Clownfish Age & Size Question???

[D-Rod]

Can you tell how old clownfish are by there size?
If so 1"= ? 1-1/2"= ? 2"=? and so on.

Thanks

 

[MarinaP]

No

 

[D-Rod]

Ok, then how do you tell how old they might be?

 

[MarinaP]

You grow your own. Then you will know for sure ;>))

 

[TheVillageIdiot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9364828#post9364828 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarinaP
You grow your own. Then you will know for sure ;>))

one of the benefits to buying captive bred clowns, you know they're probably 6-12 months when you buy them, most of the time...

wild caught clowns can be 1.5" and be 4-5 years old if they were non-mating males on the reef...

 

[MarinaP]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9364861#post9364861 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheVillageIdiot
wild caught clowns can be 1.5" and be 4-5 years old if they were non-mating males on the reef...

Wild caught mating males can be 4" or longer, too.

 

[GSMguy]

some clowns in the wild can be 8 years old and still sexless

 

[TheVillageIdiot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9365431#post9365431 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
some clowns in the wild can be 8 years old and still sexless

yup, people by an old clown they think is a a year old and it suddenly dies for no apparent reason, not realising it was old age...

of course, I can't really talk since both mine are WC...

 

[rogart]

I have three pairs:
False Percs <1.5" 3yr Male, 3.5" 4yr Female
False Percs 2" 1yr Male, 2" 1yr Male
Percs 2" 2yr Male, 3" 3yr Female

They can be any size and any age, only sure thing is the females are the nasty ones, go figure.

 

[cschweitzer]

I would highly doubt old age was the reason if you buy a clownfish thinking it's 1 year and it dies...they can live easily over 20 years, many over 30 years. If you're getting a clownfish of that age, chances are you will be able to tell.

The chances that you bought this clownfish one year before it dies is unlikely(possible, but not normal). Most clowns in the wild will not live as long as in captivity...nature of the beast. They get old, their offspring no longer viable or healthy as before, pushed out of the anem by a more aggressive youngster and is eaten. Not necessarily every time, but much more likely. I think a clown's potential for life is much higher in a proper tank and if you get them wild caught and take proper care to rid diseases, parasites, etc, you should not have a loss in the first year. I doubt there are many 20+ year old clownfish in the wild, but they all have that potential in captivity(barring bad owner, bad tank, or problems coming in explained above).