adding clowns
- Thread starter the whelk
- Start date
LulusMoogle
New member
Well, it really depends. Do you want a pair? Do you want peaceful clowns or more aggressive clowns? What other fish are in your tank?
I personally like clarkii, tomato, and maroon clowns. I have no exprience with clarkii clowns, but maroon clowns can be pretty aggressive. We had one that we added as the second fish to our previous 40g tank and it killed every fish we attempted to add to the tank. Including our first fish which was (unwisely) a domino damsel.
They can be pretty mean. But I've heard of people with better expriences with them with more peaceful or tolerant temperments. However, seeing as you have a 21 gallon tank, I would be cautious about a maroon clown.
From what I've seen, false percs are fairly peaceful fish. True percs are hit and miss (also from experience)... Depends on the fish itself.
Tomato clowns are of a moderate temperment. Another personal favorite. Perhaps my most favorite.
I guess it really just depends on what you want in your tank. If you're planning to add another fish or two after introducing the clown, then I would get a more peaceful type of clown. However, if it's your only fish--or the last fish you'll be adding--then I guess it just depends on whatever fish that you find appealing. Clowns do well in almost any size of tank. Just do your homework on whatever type you decide on.
Hope my rambles helped you a little bit.
I personally like clarkii, tomato, and maroon clowns. I have no exprience with clarkii clowns, but maroon clowns can be pretty aggressive. We had one that we added as the second fish to our previous 40g tank and it killed every fish we attempted to add to the tank. Including our first fish which was (unwisely) a domino damsel.
They can be pretty mean. But I've heard of people with better expriences with them with more peaceful or tolerant temperments. However, seeing as you have a 21 gallon tank, I would be cautious about a maroon clown.
From what I've seen, false percs are fairly peaceful fish. True percs are hit and miss (also from experience)... Depends on the fish itself.
Tomato clowns are of a moderate temperment. Another personal favorite. Perhaps my most favorite.
I guess it really just depends on what you want in your tank. If you're planning to add another fish or two after introducing the clown, then I would get a more peaceful type of clown. However, if it's your only fish--or the last fish you'll be adding--then I guess it just depends on whatever fish that you find appealing. Clowns do well in almost any size of tank. Just do your homework on whatever type you decide on.
Hope my rambles helped you a little bit.
Mike31154
New member
The first two fish I added to my 75 gal were a small Maroon Clown and a Blue Devil Damselfish. No issues, seems the tank was large enough for both of them and since they were about the same size, they didn't harass each other. That was a year and a half ago. Since then I've added another Maroon and now have a pair hosting a BTA I added before introducing the second clown. Also have a lawnmower blenny, mandarin dragonet, yellow tang, singapore angel and one blue/green chromis (originally had 3 of those). Even though the maroon was one of the first additions, there are no major issues and everyone gets along reasonably well. The blue devil damsel has on occasion taken a bit of fin off other fish, but he hasn't grown much and is one of the smaller critters currently in there. The female clown only gets irritated if something gets too close to the BTA. No one bothers the dragonet, they have some coating making them unpalatable to other fish. Once in a while the singapore angel gets a little boisterous, but never really harms anything. The yellow tang is the biggest dude in the tank and no one challenges him. He's very well tempered and doesn't bother any other inhabitants. The odd time the tang and angel will have a minor bumping bout, but it's usually harmless.
Anyhow, from personal experience, I added a maroon clown right at the start and she's not overly aggressive.... yet. The pair hasn't spawned that I'm aware of, so that may eventually make her meaner. I've read that as they age, maroons can get nastier, but for me, so far so good.
Anyhow, from personal experience, I added a maroon clown right at the start and she's not overly aggressive.... yet. The pair hasn't spawned that I'm aware of, so that may eventually make her meaner. I've read that as they age, maroons can get nastier, but for me, so far so good.
LulusMoogle
New member
Well, if it helps, I'll have a 29g Biocube soon with mainly softies and a few LPS corals. I plan to introduce a black occy first and go from there. But we'll have to see how things go and how he behaves.
One thing that's safe to say with reefs:
"Go with the flow."
One thing that's safe to say with reefs:
"Go with the flow."
