Clown delima

[chippster]

I have had a female Ocellaris for about 1.5 years. She is ready to come out of quarantine. She had a "mate" but lost him to carpet surfing. I also have a pair of much younger Ocellaris that are in a different quarantine tank with a group of fish I bought off of Craig's list. They will be ready for the tank in a couple of weeks.

My wife wants me to put the older clown and the new pair into the tank when they are ready. That would be 3 clowns in a 220 gal. Then she wants me to get a 4th fish and hope that we end up with 2 pairs.

I think that they will end up fighting. I also don't think that if I add a 4th clown in a couple of months I will end up with 2 pairs.

I want to sell my older female and drop the younger pair into the tank when they are ready.

Do you think they can get along in the same tank? Or will I just end up with some dead fish?

Thanks,

 

[osprey3883]

Hello,
Ocellaris are pretty laid back about groups (by clownfist standards) so you could be good.
One issue though is if the small pair is mature one may already be the female.
Right now I have a group of ocellaris living together with no problems. (125 gallon)

HTH,
Matt

 

[chippster]

I don't know if the smaller ones have started to mature, but I suspect yes. I have had them for about 4 weeks and they seem to be swimming together more and more. If I have 2 females will they fight it out?

 

[Patrick12]

In a 220, you should have no problems. I have had three clownfish pairs....one of them a Maroon pair....and they had plenty of room to spread out. Problem is more when people try to do this in a 75 gallon. Add them all at once and you should be OK.

 

[Patrick12]

Just to add, if you only have one anemome then you could see some fighting, but if you have multiple anenomes or no anenomes, then no problems.

 

[Reef Mongoose]

I have three clowns, all Ocellaris, in a 90gal and they do not fight at all. Two are paired and one is just a lone wolf but they don't fight with each other at all. Just kindda mind their own business.