Why do I keep reading that perc clowns are for experienced reefers?

muppet · 12/01/2010, 12:30 PM

Perc clowns are my first fish, and they seem to put up with darn near everything. Granted, my female is being a little weird right now, but I've had them through a GHA outbreak, a pH dip, a salinity stability issue, and a temperature crash, and they have weathered it all.

Please note that I'm not deliberately torturing any fish. For the most part, the tank has been stable and I've recently moved them into a much better, 55 gallon home. But why are they considered hard to keep? Mine seem REALLY hardy.

Angel*Fish · 12/01/2010, 12:37 PM

Where did you read that?

Floowid · 12/01/2010, 12:45 PM

I have never considered clowns as an experienced reefers only fish. Quite the opposite, they are damsels and are usually quite tough. I'm also curious, where did you read this?

kduen · 12/01/2010, 12:52 PM

I have seen this as well and I cant remember where it was right now but I think that it was refering to freshly wild caught Percs and them refusing to eat.

Sugar Magnolia · 12/01/2010, 12:54 PM

Wild caught percs are the ones that can be difficult to keep due to their refusal of prepared foods. Captive bred percs are very hardy.

Sk8r · 12/01/2010, 01:04 PM

And there are a LOT of captive-bred clowns, including percs! They breed easily and often, and I'm singlehandedly responsible for most of the Clarkii's in Oklahoma, I'm firmly convinced. I had a breeding pair and gave them to a breeder-dealer: I came back for a look at their offspring and thought I was seeing things...man, are they prolific!

So yes, have percs. They are the clown I wish I'd gotten when I got the Clarkiis (evil clowns)...relatively good-dispositioned, much smaller teeth than a Clarkii, and if you keep your water parameters nice (I have good readings as an example in my sig) you will likely have a great time with them. I've seen them set up in nems, in toadstool leathers, in maxima clams, stony coral, you name it, and they're a very fine choice for a beginner.

Sugar Magnolia · 12/01/2010, 01:17 PM

I agree with Sk8r about the clarkiis. I had one that was so mean. It bit me every time I had my hand in the tank. My single female perc is extremely docile.

12/01/2010, 12:30 PM	#1
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	Why do I keep reading that perc clowns are for experienced reefers? Perc clowns are my first fish, and they seem to put up with darn near everything. Granted, my female is being a little weird right now, but I've had them through a GHA outbreak, a pH dip, a salinity stability issue, and a temperature crash, and they have weathered it all. Please note that I'm not deliberately torturing any fish. For the most part, the tank has been stable and I've recently moved them into a much better, 55 gallon home. But why are they considered hard to keep? Mine seem REALLY hardy. __________________ Vertex IN-100 Skimmer 5g fuge area in the works JBJ Ocean Pulse 1600GPH wavemaker CoralVue 4x54 fixture running?: 2xATI Blue Plus, 1xRed Sea Pink, 1xRed Sea 12K, 10x1w LED blue moonlights Current Tank Info: Deep Blue 75G RR with 20H sump

12/01/2010, 12:37 PM	#2
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	Where did you read that? __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

12/01/2010, 12:45 PM	#3
Floowid Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Centerville, UT Posts: 712	I have never considered clowns as an experienced reefers only fish. Quite the opposite, they are damsels and are usually quite tough. I'm also curious, where did you read this? __________________ 75 gallon mixed reef

12/01/2010, 12:54 PM	#5
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Wild caught percs are the ones that can be difficult to keep due to their refusal of prepared foods. Captive bred percs are very hardy. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

12/01/2010, 01:04 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	And there are a LOT of captive-bred clowns, including percs! They breed easily and often, and I'm singlehandedly responsible for most of the Clarkii's in Oklahoma, I'm firmly convinced. I had a breeding pair and gave them to a breeder-dealer: I came back for a look at their offspring and thought I was seeing things...man, are they prolific! So yes, have percs. They are the clown I wish I'd gotten when I got the Clarkiis (evil clowns)...relatively good-dispositioned, much smaller teeth than a Clarkii, and if you keep your water parameters nice (I have good readings as an example in my sig) you will likely have a great time with them. I've seen them set up in nems, in toadstool leathers, in maxima clams, stony coral, you name it, and they're a very fine choice for a beginner. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/01/2010, 12:52 PM	#4
kduen Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Panama City, FL Posts: 684	I have seen this as well and I cant remember where it was right now but I think that it was refering to freshly wild caught Percs and them refusing to eat.

12/01/2010, 01:17 PM	#7
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	I agree with Sk8r about the clarkiis. I had one that was so mean. It bit me every time I had my hand in the tank. My single female perc is extremely docile. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Perc clown lying directly on LR at night	muppet	Reef Discussion	4	12/01/2010 12:40 PM
Experienced Reefer - want to try seahorses	Zaxxon23	New to the Hobby	1	07/06/2006 06:04 PM
Any experienced reefers with a JEBO skimmer	madreefer14	New to the Hobby	8	04/23/2006 01:41 PM