Adding Clowns or not?

[MSUschmidt]

Just set up a 90 Reef Tank in my Living Room. This is the 4th Tank I've had over the years. Been up to a 180, and down to a 55 gallon.....but this is the final tank, ever. (Right?)

Debating about getting a pair of clowns or NOT. Only having LPS and SPS in the tank, sold all my nems from my last tank.

The last pair of clowns I had used to make doing maintenance a nightmare......

 

[farfromsea]

I am not putting any in mine because of their behavior. Considering a clown-only tank Naha. I vote no

 

[ClownMan727]

Yes, you should always have clowns in your tank. But you must teach the clowns who is boss.

 

[snorvich]

No clowns here. Ever.

 

[lespaul339]

I personally couldn't imagine a reef tank without clowns. I like em.

 

[fishyfish22]

since you don't have a nem your clowns might go crazy on your LPS

 

[Cliving1]

I have a single clown and no anemone. Never have an issue putting my hand in the tank.

 

[A sea K]

I have two in my 80. One hosts in a green trumpet and the other in a frogspawn. The only nems I have are two caribbean rock flowers. I have had clowns (percs or occ) in every marine system I have ever had.

 

[CoralNerd]

I passed on them.

 

[Elricsfate]

I am not familiar with the negative aspects of clowns. Could one of you that intentionally do not have them provide a bit of detail as to why?

 

[SecretiveFish]

My experience has been that I can't keep pairs together... I keep a single clownfish per tank now (no maroons though!).

IMO I would get one and stock with some other fish. I did have a nightmare naked clownfish that I finally had to get rid of. She bullied everyone in the tank and was damaging corals! I currently have one snowflake, one gladiator, and one cinnamon clownfish.

 

[CoralNerd]

nightmare naked clownfish, I thought that was a joke at first lol

 

[Fiver]

I am not familiar with the negative aspects of clowns. Could one of you that intentionally do not have them provide a bit of detail as to why?

I have a pair and am in the pro-clownfish camp. Mine don't harm other fish or corals. But the female persistently attacks me when I'm working in the tank, which is a real pain. That can be a con for many aquarists.

 

[A sea K]

I have a pair and am in the pro-clownfish camp. Mine don't harm other fish or corals. But the female persistently attacks me when I'm working in the tank, which is a real pain. That can be a con for many aquarists.

Funny that this comes up and I have heard a lot of people say lately this is an issue to consider. Ive been in the hobby 10 years now and have always kept a mating pair of clowns with zero aggression towards tank mates with myself included. Last week while doing some in tank maintenance I was bitten by my clown, first time this has EVER happened. I'm still pro clownfish though and will always have a pair.

 

[scooter31707]

I think they are fine when they are by themselves, with the exception of a Maroon, Clarki, and a Cinnamon.

 

[brett559]

What's the point of a reef tank (especially a small one) without some clowns? Just avoid the mean ones (clarkii, maroon). Get a true perc pair. I've always kept true percs and they've never caused an issue. Ever.

 

[zooman72]

Also in the pro-clownfish (or anemonefish) camp - love their behavior, but I also love damsels and dottybacks (among many other species), so maybe I just like a challenge...

As for aggression, I have had some individuals "act out" and others offer nothing. I have a large female A. ocellaris that is one of the most aggressive clowns I have ever had - she bites me via ambushes, went after a 4-stripe damsel but no other fishes, and picked at an open brain almost killing it.

I had a pair of tomatoes (A. frenatus) where the female would literally leap out of the tank to bite me (and had to be confined when servicing if I didn't want to bleed in the aquarium), whereas my large A. clarki pair are terrified of me and hide whenever I service the tank. My "blood orange" hybrid pair (A. ocellaris x Premnas biaculaetus) that were "gifted" to me when very tiny where fine until I moved them to a larger aquarium - the female has refused to tolerate the male ever since.

Crazy, but I love them...

 

[ThRoewer]

I've had clownfish in almost every tank I've ever had. I was never bothered enough by them attacking my hand to not have a pair.
The only issue I would see is keeping them without an anemone or a suitable surrogate.

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