2 pair of clowns?
- Thread starter IShark
- Start date
velvetelvis
Active member
Short answer, don't do it. They get very territorial when they reach sexual maturity. If you just can't pass up both pairs (and I can understand the temptation--I love black ocellaris), you'll have an excuse to set up two tanks. 
Krazy
In Memoriam
I've got two pairs of clowns in a 40 breeder and they are fine, I had both pairs in seperate biocubes for about a year. I have two anemones though, a LTA and a RBTA, one pair uses the RBTA, the others use the LTA. They dont seem to go at each other much and really do get along from what I can see. Harp on me if you want to but I believe it can work in some situations...
bues0022
New member
That's the problem. It only works in some situations, and no one can predict which two pairs of fish will get along and which won't. The probability of success is incredibly low longterm (one year isn't even long term, clownfish can live into their 20's) Once they reach sexual maturity the aggression will ramp up most likely.
To the OP - you seem to be searching for someone to give him/her their blessings saying it most definitely will work, while ignoring the overwhelming evidence saying it most likely won't. Save yourself the money, anguish, and the fish's lives and only put one pair of clowns in your tank.
My idea behind this topic is, yes, it can work in extremely isolated cases by 1) luck, and 2) experts who understand the risks, attempt it, and have exit plans in place at the first sign of aggression. For every person who ends up as a #1, there are a few dozen who have ended with dead fish. Those in #2 don't ask this type of question - they know what they're getting into.
So, if you are asking if it's OK, don't attempt it.
steelhead77
New member
So I don't know that it's overwhelming evidence saying it won't work.....
Clownfish pretty much hang out around their host. They don't prowl around the tank like Tangs. I have two Pinks and two Percs, both mated pairs, both spawning quite regularly. They are on opposite ends of the tank. There is an invisible barrier about midway in my tank and neither pair EVER ventures past that point.
If the tank is large enough, they will be just fine. When you put them in the tank, put them in on opposite ends, they should ignore each other.
Clownfish pretty much hang out around their host. They don't prowl around the tank like Tangs. I have two Pinks and two Percs, both mated pairs, both spawning quite regularly. They are on opposite ends of the tank. There is an invisible barrier about midway in my tank and neither pair EVER ventures past that point.
If the tank is large enough, they will be just fine. When you put them in the tank, put them in on opposite ends, they should ignore each other.
velvetelvis
Active member
It's always best to err on the side of caution. Trying to keep more than two pair-bonded adult clownfish in the same aquarium is kind of like leaving your wallet out on a table in a public place and trusting that no one will steal it. If you're lucky, someone honest will find it and you'll get it back intact--but, human nature being what it is, you're more likely to get ripped off.
By the same token, it's in a clownfish's nature to be territorial and aggressive towards other clownfishes, especially when they pair off and start breeding and their instincts tell them that those other clownfishes are competing for the same territory and food sources. You *might* get lucky and get those incredibly rare two pairs that can coexist peacefully for the next couple of decades...but the odds are against it.
By the same token, it's in a clownfish's nature to be territorial and aggressive towards other clownfishes, especially when they pair off and start breeding and their instincts tell them that those other clownfishes are competing for the same territory and food sources. You *might* get lucky and get those incredibly rare two pairs that can coexist peacefully for the next couple of decades...but the odds are against it.
kerusso316
New member
I think 5 to 1 is pretty overwhelming. It will work for awhile....THEN your dreams will be dashed.Dead fish are not much fun at all..oh yea now it's 6 to 1
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
All of my clowns over the years have been swimmers -- using the whole tank. My mated pink skunk pair would actively swim the whole tank and chase my dwarf angels. Back when I had my mated Clarkii pair they would swim from one end of a 75 to the other just to chase a 3-stripe damsel.
Read some more threads in this forum, and you will see that it is overwhelming against it -- to say otherwise is doing a disservice.
Read some more threads in this forum, and you will see that it is overwhelming against it -- to say otherwise is doing a disservice.
velvetelvis
Active member
And often not even then...one LFS I used to visit has an enormous display tank about 10' long, with a mated pair of chrysopterus that have a couple of large BTAs all their own. Even with that much room, the female patrolled the whole tank and used to regularly travel to the other end to beat up on the poor little pair of ocellaris who lived there. They eventually had to remove the ocellaris for their own safety.
Tahoe Reefer
New member
A guy in my local reef club has a pair of percs and a pair of black occi in a 180g tank, 6ft long. Each pair has a host on opposite sides of the tank. They are both willing to travel the lenght of the tank to fight eachother. The only time the battle stops is when the lights go out.
SwampyBill
New member
Don't do it...We are supposed to do our best to take care of the animals in our tanks; any chance to lessen aggression & stress on our fish/corals should be heeded. If there's even the possiblity of aggression or fighting to death, why chance it? Doing otherwise is just plain cruel, IMO...This question is debated on here continuously & the overwhelming consensus (probably 9 to 1) is just have one pair of clowns per tank.
IShark
New member
I agree 100% We should do our best to take care of all our animals!
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