Clown Goby Pairs

[spoiled739]

Does anyone have experience with clown gobies pairing up? Do you have more than one clown goby in your tank? The reason I ask is I have a 12 gallon nano and planned to get a clown goby and a true percula premium picasso, but I wanted the clown goby to have a better friend then just the picasso, plus I will be getting the goby first as premium picassos are a bit spendy (tax returns). Also I was wondering if the clown goby would hide in the xenia? Any help would be great.

 

[davocean]

I don't think I would add a percula to that size tank if that helps.
As for pairing up clown gobies, if it's not a male and female, expect them to fight.

 

[Moort82]

I've tried it twice and both times they fought until there was only one. A friend has three is a 4x2x2 ft tank and they are fine. She also had several in a shop tank and they were ok for a bit but a couple have had to be removed due to aggression.
I'm pretty sure that sex doesn't matter as they are transgender gobies, so one will change depending on what you get.
If i were going to try it again i would get the two that hang out together as a pair in the shop tank. I have also seen pairs quite often so think i may have been unlucky, so don't let that put you off.

 

[spoiled739]

I don't think I would add a percula to that size tank if that helps.
As for pairing up clown gobies, if it's not a male and female, expect them to fight.

I have other places to put him after he grows out. I really want a Premium Picasso and there are not a lot of choices for the nano, but I have super tiny clowns in the 57. So I was thinking that it will be okay for awile at least and then move him on to our 125 as we just got rid of our Maroon Clown that came with the tank when we bought it off a fellow reefer getting out of the hobby (not a fish choice I would have made).

 

[spoiled739]

Sometimes my LFS has more than one in a tank, and I have read that they are like clowns in that they are hermaphodites until they mate. Would I be okay with two if I got two that were together at the fish store. Also do you think the clown will bother a goby. There will not be an anemome, but instead I am hoping it will host the xenia.

 

[davocean]

I too once saw tanks w/ lots of clown gobies years ago, and thought it would be cool to have a pair, man, big mistake.
I didn't realize they could be so aggro, one almost killed the other, so yeah, I'd make sure you get 2 that are already cool hanging together.
Besides space in a 12g, I think bioload, so just depends on how dilligent you are, but still a perc will get a lil big for that tank.
I think a goby or 2 if you can pull it off, and a couple inverts would make a cool nano, maybe some shrooms and zenia and such.

 

[Moort82]

I've got clowns in with my coral goby as well as a coral beauty angel and a couple of blennies including a fang blenny. Nothing bothers it in the slightest.
Mine has a couple of spots, one in some mushrooms and the other in a large gorg. As soon as i bought the gorg it was straight on it.