown.Is there any other fish that can go in this size tank with no aggression.

ILoveReefer · 07/24/2009, 11:20 AM

Both the fish you have are pretty aggressive. So adding another fish without any fighting is darn near impossible. You can probably get away with a number of different bottom dwelling goby's without to much fighting. Catalina, clown, watchmen, etc... There are alot of goby's that are well suited for a smaller tank. Goby's are very peaceful and often get ignored by other fish in the aquarium.

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/24/2009, 11:25 AM

Good suggestion, but skip the catalina unless your tank runs really cool - they aren't tropical.

MrHarvard · 07/24/2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slowlips
Ok I will not add another clown.Is there any other fish that can go in this size tank with no aggression.

Gobys are really cool fish and you can get them in lots of different colors and they always have cool personalities. 6 lines are cool as well. bleanies are another option...Just look around on line at the different types of reef safe fish there are several out there at all sorts of price ranges!!

korth659 · 07/24/2009, 02:17 PM

+1 not mixing clowns

07/24/2009, 08:11 AM	#1
slowlips Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: New York Posts: 7	Can I add one more clown fish Hi I have a 29g reef tank with one tomato clown and one blue with yellow tail damsel.Can I add one regular(yellow and black) clown fish.Will the two clowns fight or is it OK? __________________ 75g Mbuna 55g Peacocks 30g Reef Current Tank Info: 150g african cichlid tank, 48g saltwater

07/24/2009, 08:17 AM	#3
MrHarvard "ship it" Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tampa/Westchase Posts: 2,951	Well thats a tricky question and you will get different answers from different people. IMO as long as the clown you plan on adding is alot smaller than the one you already have you should be ok. Now having two different kinds of clowns can sometimes be a problem as well. I have seen people have success with different kinds of clown in the same tank. The clowns will probably fight alittle in any case to establish who the boss of the tank will be. IMO i would probably buy another small tomato to be safe but thats you call. __________________ "You gon learn today!" Current Tank Info: SPS Dominant 29g BB Rimless Bio Cube lit by 2x AI Primes, IM desktop Reactor, Tunze ATO, Tunze. 9001 skimmer ........ 40g Breeder with 20g long sump/refugium. ATI 4 bulb T5s....Mixed reef stock heavy on SPS.

07/24/2009, 08:19 AM	#4
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	I would absolutely not suggest adding a clown of a different species in a tank that small. Clowns can be very territorial, especially against "competition" (other clowns they are not bonded with), and tomatoes are among the more aggressive clowns to begin with. Mixing an ocellaris or percula (I'm assuming these are what you mean by "regular clown") with a tomato might work in a huge tank, but I would guess the chance for success in a 29 would be slim to none. If you must have another clown, get a juvinile of the same species, and read up on how to safely introduce it to your existing clown. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/24/2009, 08:37 AM	#6
slowlips Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: New York Posts: 7	Ok I will not add another clown.Is there any other fish that can go in this size tank with no aggression. __________________ 75g Mbuna 55g Peacocks 30g Reef Current Tank Info: 150g african cichlid tank, 48g saltwater

07/24/2009, 11:25 AM	#8
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Good suggestion, but skip the catalina unless your tank runs really cool - they aren't tropical. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/24/2009, 08:14 AM	#2
~reefchik~ Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 155	You might get lucky, but the most aggressive and territorial fish I ever had in my 55 reef was a tomato clown.

07/24/2009, 08:29 AM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Tomatoes are one of the more aggressive clowns, particularly as they mature. I foresee nothing but trouble in your future if you add another clown (other than a tomato).

07/24/2009, 11:20 AM	#7
ILoveReefer Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cheektowaga Posts: 851	Both the fish you have are pretty aggressive. So adding another fish without any fighting is darn near impossible. You can probably get away with a number of different bottom dwelling goby's without to much fighting. Catalina, clown, watchmen, etc... There are alot of goby's that are well suited for a smaller tank. Goby's are very peaceful and often get ignored by other fish in the aquarium.

07/24/2009, 02:17 PM	#10
korth659 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 50	+1 not mixing clowns