Creating a clown tank

[Flyboy450r]

Hi guys i'm new to clowns and anemones and im created a tank to keep them. I have set up a 29 gallon truvu acrylic tank with a built in overflow. I have 1.25 pounds of live rock per gallon along with a 6 inch sand bed. I have 2 korallia evolution 750 per gallon power heads along with a 700 gph main pump in a ten gallon sump. I have a SWC cone skimmer and a hob filter in my sump with cheato and a 6500k light. My lighting for my main tank is a viper metal halide light. I haven't had any heat issues with my tank and the light yet and its been up for ruffly 10 weeks. I'm adding a coc this week and realize its to soon to add the clowns much less the anemone. Im just looking for a direction to go. Anything to stay away from or to go to. Anything that will really help my tank/ the future residents. Whats a good clown species to set my heart on/ anemone species. Im wanting a rose bulb tip anemone, and tomato/cinnamon clowns. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank You

 

[CockyBrock]

Well from what I can tell, your setup sounds very nice. My compliments on the SWC cone; I assume it's the 120 (which I have on a 30 breeder and it ROCKS!!). I'm also guessing your metal halide is at least 150 watts?

As for clowns and anemones, I've only had rose bubbles and have had great success with them. I've had tomato (they were mean) and currently have a pair of black & white occelaris and a breeding pair of onyx percs. If I were to do it all over again, I would have never gotten tomatos from the start and would have gotten what I liked (which is what we have now). Bubble tip anemones are very hardy and can generally withstand most hardships in a tank. Just some good lighting and good water (doesn't have to be great water as they like some nitrates b/c they're filter feeders) and they should do just fine....

From what you've posted, you should be fine with most clowns; I'd recommend starting with a bubble tip...easy and in my opinion, a very beautiful nem!

 

[andymh]

I agree and it sounds like you're off to a good start. Tomato and cinnamon clowns can be real bruisers so be prepared for that. The female tomato I used to have would literally try to jump out of the water to try and bite me if I came near the tank and putting your hand in the tank to clean was always exciting.

 

[Nynke]

Clarkii's can be a b#@! aswell, mine tears up my flesh if i dont wear gloves, yes i got bite marks and bleeding ! She is so agressive, that if i put my finger above the tank and i dont wear the gloves she will be rushing from the bottem to the top to launch a attack. My boyfriend wanted to try it ones and put his finger in a corner at the surfice, my clarkii launched attack and jumped out of the fish tank. (yes after 3 times launching attack and falling out of the fish tank she is still alive)

I wanna trow her into the trash can, but i love her so much, im gonna get her a mate. She is now 14 years old.

So if you wanna have a fish with a temper buy a clarkii, ones you get one you are in love right away

 

[Flyboy450r]

Yeah its a 150 watt light. I didn't realize they could be that aggressive. Ive got a piranha tank and I can pick them up bare handed in my tank and they don't bother me. Maybe ill look into some other clowns then. How are the maroons. That's truly what I have my heart set on but I hear they are pretty aggressive to. My local fish store has some young percs that look great maybe i'll look into getting a set of them. I know the larger one changes sex how long does that take. Also I'm reading its best to introduce the clowns first which I hope to do in a month or so. But how long should I wait for a anemone? Does 6 months sound right. My live rock came out of my fowlr tank, and so did my water but Im still having mini cylces every now and then. So im taking it slow. Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[2Addicted]

At least six months for an anemone. You could get a pair of snowcasso clownfish.

 

[Nynke]

If its old rock and old water ( dont know how long your other tank is up )

I would try and do a anemone first, you only have to feed it less then a fish, and a anemone does love a little bit of nitrate and phos.

A anemone puts less stress on a tank then a fish i think.

( if im not correct, correct me)

And if i see at my fish she is very happy now and swimming happy in the tank. When she didnt had a anemone of a small anemone ( before she hosted my green bubbletip) she whas a verry stressy scared fish. always in the back trying to hide. Because the anemone whas to small she didnt stay in it but fled for the rocks.

Now she is a very happy fish and staying in her anemone.

Buy a nice healthy anemone, and when the tank is settled with the anemone in it, buy a cute nemo

 

[2Addicted]

If its old rock and old water ( dont know how long your other tank is up )

I would try and do a anemone first, you only have to feed it less then a fish, and a anemone does love a little bit of nitrate and phos.

A anemone puts less stress on a tank then a fish i think.

Anemones produce a lot of waste, add the fish first or wait 6 months to add anemone and fish. Even if it was established rock I would still wait at least 6 months. Hmm im not positive about an anemone loving a little bit of nitrates because my nitrates are never really detectable but how do you know this? Just curious.

 

[Nynke]

anemone loving a little bit of nitrates because my nitrates are never really detectable but how do you know this? Just curious.

Im trying to look it up where i read this, somebody gave it as advice to me, but i cant find it no more.

Ohhh i remember the reef owner of a really good reef shop told me when i got some feather algea for free. because i whas buying the big green bubble tips aswell, and in my tank already have a lot of anemones aswell, he sayed that the feather algea can compete for nitrate with the anemones.

 

[CockyBrock]

I've also read/been told that anemone's like a bit 0f nitrates...so it doesn't surprise me that others have heard that as well.

And getting established rock is a great thing...but "established" water doesn't mean anything....just remember that the more you have in the tank, the more waste; but an anemone won't produce as much waste if you don't feed it often (as they feed via photosynthesis). But if you want them to grow and with BTAs, split, you'll have to feed more regularly.

They do offer a less stressful environment than a fish by itself..so I'd probably start out with a common green one that looks very healthy. Look for dark colors in them and make sure their pedal disc (the foot) isn't torn anywhere. As far as how long to wait, I have mix feelings on it...I've had rose bubbles in tanks that haven't even cycled and they do just fine....water changes fix that!

I'd also stay away from maroons...can be very aggressive....

 

[Mavrk]

Set up a 10 gallon QT and go get some clowns. Leave them in there for 6 weeks. By the time they are ready to come out of QT your tank will be ready.

Since you are new to anemones, I would say go with a BTA like others have said. But do not add this until your tank is at least 6 months old (as others have stated as well). I would recommend getting a clown that is naturally hosted by the anemone you choose. For one thing, it gives a higher chance they will choose the anemone as a host. For another, IMO there is something cool about seeing the natural pairs.

The other thing to consider about the clown would be how aggressive and how large you want it to be.

 

[Flyboy450r]

Ok im in love with the snowcasso clowns. Any info on them I cant find much. Is my tank large enough? How aggressive? Needs? Diet? And where can I get them at? I can only find one place and he is sold out. Im adding a coc kit from inland aquatics wends day so I'm going to let the pods and everything else get a run at it before I add a fish. Plus if I have to spend 150 a fish I want this tank to be established. Whats everyone think about throwing a damsel just to get things ready which will come out before I add the clowns.

 

[Flyboy450r]

One more thing do they pair with a bta? Also did anyone look at my pics how is my light. I have it 7 inches off the surface of my tank. Is the light to direct?

 

[2Addicted]

Ok im in love with the snowcasso clowns. Any info on them I cant find much. Is my tank large enough? How aggressive? Needs? Diet? And where can I get them at? I can only find one place and he is sold out. Im adding a coc kit from inland aquatics wends day so I'm going to let the pods and everything else get a run at it before I add a fish. Plus if I have to spend 150 a fish I want this tank to be established. Whats everyone think about throwing a damsel just to get things ready which will come out before I add the clowns.

Donisreef.com is the only place that sells them and they are pretty hard to get. Keep checking her website on saturday. They have the same needs as a normal percula and yes your tank is big enough. They are usually not very aggressive. Dont put a damsel in the tank odds are you wont be able to get ahold of snowcassos before your tank is ready. A bta is not a natural host for percs but they often will be hosted by one. Some people claim that if they are hosted by a bta they lose their black but i have not experienced this. Good luck! Snowcassos are amazing clowns:beer:

 

[PayasoDelMar]

Donisreef is not the only place to get them, its certainly one of the more popular places to get them but not the only...

Picassos & Snowcassos are A. Percula so there really isnt anything "special" about their needs, they are really hardy fish!

If i were you i would get a snowcasso and a nice picasso along with a haddoni nem. Personally i dont like bubble tips because they move around more than other nems and can commit suicide (by suicide i mean they go into the pumps and get themselves chopped up) In addition i have noticed the loss of black pigment with BTAs

 

[2Addicted]

Donisreef is not the only place to get them, its certainly one of the more popular places to get them but not the only...

Really? I was almost positive doni called her picassos with excessive white snowcassos and she owned the rights to the name and what not? Can you post a link to somewhere else that sells snowcassos? Unless you mean that you can get them second hand from another hobbyist?

 

[davocean]

Really? I was almost positive doni called her picassos with excessive white snowcassos and she owned the rights to the name and what not? Can you post a link to somewhere else that sells snowcassos? Unless you mean that you can get them second hand from another hobbyist?

Agree w/ this.
Picasso's can be obtained elswhere, Snowcasso's I've only seen through Donisreef.
I also don't agree w/ nems loving or even liking high nitrates or phosphates, in fact the opposite would be more correct.

 

[Flyboy450r]

Ok thanks for all that info. I tried emailing him. Like I said it will be a while. I dont wanna spend that type of money and have a mini cycle pop up. But ill keep my eye out and hopefully I can snag one. I'll give my tank some time to get established and let my coc get ahold of my tank. Im very excited about this tank. I guess all I need is time now. The one thing you cant rush right.

 

[PayasoDelMar]

"Snowcasso" is just a marketing term that Doni came up with. Seeing as shes the one who came up with the term she can say shes the only one that has them but even if she owns the rights to the name snowcasso if you breed two platinums or a platinum and a picasso with a lot of white you are bound to get a snowcasso eventually. And people have done so already, from what i have seen its mostly local breeders though, and few online vendors here and there

 

[Toddrtrex]

....
I also don't agree w/ nems loving or even liking high nitrates or phosphates, in fact the opposite would be more correct.

I have to concur completely. Heck, my anemones let me know when either one of those 2 are getting even slightly high and it is time for a water change.