Gold Nugget Maroon Clown

[Ron Reefman]

I posted this in the clownfish section and only got one reply. So I'll hope for better here.

I've had several clownfish including Tomato and Cinnamon clowns in the past. In time they were all re-homed for various reasons. I now have a 125g very mixed reef tank and I'm interested in getting a mated pair of clowns. I have seen and like the look of the clowns that are more white with just orange on the face, fins and tail. But yesterday I saw my first Gold Nugget Maroon Clown. It was a juvenile, mostly white with a reddish face, fins and tail. I understand they turn more yellow/gold as they mature.

I have 2 questions:

1) Am I right in assuming that these clowns would be a bit more aggressive than other clowns? I know the Tomato and Cinnamon clown were more aggressive that the Ocellaris or Percula clowns.

2) How old do these clowns get before they start to turn gold?

 

[billdogg]

I cannot help you with your second question.

As to the first - they are still Maroons - perhaps a bit in/selective bred, but Maroons nonetheless. I would expect them to own the tank in short order.

 

[river2reef2024]

Petco gold nugget from ORA 69.99 not bad

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[DSMpunk]

My juvenile male took about 8-10 months to slowly transition to a more gold stripe. Mine may be the exception, but my 4 inch female maroon is FAR less aggressive than my female tomato I had previously. She is protective of her little cave and that's about it.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Yeah, my female Tomato would go after my hand in the tank. And she was smart enough not to go in the trap that every other fish in the tank was willing to go in. She's hang around just outside the lower edge of the trap (hanging in the tank) and wait for the other fish to stir up the water inside the trap and wash some of the food out to her.

BTW, the first Gold Nugget I saw was at Petco while I was buying a t5 bulb that my LFS didn't have. I almost wish they would stay all white with the reddish points. Now I'm torn between the Gold Nugget and a hybrid Ocellaris like a Frostbite. It's completely stupid, but I like the look because it looks like my flame point siamese cat! Besides, I've been in the hobby for 12 years so I think I'm allowed to make choices based on looks. LOL!

 

[BigDave]

Funny that you ask about this... There's someone on my local FB trying to sell one for what I consider a crazy amount of money.

I hadn't even heard of them until yesterday.

 

[anbosu]

I once bought an aquarium from a guy that had a 240 gallon tank set up, and his female maroon clown chewed the tail off the yellow tang in his big tank. I decided after hearing that I would only set them up in a species tank.

 

[CountrysideVinc]

I have a gold stripe maroon from the maldives. I have had her for a few years, she has switched tanks 3 times with me...as rude as she can be, I still love her.

She is about 4 in. now, goes after my hand if I am anywhere close to her RBTA, but otherwise leaves other fish alone. Its just me. I will say that I don't have anything else that gets close to her bubble tip, but if there was something that did she might not be thrilled with them.

Again all that said, she is wonderful, and as much as I love her looks, those gold nuggets are even cooler!