Multiple pairs of clowns

[MBVette]

I have a 210g setup right now that I am slowly stocking up. I have a pair of Ocellarus clowns that hang out with my powerheard against the side of my tank right now, and would love to add a pair of ORA black ice clowns my LFS has right now. Could I add another set of clowns w/o starting a war in my tank.

The rest of my fish are:
Blonde Naso
Desjardini Sailfin Tang
Chevron Tang
2 Bartlett Anthias (soon to be 5, as the LFS has them on order for me)
2 Oc. Clowns
2 Chromis
Midas Blenny
Yellow Watchman
Diamond Goby
Mystery Wrasse
2 Banggai Cardinals (might be 1, they seem to not do well in my tank)
2 Flame Angels

 

[sTefaniA]

What are black ice clowns?
I have regular ocellaris pair and a black ocellaris sp darwin pair.
I have no anemones and they don't bother each other. Tank is 440g though.

 

[MBVette]

the black ice is a mix between the black ocellarus as the snowflake clowns.

 

[snorvich]

Well two clown pairs in a largish tank IS possible. If one or both had their own anemone, the odds would improve. Otherwise, they may associate with a coral or something else which may be proximate to each other. Then, it would not work.

 

[MBVette]

there is a BTA in the tank, but the current clowns want no part of it. They have decided that the powerhead is their home.

I also have a hammerhead coral which I have seen has worked as a home for the clowns as well. So you think there is a pretty good chance they could coexist in the tank.

 

[M88A2]

there is a BTA in the tank, but the current clowns want no part of it. They have decided that the powerhead is their home. QUOTE]

lol clown are so wierd. mine use to like a seashell on the floor but ended up moving to a toadstool a few weeks after i added it.

 

[snorvich]

there is a BTA in the tank, but the current clowns want no part of it. They have decided that the powerhead is their home.

I also have a hammerhead coral which I have seen has worked as a home for the clowns as well. So you think there is a pretty good chance they could coexist in the tank.

My recollection is that BTA are associated with 12 or so species of clowns and that your clowns should be interested. There needs to be distinct territories for a pair of clowns coupled with another pair. If the territories overlap, they will NOT coexist. Euphyillia species of corals can often be damaged by clowns that choose them as "home".

 

[davocean]

Very rarely does it work out w/ more than one pair, especially as they mature/spawn.
I would not consider a 210 to be big enough for me to want to try more than one pair.

 

[snorvich]

Very rarely does it work out w/ more than one pair, especially as they mature/spawn.
I would not consider a 210 to be big enough for me to want to try more than one pair.

Yes, a 210 is marginal. I have seen it work only in a 500 gallon. The territories can NOT overlap.

 

[davocean]

Yeah, my 180 was 6', and I was lucky my nems made bookends at each end, (and stayed)but my maroon pair cruised back and forth to both.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I wouldn't attempt it. It might work in the short term, but all bets are off when one pair starts spawning. Even "docile" clowns become very aggressive once they are a spawning pair.

 

[MBVette]

well damn, I was really hoping to get that pair of black ice clowns. But I guess I will skip it, as I would not trade my clowns out for them. They were some of the first fish I put in, and have been awesome (besides for the fact they think a powerhead is their home).

On that note, is there anyway to get them to move from the powerhead to the anemone in the middle of the tank?

 

[snorvich]

On that note, is there anyway to get them to move from the powerhead to the anemone in the middle of the tank?

Not that I know of. Many people have had the same idea. Anyone?

 

[davocean]

Some have claimed to have success taping a pic of clowns in a nem to their tank, and having either monkey see reaction, or clowns rushing to claim territory in nem.
It's a cheap easy try.
Another way is to have clowns and nem somewhat confined together, but that one is tricky, you have to have space enough to keep clowns from forced into nem too soon, before they develop resistance to nem stinging cells(it can kill them)
So that would depend on your situation, if nem was attached to a rock you could place in a QT tank w/ clowns or something.
But that is tough too, nem may want to move, hard to maintain params and such.
There is no gauranteed easy way I know of, but I would try taping a pic and see what happens, let us know if that works.

 

[MBVette]

I guess I can try taping a picture to them in a nem, cheap and easy. How often does that really happen with these tanks.

 

[davocean]

I've seen a number of people say they had their clowns long term, year or so, ignoring nem, and then enter nem w/in a week or 2 of the pic trick.
Never done it myself, but have seen it too many times in clown/nem forum to scoff at it, worth a try.