How many clownfish can I keep in a 90g?

[Clowntastic]

I have a 90 RR that set up. Its bare bottom with a few pieces of LR. I am going to keep just clownfish and and few of the same anemones. There is a local clownfish breeder that is willing to sell me one of his batches of 100 clownfish. They are almost 1 inch. Can I keep them all together in the 90g?

 

[kduen]

Short answer is no. There are some instances where this has worked out like moberts but not with 100 fish in a 90gal. That would be a huge bio-load just from fish and then you want to add a "few" anemones that will produce just as much waste as the fish.

 

[davocean]

The only time I advise more than one pair is a large group from the same clutch, so it can be done, but nowhere near a 100 in that size tank.
I would read Moberts thread above.
As far as nems, you could do a few and make a clown/nem specific tank, I don't see a huge bioload increase unless you were silly about spot feeding.

 

[davocean]

The only time I advise more than one pair is a large group from the same clutch, so it can be done, but nowhere near a 100 in that size tank.
I would read Moberts thread above.
As far as nems, you could do a few and make a clown/nem specific tank, I don't see a huge bioload increase unless you were silly about spot feeding.

 

[Clowntastic]

They are all coming from the same clutch and will all be added at the same time. I figured that my 90g would be pleanty of room for the 100 clowns since the breeder has them all in a 10g tank now. He said they will be fine, but I wanted to see what others thought.

 

[kduen]

We also don't know what kind of anemone's he's talking about it but if it is BTA's then I would agree its probably not a huge increase.

 

[Clowntastic]

Just a green and a red bubble tip anemone.

 

[kduen]

Ok lets just do some asuming here and just say these are percs. The largest that I have gotten my percs to was about 3 1/2 inches. Now cram 100, 2-3 1/2 inch fish in a 90 gallon tank and not only will it look like there is nothing but clowns in there I would be willing to bet that you couldn't prevent the the ammonia from building up so fast that it wipes everything out. All it would take is one to die and not realize it and the chain of death would start.

Edit: Even if you were to use the old rule of 1 inch of fish per gallon( which is ridiculas) thats still a max of 30 clowns at 3 inches.

 

[Johanv]

Im no expert, but my guess would be probally the max of clowns would be 9-15

 

[davocean]

Probably around 25 or so would be max IMO

 

[Faye]

Where is this local breeder? I am from west chester too.

 

[Clowntastic]

I understand that at full grown 3" that will be way too many, but it will take over 2yrs to get that size. I would plan on keeping the 100 in there for 6mths or so or until they are close to 1.5" and then move half of them to another 90g. And at 1" per gallon they should be fine. I have a sump and fuge with a nice skimmer and will monitors water conditions closely.

 

[Faye]

I understand that at full grown 3" that will be way too many, but it will take over 2yrs to get that size. I would plan on keeping the 100 in there for 6mths or so or until they are close to 1.5" and then move half of them to another 90g. And at 1" per gallon they should be fine. I have a sump and fuge with a nice skimmer and will monitors water conditions closely.

It's a really really stupid idea to put 100 fish in a 90 gallon tank.

Where is this local breeder? I am right where you live, maybe I know him?

 

[Clowntastic]

Where is this local breeder? I am from west chester too.

He is in Lionville/Downingtown

 

[Clowntastic]

It's a really really stupid idea to put 100 fish in a 90 gallon tank.

Yikes. Little harsh its only until they grow another 1/2" or so then I'll split the batch in half. The breeder told me with my sump/fuge/heavy skimming that I will be fine. I am hoping a breeder or someone who may have done something similar to chime in.

 

[davocean]

The one inch per gallon rule barely sits well in FW, far from what we do in SW, so throw that guideline out the window, it doesn't take a breeder to know this, most of us have plenty enough experience to answer these types of questions.

 

[davocean]

BTW, there is a very good reason for Moberts thread to have been made a sticky, "27 clowns in the same tank 27 months", pretty much all the info you need is in that thread if you take the time to read it.
Most of us are in awe of her ability to achieve what she has accomplished.

 

[hvacman250]

The 27 clowns for 27 months thread is a 210 gallon?
And you're attempting 100 in a 90?

I breed clowns small scale (I have 5 pairs). I, myself, would refuse to sell you to if you told me you planned to put 100 in a 90 gallon. 10-12 MAX.

 

[davocean]

Yeah, I may have been overly generous and optimistic in even saying 25 max, but that is counting the fact you are starting out very small, and expecting you WILL have losses as they sort out some kind of pecking order.

 

[bues0022]

I always say the same thing with this question: if you have to ask you don't have the knowledge base and skill set necessary to make this work long term. Go read more. Some very knowledgable and respected people have chimed in here. You only seem to want a breeders opinion, why? It seems like you are searching for someone to say you will be ok but ignoring the overwhelming response to not do this. You don't seem to understand the implications of what you want to do, and until that time do not try this. Put it this way....research enough to have educated , logical counter arguments for everyone here and you will know enough to make it work. However, by then you will realize the idiocy of his attempt and not attempt.

I will reiterate, if you have to ask, you don't know enough to try.