Information needed on TR Clown Fish

fishstick3 · 02/06/2010, 12:15 PM

I am still terribly new to reef tanks. I have a 12 gallon nano dx which has been running for over a year now. I have live rock and corals which are all doing well. I have been actively searching on this site, other sites, and talking to anyone who will listen looking for a compatible fish that will be happy in such a tiny tank(since I live in a dormitory on a college campus and a 12 gallon is as large as we are allowed to have). I have settled on getting a baby tank raised percula clown since they seem comfortable in tiny tanks and even in the wild stay near there anemone. I would love any and all information you have on them since I really want to do this right. Thank you very much.

Also if anyone knows of a good anemone for such a tiny tank please let me know.
Thank you again

jp634 · 02/06/2010, 01:07 PM

try and get a clown close to the same size as one of them will become domiant over the other and will turn into a female. a small rose anemone would be good for them but some clowns will just not host the anemone. good luck. I raise black percu clowns

fishstick3 · 02/06/2010, 01:16 PM

can I have one by itself since i dont want to overcrowd my tiny tank, or should i get more then one (they happen to be having a sale on them 3 for 20$ or something like that at my reef store) Do they do better in pairs/groups? Thank you and i will look up the rose anemone

syrinx · 02/06/2010, 02:27 PM

One is fine.

fishstick3 · 02/06/2010, 03:27 PM

will he be okay with my two peppermint shrimp?

bertoni · 02/06/2010, 06:22 PM

A clown should be fine with peppermint shrimp. I wouldn't put an anemone in that size tank.

fishstick3 · 02/07/2010, 09:23 AM

So no anenome. I know they will sometimes pair with other things like mushrooms does anyone have any tips on something else they may like. Also what is normal behavior, I took out my extra powerhead because I felt it was to much current but he swims up at the top all day and night. I just want to make sure he is alright/ also if I get something for him to pair with will he slow down some?

NirvanaFan · 02/07/2010, 09:34 AM

Mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia, hammer, heaters, they'll choose whatever they want. In that size of a tank, he won't slow down. IMO, that tank is too small for 2 clowns.

fishstick3 · 02/07/2010, 09:45 AM

Is it to small for one clown?
I have xenia, mushrooms, ect... but he wont slow down
should i take him back? all of the websites say they are one of the few fish to keep in a tank that small

bertoni · 02/07/2010, 03:50 PM

A 12g is fine for a percula or ocellaris clown. I agree that a pair is too much.

Pufferpunk · 02/07/2010, 03:52 PM

My clowns host in a frogspawn.

fishstick3 · 02/07/2010, 05:46 PM

frogspawn, can I have a frogspawn coral in my tank, are they easy to take care of, are they expensive

NirvanaFan · 02/07/2010, 07:15 PM

frogspawn are generally relatively cheap. They're pretty easy to take care of and are probably considered a beginner's coral.

fishstick3 · 02/07/2010, 07:54 PM

should I get a large one my clown is very tiny but i would like for her or him to have a spot to go
Thanks to everyone who has given me such great advice

fishstick3 · 02/07/2010, 08:03 PM

One last question I promise: all I have as far as corals all I have had is ricordia, mushrooms, one tiny thing of zoas( which got eaten by my shrimp- i got rid of) and one thing of pulsing zenias- they are my first ones
so as far as frogspawn goes I dont know what to get, what to do, I KNOW THEY NEEDTO BE HIGH UP-I DONT HAVE METAL HALIDES JUST THE COMPACTS THAT CAME WITH THE TANK
Is there anything special i should get or be aware of? besides the fact that they are gorgeous ?

Pufferpunk · 02/07/2010, 09:51 PM

I'd start with 3-5 heads, so the coral can keep up with the clown as it grows. PCs should be fine for that coral, as long as you don't let the bulbs get older than a year. You can also feed them meaty foods (there is a mouth for each head).

02/06/2010, 12:15 PM	#1
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	Information needed on TR Clown Fish I am still terribly new to reef tanks. I have a 12 gallon nano dx which has been running for over a year now. I have live rock and corals which are all doing well. I have been actively searching on this site, other sites, and talking to anyone who will listen looking for a compatible fish that will be happy in such a tiny tank(since I live in a dormitory on a college campus and a 12 gallon is as large as we are allowed to have). I have settled on getting a baby tank raised percula clown since they seem comfortable in tiny tanks and even in the wild stay near there anemone. I would love any and all information you have on them since I really want to do this right. Thank you very much. Also if anyone knows of a good anemone for such a tiny tank please let me know. Thank you again

02/06/2010, 06:22 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A clown should be fine with peppermint shrimp. I wouldn't put an anemone in that size tank. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/07/2010, 03:50 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A 12g is fine for a percula or ocellaris clown. I agree that a pair is too much. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/06/2010, 01:07 PM	#2
jp634 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: wyoming Posts: 234	try and get a clown close to the same size as one of them will become domiant over the other and will turn into a female. a small rose anemone would be good for them but some clowns will just not host the anemone. good luck. I raise black percu clowns

02/06/2010, 01:16 PM	#3
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	can I have one by itself since i dont want to overcrowd my tiny tank, or should i get more then one (they happen to be having a sale on them 3 for 20$ or something like that at my reef store) Do they do better in pairs/groups? Thank you and i will look up the rose anemone

02/06/2010, 02:27 PM	#4
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	One is fine.

02/06/2010, 03:27 PM	#5
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	will he be okay with my two peppermint shrimp?

02/07/2010, 09:23 AM	#7
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	So no anenome. I know they will sometimes pair with other things like mushrooms does anyone have any tips on something else they may like. Also what is normal behavior, I took out my extra powerhead because I felt it was to much current but he swims up at the top all day and night. I just want to make sure he is alright/ also if I get something for him to pair with will he slow down some?

02/07/2010, 09:34 AM	#8
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	Mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia, hammer, heaters, they'll choose whatever they want. In that size of a tank, he won't slow down. IMO, that tank is too small for 2 clowns.

02/07/2010, 09:45 AM	#9
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	Is it to small for one clown? I have xenia, mushrooms, ect... but he wont slow down should i take him back? all of the websites say they are one of the few fish to keep in a tank that small

02/07/2010, 03:52 PM	#11
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	My clowns host in a frogspawn.

02/07/2010, 05:46 PM	#12
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	frogspawn, can I have a frogspawn coral in my tank, are they easy to take care of, are they expensive

02/07/2010, 07:15 PM	#13
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	frogspawn are generally relatively cheap. They're pretty easy to take care of and are probably considered a beginner's coral.

02/07/2010, 07:54 PM	#14
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	should I get a large one my clown is very tiny but i would like for her or him to have a spot to go Thanks to everyone who has given me such great advice

02/07/2010, 08:03 PM	#15
fishstick3 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South FL Posts: 244	One last question I promise: all I have as far as corals all I have had is ricordia, mushrooms, one tiny thing of zoas( which got eaten by my shrimp- i got rid of) and one thing of pulsing zenias- they are my first ones so as far as frogspawn goes I dont know what to get, what to do, I KNOW THEY NEEDTO BE HIGH UP-I DONT HAVE METAL HALIDES JUST THE COMPACTS THAT CAME WITH THE TANK Is there anything special i should get or be aware of? besides the fact that they are gorgeous ?

02/07/2010, 09:51 PM	#16
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	I'd start with 3-5 heads, so the coral can keep up with the clown as it grows. PCs should be fine for that coral, as long as you don't let the bulbs get older than a year. You can also feed them meaty foods (there is a mouth for each head).