Best nem for Ocellaris

Dkuhlmann

New member
So what is the best nem for an Ocellaris clown in a 30 gal tank ;?

GBTA's are easy to keep but it seems from what I've read the Ocellaris don't like them. What do you suggest for nem/clown relationship in a 30 gal tank?
 
Best nem for Ocellaris

My ocellaris won't get within a foot of my gbta I've had for ~2 months now.. I got a cute little porcelain crab that swam right into it a couple weeks back so it's all good though.

I was told that ocellaris won't do rbta's. Is that true?
 
OC Clowns and BTAs are a crap shoot. Their natural hosts are Heteractis magnifica; Stichodactyla gigantea; S. mertensii. I had a pair for about 6 months that never went near my RBTA. All of which will outgrow your tank rapidly.
 
Best nem for Ocellaris

Best nem is the one you can keep alive and healthy. Clowns can adopt to various anemones. If you have never kept an anemone, a bubble tip is a great choice followed by LTA, Malu and Crispa.
 
I have a thread open in this section showing pictures of my ocellaris and percula pair in my bubbletip anemone. They went right into the anemone the moment I put them in the tank. However I have had 3 ocellaris in the past that did not go near that same anemone.
 
OK, so what Clownfish will go with a GBTA easily?

I've had a reef tank in the past and am experienced with keeping nems as well as LPS and soft corals. I'm wanting a NEM that will stay rather small.

Now if the crispa is a better choice then I may think on this. I like them as well.

Whatever I do I want a small nem with two clowns in this tank that play together :thumbsup:
 
If I were you I would try a LTA. Crispa get very large. Mags are very hard to take care of, especially in a small tank like that.
 
Just bear in mind that probabilities of hosting decline sharply if you go with a non-natural host. Unfortunately, the most popular clowns (ocellaris and percula) naturally associate with the largest and most sensitive hosts.
 
If you plan to go with a BTA, good choices would include maroons, Clarkis and tomatoes. However, please be advised that those species get quite large and can be aggressive.
 
If I were you I would try a LTA. Crispa get very large. Mags are very hard to take care of, especially in a small tank like that.

LTA's also can get very large - I had one triple in size without direct feeding within a year...

The OP is realistically/ probably looking at either a BTA or H. malu, and I have found that most clowns will use BTA's (always exception of course), and many will also use malus.

Maybe a pair of captive-bred skunk clowns (I have a pair in a BTA, and have also had them associate with malus) would work if not the ocellaris...

If one wants the best chance of clownfish/ anemone interaction, go with clarki clowns (they will take to all hosting nems)...
 
All great suggestions and I agree with them all.

Zooman that is what I was looking for. Guess I'll go with Maroon clowns and a BTA. Maroon/yellow stripe are actually one of my favorites. Thanks! :thumbsup:
 
All great suggestions and I agree with them all.

Zooman that is what I was looking for. Guess I'll go with Maroon clowns and a BTA. Maroon/yellow stripe are actually one of my favorites. Thanks! :thumbsup:

just keep in mind the aggression that comes with the maroon. and their 6 inch adult size

so if your keeping a maroon in a 30 gallon not much else will be safe in that size tank. they might be safe until the maroon matures when they are juvenile they arent so aggressive.
 
just keep in mind the aggression that comes with the maroon. and their 6 inch adult size

so if your keeping a maroon in a 30 gallon not much else will be safe in that size tank. they might be safe until the maroon matures when they are juvenile they arent so aggressive.

I would have to second this - maybe an aggressive fish not much like the maroon clowns like a dottyback would survive with them, but female maroons can occasionally be real terrors, especially in smaller tanks.
 
So what is the best nem for an Ocellaris clown in a 30 gal tank ;?

GBTA's are easy to keep but it seems from what I've read the Ocellaris don't like them. What do you suggest for nem/clown relationship in a 30 gal tank?

I have had my ocellaris in a crispa and carpet anemones (don't remember if it were gigantea, haddoni or mertensi). Never tried a BTA.

But here at stores I've seen tank bread ocellaris readily accepting BTAs so I would give that a try. If you don't have the ocellaris already buy some that are in a BTA at the store.

...
If one wants the best chance of clownfish/ anemone interaction, go with clarki clowns (they will take to all hosting nems)...

Clarkii take pretty much everything - even non host anemones like Condylactis or Actinia.

All great suggestions and I agree with them all.

Zooman that is what I was looking for. Guess I'll go with Maroon clowns and a BTA. Maroon/yellow stripe are actually one of my favorites. Thanks! :thumbsup:

Maroons get big (actually only the female) and are quite aggressive. If these will be your only fish it's fine but if you want to add some other fish you need to make sure they will not get into conflicts with the maroons.
 
Clarkii take pretty much everything - even non host anemones like Condylactis or Actinia.

Well, the OP just wanted info on clown/ nem interaction, so I did not elaborate. I have actually seen footage of A. ocellaris in Heliofungia corals in the wild, and have had them inhabit various Euphyllia corals, brain corals, and even giant clams.

I currently have have a pair of tomato clowns in my new S. gigantea nem (not a natural host) after inhabiting a S. haddoni (also not a natural host), an A. allardi in a H. malu (possibly natural only with immature fish, which it is/was), pair of A. ocellaris in BTA's (not natural), A. clarki in BTA's, A. perideraion in a H. magnifica (natural host), and A. akallopisos in a BTA (not a natural host).
 
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I'm wanting a smaller nem and clowns that will host.

Yes I plan on a few other fish. A bi color angel, royal gramma, a goby (yellow watchman, or mandarin) a flame hawkfish and a carpenter flasher wrasse.

Other corals I'd like are green flowerpot, frog spawn (I love frog spawn, was my favorite in my other tank along with the flowerpot) and maybe some mushrooms and feather dusters.

Of course a cleaning crew and this should wrap it up.

If I do the maroon clown, if I get just one will it not get so large as if I had a pair that would then sex one to a female ;?
 
If you are planning on another 5 fish in that 30g, then forget the maroon, and just one will still grow and become a female (if she isn't already) given time, food and quality water.

I would also reconsider the bicolor angel with your coral list - they get quite large (for a dwarf angel) and are notorious coral "nippers", if not outright consumers. I have also seen flame hawkfish become very aggressive in smaller tanks.

Easier clowns for smaller aquariums include ocellaris, percs and skunks...
 
If species are chosen correctly, there are many fish that can share a 30 gallon tank with maroon clowns. Gobies, small wrasses, dragonettes etc.. They usually are more irritable to the species that challenge them directly, or are in their face constantly like damsels, tangs and the like. Also, gold banded maroons tend to be a little less belligerent than their white striped cousins.
 
It all boils down to individuals. I had a spawning pair of maroons (female was huge) in a 60 cube that were very peaceful, but many have had a different experience. Just be prepared that there is a significant risk that you will have to pull the clown or the other fish if aggression becomes a problem.
 
If species are chosen correctly, there are many fish that can share a 30 gallon tank with maroon clowns. Gobies, small wrasses, dragonettes etc.. They usually are more irritable to the species that challenge them directly, or are in their face constantly like damsels, tangs and the like. Also, gold banded maroons tend to be a little less belligerent than their white striped cousins.

It all boils down to individuals. I had a spawning pair of maroons (female was huge) in a 60 cube that were very peaceful, but many have had a different experience. Just be prepared that there is a significant risk that you will have to pull the clown or the other fish if aggression becomes a problem.

So it seems that I'm not crazy thinking along the lines that I am. I like the maroon clown best but don't actually need to have one, nor do I need a pair, but a pair would be nice. Gold banded maroon is on the top of my list.

One fish I WOULD NEVER GET IS A DAMSEL :angryfire:
 
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