Adding a clown

[ThroThra]

Ok, so i had a clown pair that was a smaller clown plus larger clown which were purchased separately a few months apart.

Unfortunately during our move in December, the tank experienced an amonia spike due to the substrate getting disturbed and the larger clown passed.

A few weeks later we added a smaller clown thinking it would make things easier but the clown in the tank was still male and the transition to female because he was now the larger clown was too much stress and after a few weeks of being healthy then hiding then healthy then hiding, he passed which left us with one small clown.

What is the best way to introduce a mate that wont stress out the new clown? Our 5 year old would be devastated if we lost another fish cause he loves them so much.

 

[mann1139]

Do you QT new fish?

I ask because anytime an 'old' fish dies several weeks after the introduction of a 'new' fish, I worry that the 'new' fish brought something in with it that the 'old' fish wasn't prepared for.

The 'old' fish shouldn't be stressed by the introduction unless the 'new' clown is beating up on it.

The new clown needs to be smaller than the old clown. This way the 'established' clown can establish dominance. I had the same thing happen, and finding a 'smaller-smaller' clown was a chore.

 

[Uncle99]

Same species, same colour, smaller or in the 1/2 to 3/4" size for highest chance of success.