Clown Opinion?

[debincalif]

I'm getting ready to start adding fish to my tank - finally!

I want a mated pair of clowns... had a pair of ocellaris in my previous tank and I loved them. Now there are so many variations out there, and I really like the look of black ocellaris clowns too.

Does anyone have experience with black ocellaris? Is their temperment like a regular ocellaris? And are they truly black?

I was also thinking of a pair of tomatoes, but have been told that they can be mean buggars... so they got the boot off my list.

Any other suggestions are welcome!

Oh - tank mates will be either an African flameback angel or cherub angel, a yellow clown goby, and a tangaroa goby.

 

[Mavrk]

Black ocellaris are exactly the same as orange ones. Just a different color.

ETA: you can even pair an orange and black and they will mate just fine

 

[10galclowns]

That's awsome

 

[Mavrk]

One thing to think about is if you plan on getting an anemone. If so, what kind of anemone would you want? Then you can choose the clown based on their natural host. For example, if you like bubble tip anemones, then you might want to get a clarkii, tomato, or maroon (I believe there are more, but these are the ones I remember off the top of my head).

 

[debincalif]

Thanks for the response!

If I do get an anemone, how long should my system be established before adding one?

I've looked at BTAs and really like those... but also might be interested in a carpet.

How is the care level for these different?

 

[Mavrk]

BTA are the easiest anemone to keep (not to say they are "easy," just relatively speaking). I would say the tank should be at least 6 months old before adding an anemone. I am not a carpet expert, but my understanding is that they are difficult, grow really big, and can eat your smaller fish.

As far as clowns for BTA, you don't have to stick to the natural pairings. I do think the natural pair looks cool and tend to pair up faster. My ocellaris took a year to take up residency in my bta. Sometimes they dive right in. So even though the BTA does not naturally host ocellaris or perculas, it usually will happen eventually.

 

[bills tank]

I have twi btas and a pair of occ one is a black and white and the other is a chocolate which is a mix of a black and white mom and a reg orange dad and its a dark brown with a little orange on its bottom which is slowley turning brown too its almost all brown and white . The combo of these two looks great and they have already sexed and paired up . They r getten ready to start layen eggs i think so im intereasted in how the babies will come out . Personally id go with one black and white and one snowflake and c if u get some nice babies . Thats what i was gonna go with but came into the chocolate clown and couldnt pass it up .

 

[seamonkey84]

Snowflake ocellaris clowns look super sharp to me, I recently got a snow flake and a black ice (snowflake crossed with black and white). I also have a black clown which for some reason my regular orange one rejected, kept him in he corner of the tank most of the time. So I now have the regular orange paired with the snowflake and the black one with the black ice, beautiful contrast either way you put it.

 

[CoralReeferGal]

We've had a carpet for at least 6 months now (probably more like 9) and it is not hard to care for at all. Its the only nem I have ever had, so I can't compare, but boy, if this is hard, any other one would be a breeze! It has however grown quite big, and quite fast, I would not recommend it for anything smaller than a 55, and even that I think is pushing it (thats what we have) it has eaten some smaller fish, but we've never had an issue with hosting. A pair of misbars hosted it almost immediately, and it took less than a week for our maroon to host. (The misbars are since gone ) anyway, it adds a lot to the tank; looks beautiful, and has stayed in the same spot since we got it. Very nice addition, and probably my favorite nem.

 

[hollister]

I have a pair of tomato clowns that host any and all coral. Like most salt water fish they find a spot in the tank and will defend this spot. But are not real aggressive. They just laid there 3rd batch of eggs.I hope these hatch. I love these fish. Just get them small as clowns are unsexed at first and will decide dominance then settle in.

 

[CoralReeferGal]

I have a pair of tomato clowns that host any and all coral. Like most salt water fish they find a spot in the tank and will defend this spot. But are not real aggressive.

Really? I've heard tomatoes are VERY aggressive! I mean, up there with maroons! Good luck with the hatching though! I wish you luck! Let us know how it goes!

 

[hollister]

I have 1 maroon he stays in his corner and the clowns stay within 1 ft of there spot. The thig is with a reef tank you want a few fish as the coral and pods benefit from there waste but my limit would be 8 fish.I only have 5 fish.Coral happy and tank doesnt get to dirty.I dont even need to use a skimmer. Its all about the coral and the fish are eye candy and benifical for the coral. The biggest problem is to many reefers add to many fish. But its hard not to.

 

[debincalif]

Is it pretty common for clowns to host in an LPS such as frogspawn, torch, or hammer?

After doing some research, I'm leaning toward not getting a nem. This is mainly because my tank is small and I don't like the idea of it moving around the tank and upsetting the corals and aquascape.

In my previous tank (broke it down about 4-5 yrs ago) I bought a small pair of ocellaris and they became a mated pair with not much drama. The female did pick on the male at first as they were sorting things out, but they were great fish.

I still haven't decided if I want to go with regular ocellaris or black... but I want the pair to be the same color. What to do, what to do? :spin1:

 

[seamonkey84]

Go with black! Still one of my favorites of my 4 clowns. Very sharp looking and not so common place. If you have a good Petco near you that got the same allocation my store did, they will be on sale starting this Sunday. Then again they seem to go on sale at my store every other month.

 

[dc]

I've had perculas, ocellaris, and maroon. You couldn't give me another maroon. She was beautiful, but killed every coral I had in my tank, and bullied the fish. I like the piccassos, but I'm too cheap to pay for them. I'm going to go with plain old perculas again.