2 clown fish pairs

AdamSabina

New member
I'm not sure my tank is big enough. The tank is 8' x 2' x 2' planning on a mixed reef some SPS, LPS, anemones, clams, and Softies.
 
Assuming its a 240gallon tank based on the dimensions, you should have room for 4 clowns, but they will be tricky.

How are you going to mate them prior to placing them in the tank? There's always a chance that one pair becomes aggressive to the others.

I guess you could add all 4 at the same time as long as they are all the same size and hope for the best.
 
You can have muliple clownfish but just 1 pair and juveniles. Unlikely that you can keep two pairs. Female clownfish will unlielty tolerate other female clownfish in the tank.
You can keep the anemone swith clowns before and add them together(anemone and clowns). One set to one end and the other set to the other end. This is the best chance for success, but don't count on it.
 
I was think of buying them as pairs then having a long quarintine. For the two pairs.

I like the idea of a female, male and 2 juveniles. I think I'd have to fine a breeder though so I can get 1 female (bigger and older) and 3-4 juveniles from the same brood stock. Anyone tried this?
 
Maybe not maroons, but occellaris or perculas yeah, 4 should be able to live either together or independently in that size tank. No?

Size wise I mean, unless I'm missing something?

No. it is not a size issue. Yes, you are missing something.
 
what you are missing is with 2 females in the same tank there will be WW3. unless they never see each other witch will be very doubtful
 
Very interested in this purely for my my own education. Does it boil down to
1. You can't have 2 female clowns in same tank
2. You can possibly risk having more than 2 clowns if 1 is female, 1 is male and the remainder are juveniles
 
Very interested in this purely for my my own education. Does it boil down to
1. You can't have 2 female clowns in same tank yes
2. You can possibly risk having more than 2 clowns if 1 is female, 1 is male and the remainder are juveniles

a pair of clownfish that have become sexually differentiated from a group of the same spawn and multiple juveniles of that spawn can coexist. But be prepared for some of the juveniles to pick off others.
 
Thanks for clarifying Steve, assuming you can still have 4 clownfish as long as only one is a female. Right?

Well, the problem is not quite that simple. If they are a different species, which ever one is the toughest will kill the others. GSM always win. Clarkii always win from more docile, etc. If they are the same species, juveniles will want to become female and once they progress, the dominant female will kill it.
 
I have a friend with a nice 550 gallon SPS reef that he purposefully arranged so that two pairs were on opposite sides of the tank. One pair was GSM. Do you want to guess what was left at the end?
 
I have 3 pairs in my 300. A Saddleback pair in a carpet anemone that live in the end of the penninsula, an ocellaris pair in a GBTA that live in the middle, and a maroon clown pair that live in a RBTA at the other end. They have all been in there for at least 4 years with no issues. They all eat together with the rest of the fish, then go back to their "spot" to hang out. Maybe its the other fish in the tank that range from 1" to over a foot that keep them from getting agressive. No idea.
 
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