Finally my dream anemone-clownfish combo
- Thread starter Winwood
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Winwood
New member
I think you will be ok with the trio for a little while till the pair really gets serious, then I would ship that baby out, maybe to me
Probably right, but for now I am really enjoying the unusual dynamic an extra specimen presents. There have been some peculiar behavior between the three however. Several times now I've caught the two smaller of the the three nipping at rocks together. Every time I have witnessed this it has been right after the lights turn on in the morning or right before they go out at night. Also, it appears the largest individual is becoming more tolerant of the smaller two. She chases them less throughout the day and all 3 sleep together in the anemone at night.
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ezhoops
New member
this is probably more of a natural situation than a single pair in isolation like most of us have. Probably very interesting to watch and observe. Best of luck, I really love this species.
"this is probably more of a natural situation than a single pair in isolation like most of us have. Probably very interesting to watch and observe. Best of luck, I really love this species."
Good point. In nature groups of clowns are often found in one anemone, the dominant female, her mate and several "intermediate" juvenile males that remain juveniles until the male of the dominant pair either becomes female or is knocked off for some reason.
Good point. In nature groups of clowns are often found in one anemone, the dominant female, her mate and several "intermediate" juvenile males that remain juveniles until the male of the dominant pair either becomes female or is knocked off for some reason.
Winwood
New member
I think there are a few of factors at work that are allowing this trio to exist. First and foremost I don't believe any of these fish are sexually mature yet with the largest one being the possible exception. Second the tank is fairly large for basically a clown/anemone tank and has lots of escape routes the little guys can dart into that the larger one cannot fit into. A third possible factor is the type of anemone.
I know this sounds strange but a long time ago I ordered 6 perculas online in hopes they would all share my large magnifica. It didn't take long for the dominant pair to to banish all of the other clowns from their nem. Later I came across a large blue gigantea at a local pet store. Once I placed the blue carpet in my tank all 6 clowns began sharing the gig with relatively little aggression. This was wonderful to watch and continued for about a week and a half until the gigantea perished. After that the dominant pair went back to their mag and continued excluding the little guys.
So although gigantea and mertensii are different species they provide similar "terrain". I have noticed in my current setup as well as in my percula experiment that when the dominant fish gets roudy the subordinant's first move is to dash under a fold. I believe this usually does the trick because the targeted fish is out of sight. However when aggression levels rise above this that is where the large tank comes into play. Rarely does my dominant fish chase the subordinants clear across the tank.
I know this sounds strange but a long time ago I ordered 6 perculas online in hopes they would all share my large magnifica. It didn't take long for the dominant pair to to banish all of the other clowns from their nem. Later I came across a large blue gigantea at a local pet store. Once I placed the blue carpet in my tank all 6 clowns began sharing the gig with relatively little aggression. This was wonderful to watch and continued for about a week and a half until the gigantea perished. After that the dominant pair went back to their mag and continued excluding the little guys.
So although gigantea and mertensii are different species they provide similar "terrain". I have noticed in my current setup as well as in my percula experiment that when the dominant fish gets roudy the subordinant's first move is to dash under a fold. I believe this usually does the trick because the targeted fish is out of sight. However when aggression levels rise above this that is where the large tank comes into play. Rarely does my dominant fish chase the subordinants clear across the tank.
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ezhoops
New member
That is another good point, this trio may remain sexually immature for a while, I believe this tends to be played out longer in our systems due to it being captivity and natural forces aren't at hand daily. I believe you could speed up the process if you eliminated one of those fish and went with the pair. Personally, I would et rid of the larger one and let the little ones figure it out. It would be interesting to see which one became the female and had the growth spurt. That is if your goal or hopes are to breed them eventually. Otherwise just enjoy them, they are a great species.
Harems
Harems
For about 7 months i have had a 4 inch females white bonnet living with mate i paired with her for the first 4.
They host a Mertens carpet and a sebea. On a whim and a very luck chance i got a small juvi blue stripe and a juvi orange skunk from a retailer.
I bought them and dropped them in the tank along with a Magnifica. To my suprise noone host the mag and they all remain around the mertens. There is a clear pecking order with the female white bonnet first the larg orange skunk next and then the white tail blue stripe and the other orange skunk.
Both the blue stripe and large orange skunk shimmy to the bonnet. The small orange skunk shimmys to the blue stripe.
Its funny cause i put the harem up forsale along with the mertens and no one was interested. Now i see winwood and im like hot damn.
If you can dedicate a tank to clowns i think a harem with multiple anemones is the way to go. I warn thou it multiple anemones.
Its also a little different in my case cause their bonnets orange skunks and blue stripes.
I have a feeling that the reason their are white bonnets is that there is a male blue stripe and male skunk present with a large female. They both fertilize the eggs or its a orange skunk and blue stripe pair.
Good luck with that feed some spirulina to them and get those blue stripes out.
Harems
For about 7 months i have had a 4 inch females white bonnet living with mate i paired with her for the first 4.
They host a Mertens carpet and a sebea. On a whim and a very luck chance i got a small juvi blue stripe and a juvi orange skunk from a retailer.
I bought them and dropped them in the tank along with a Magnifica. To my suprise noone host the mag and they all remain around the mertens. There is a clear pecking order with the female white bonnet first the larg orange skunk next and then the white tail blue stripe and the other orange skunk.
Both the blue stripe and large orange skunk shimmy to the bonnet. The small orange skunk shimmys to the blue stripe.
Its funny cause i put the harem up forsale along with the mertens and no one was interested. Now i see winwood and im like hot damn.
If you can dedicate a tank to clowns i think a harem with multiple anemones is the way to go. I warn thou it multiple anemones.
Its also a little different in my case cause their bonnets orange skunks and blue stripes.
I have a feeling that the reason their are white bonnets is that there is a male blue stripe and male skunk present with a large female. They both fertilize the eggs or its a orange skunk and blue stripe pair.
Good luck with that feed some spirulina to them and get those blue stripes out.
Would love to find another someday, but for now I am pretty happy with my current crispa.
Ron Popeil
Love them clownfish.
your photoshop skills need some work. it still looks like you have a clown tang in that 29 gallon.
Winwood
New member
It's 110 gallons.
Winwood
New member
Thank you! Yes she is definitely getting bigger and has lost the remains of her third stripe completely.
ocellaris123
Active member
Very nice clowns you have. It's nice too see something different than your everyday occellaris and perculas. Does the female stir up any sand around the base of the anemone?
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