1 or 2 clowns?

[Myko]

Hi,

I'm about to start my tank in about 2 months, and I was wondering is there any pro/cons to keep 1 clown vs. a pair? I'm looking to keep a peaceful reef aquarium. Fishes I have in mind are mandarin, banagii cardinal, flasher wrasse. What happens to a clown when it doesn't get paired, since I hear they are unsexed when they are young.

 

[zeeter]

Read up on them a bit. It depends a lot on the size of them when you get them, and also the species. Some clown species require that you have a larger one and introduce a smaller one later. Others, like the percula complex, don't have that qualifier. Even if I'm introducing two at the same time I try not to get them from the same tank at the store. I've sometimes even picked up one in one store and another of the same size in a different store.

If you only have one in there it might turn into a female after a while. There's some people who think that a clown needs a mate in order to change sexes, others insist that theirs just naturally turn female over time if they're alone. In any event, if you only get one make sure the second one is a juvenile if you want to add another later.