Keeping 2 Pairs of Clowns

[bigdog0598]

I'm planning my new 150 and want a pair or BW clowns and a Pair of True....would that be ok in that size of a tank?

 

[2Addicted]

99% of people (including myself) will tell you no. There is always that 1% that will say they have seen it or have tried it and it has worked for the meantime. It may work for a while but as the clowns mature you will probobly only end up with one pair.

 

[SwampyBill]

+1 for don't do it. One pair per tank, IMO.

 

[holdendaniel]

my friend (khaosinc) has a 750gal tank with 2 pairs......they seem to be doing fine for last couple months.....but the new pair added took over the nem...

 

[paulduong]

one pair is enough

 

[thatguy559]

i had a maroon pair and a bw pair in my 225 no issues for the 2 years i had it running.

 

[Wolverine]

Some people will get away with it, as noted. The larger the tank the better (such as Khaosinc's 750). Most of the time, it ends with one remaining pair of clownfish.

 

[MelloW33]

I've seen 2 pairs in a 125 before. IMO, it would depend on the rock structure. If you had like a big island of rock in the middle of the tank kind of like a divider, you might be OK. I'd put an anemone on each side of the "island" as well. Introduce both pairs at the same time, on opposite ends of the tank with the lights off.

 

[yourbedormine18]

I had a trio of Black and White clowns and added another pair of regular clowns, after a few weeks of fighting the newest female killed the original female of the trio now she has 2 males on one side of the tank and her original male on the other. So I guess more males is easier than trying to have more than one female per tank.

My tank is a 180 so I can only imagine if the tank was smaller the wars the clowns would have.

Hope that helps.

 

[yourbedormine18]

You might have a shot if you add the pairs at the same time, that is the only way I would attempt having two pairs of clowns in a tank.

 

[steelhead77]

Ahh jeesh! I guess I'm in the 1% - actually I think it's much higher than that but whatever.

I wouldn't try a pair of Maroons and Tomatoes or Maroons and Clarkiis, or even Tomatoes and Clarkiis but I have a mature pair of Pinks and a mature pair of True Percs. They are on opposite ends of the tank and NEVER cross the invisible barrier into each others respective territory. They both lay eggs and they have been together for over two years, starting out in a 72 Bowfront.

I think it mostly depends on the species. Do a little more research somewhere besides here (try www.wetwebmedia) before taking anyone's definite word on the matter.

 

[holdendaniel]

went to a friends tank to day she has 4 platnums in 120 peninsula and 3 maroon in 40 frag tank

 

[holdendaniel]

fish?

fish?

i had a maroon pair and a bw pair in my 225 no issues for the 2 years i had it running.

do you still have the fish?

 

[gregmoeck]

in that big of tank it should be ok, if it doesnt work sell the pair

 

[elegance coral]

I had a trio of Black and White clowns and added another pair of regular clowns, after a few weeks of fighting the newest female killed the original female of the trio now she has 2 males on one side of the tank and her original male on the other. So I guess more males is easier than trying to have more than one female per tank.

My tank is a 180 so I can only imagine if the tank was smaller the wars the clowns would have.

Hope that helps.

So what's going to happen when one of the males begins to turn female?

Your female is going to pair with one of the males. That will leave the other male on its own to mature into a female. Your existing female has already shown what she does with other females in her tank. Why not remove one of the males while it's still alive?

Why would you sit back and watch two animals (of any kind) fight for "several weeks" until one of them finally dies, without stepping in?

 

[Wolverine]

in that big of tank it should be ok, if it doesnt work sell the pair

I disagree. If you get an aggressive female, a 150g is not nearly big enough.

As for selling them, depending on your setup, that can mean tearing the reef apart to catch them. In case you've never been through that exercise, it's not fun.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I've seen 2 pairs in a 125 before. IMO, it would depend on the rock structure. If you had like a big island of rock in the middle of the tank kind of like a divider, you might be OK. I'd put an anemone on each side of the "island" as well. Introduce both pairs at the same time, on opposite ends of the tank with the lights off.

I have kept two pair in a 125 before. My setup was almost exactly as described. There were two anemones on opposite sides of the tank and as a general rule, neither pair could see the other unless they roamed pretty far from their anemones. In my case it was a pair of A. melanopus and A. clarkii. Melanopus were in a S. haddoni, and the Clarkii were in an E. quadricolor (for what it's worth).

At the same time, I have had paired clowns DESTROY all intruders, so I would not hazard to guess the odds. I had a pair of orange skunks once that would attack photos of clownfish that I would put at the far end of their tank (in a 120).