SteveCon89
New member
...told me that I could keep more than one species of clown in a tank.
Is this true? It's a 90 gallon.
Is this true? It's a 90 gallon.
A girl at petco...
- Thread starter SteveCon89
- Start date
SteveCon89
New member
could i get a pair of black percs and keep something else also? maybe like a. ocellaris?
black percs and ocellaris clowns should get along but as stated with your size tank, don't do more than 2 clowns
OrionN
Moved on
In general, there should be one pair of mature clown in a 90 g tank. Certainly there should only be one female clown in that tank. You can have a mix breed pair, or some species, a group of clowns so that one female, one male and the rest are juveniles. There should not be two pairs because more likely than not, some will end up dead.
BTW "black perc" are either black Ocellaris or Black variance of Saddleback clowns.
It's possible to keep two different pairs of some species of clownfish in a 90-gal tank but I wouldn't recommend it. It's certainly possible once you get into a tank that is 6-ft long, such as a 135-gal tank or larger. Be forewarned that some of the larger species can be rather aggressive, especially Maroon clowns (Premnas biaculeatus).
B/W clowns doesn't really describe a species, just a coloration; therefore, it's impossible to say whether they would get along with any other species without knowing for sure what you're talking about.
Nowadays, most people who use the description "B/W clown" are probably referring to either Amphiprion percula or A. ocellaris, although there are other species that can be black and white in coloration.
There is a black color morph of A. ocellaris that is found off the coast of Darwin, Australia. It's just a local color morph of Ocellaris clowns. Then there is a black and white color morph of A. percula that is being captive-bred and often referred to by the name "Onyx clown."
You can find both Percula clowns and Ocellaris clowns available that are black and white in coloration. Obviously the color makes no difference when pairing up two fish of the same species. If you put two Percula clowns into the same 90-gal tank, they will likely form a mated pair eventually even if their coloration is different. The same goes for two Ocellaris clowns of different colors. It's the species that matters, not the coloration. Of course, all of this assumes that we're talking about two sexually immature juveniles and not two fish that have already progressed to female, the terminal phase for all clownfish, which are all protandrous hermaphrodites. Once a female, always a female. A female clownfish cannot change back to male. Putting two female clownfish of the same species into the same 90-gal tank would be a recipe for trouble. Big trouble!
Many of the clownfish species can and do crossbreed in the wild to form hybrid offspring. Some hobbyists have tried their hand at crossbreeding in captivity, expecially with Percula and Ocellaris clowns. These two species will often pair up in captivity if there isn't another conspecific available. Their ranges do not overlap in nature, but if you put one Percula clown and one Ocellaris clown into the same tank, there is a good chance that they will form a mated pair, assuming they were not both already females.
If you successfully raise the offspring of such a pairing, you will have Percularis clowns and they will be fertile. The coloration and markings of the offspring will be an unpredictable combination of both parents. In other words, if you get two dozen babies to survive, they might all be slightly different.
That's not something that I would recommend but it has happened.
For a 90-gal tank, I think you would be better off choosing two juveniles (or a mated pair) of the same species.
Good luck!
B/W clowns doesn't really describe a species, just a coloration; therefore, it's impossible to say whether they would get along with any other species without knowing for sure what you're talking about.
Nowadays, most people who use the description "B/W clown" are probably referring to either Amphiprion percula or A. ocellaris, although there are other species that can be black and white in coloration.
There is a black color morph of A. ocellaris that is found off the coast of Darwin, Australia. It's just a local color morph of Ocellaris clowns. Then there is a black and white color morph of A. percula that is being captive-bred and often referred to by the name "Onyx clown."
You can find both Percula clowns and Ocellaris clowns available that are black and white in coloration. Obviously the color makes no difference when pairing up two fish of the same species. If you put two Percula clowns into the same 90-gal tank, they will likely form a mated pair eventually even if their coloration is different. The same goes for two Ocellaris clowns of different colors. It's the species that matters, not the coloration. Of course, all of this assumes that we're talking about two sexually immature juveniles and not two fish that have already progressed to female, the terminal phase for all clownfish, which are all protandrous hermaphrodites. Once a female, always a female. A female clownfish cannot change back to male. Putting two female clownfish of the same species into the same 90-gal tank would be a recipe for trouble. Big trouble!
Many of the clownfish species can and do crossbreed in the wild to form hybrid offspring. Some hobbyists have tried their hand at crossbreeding in captivity, expecially with Percula and Ocellaris clowns. These two species will often pair up in captivity if there isn't another conspecific available. Their ranges do not overlap in nature, but if you put one Percula clown and one Ocellaris clown into the same tank, there is a good chance that they will form a mated pair, assuming they were not both already females.
If you successfully raise the offspring of such a pairing, you will have Percularis clowns and they will be fertile. The coloration and markings of the offspring will be an unpredictable combination of both parents. In other words, if you get two dozen babies to survive, they might all be slightly different.
That's not something that I would recommend but it has happened.
For a 90-gal tank, I think you would be better off choosing two juveniles (or a mated pair) of the same species.
Good luck!
SteveCon89
New member
Thanks to everyone for their help. I must say, Ninong covered most of what I wanted to know. I'll just see what I can get my hands on at the LFS. Again, I appreciate everyone's help.
1 pair of clowns per tank. Simple enough
p.s. keep the posts comin
1 pair of clowns per tank. Simple enough
p.s. keep the posts comin
chrisstie
Premium Member
I have a latezonatus female who has accepted and bonded with a juvenile clarkii in a 55g. I would never put more clowns in that tank.
I also have a true perc that has accepted a black and white oscellaris but not yet bonded with him. Hoping their progress goes as quickly as the above couple has. They began sharing an anemone within a week of me adding the juvenile. I'm hoping someday soon I'll see eggs but in the meantime their anemone is suffering from a large clown and a second yet small clown in the tank. I'm thinking of switching it with one from the other clown tank that hasn't yet been harrassed
I also have a true perc that has accepted a black and white oscellaris but not yet bonded with him. Hoping their progress goes as quickly as the above couple has. They began sharing an anemone within a week of me adding the juvenile. I'm hoping someday soon I'll see eggs but in the meantime their anemone is suffering from a large clown and a second yet small clown in the tank. I'm thinking of switching it with one from the other clown tank that hasn't yet been harrassed
