Question- Adding clowns

[LotsaTanks]

I have 7 little clowns now that are around 1.5-2". They all get along well and are eating fine. They are temporarily in a 30 gallon frag tank (24"x30"), while I get their final home of a 120 gal ready.

I want to get a few more little snowflake clowns (around 5 more same size) and add them to this group. Do I have a better chance of introducing them together now, or should I keep them in a separate tank and add them together in the 120? Or is this a really bad idea? If ultimately it doesn't work, I have another tank I can add them to as a back up plan.

 

[davocean]

Normally when I see clown tanks like this that remain successful long term they are from the same clutch, otherwise it's hard to say, 2" is about the time they are close to being mature enough to transition to female, pair off, and often that is when they become very territorial

 

[LotsaTanks]

I've read that it can be successful when they are all from the same clutch. I haven't found much on introducing a group the same size when they are all young.

Do you think I'd have a better chance of adding them right away, or waiting and putting them all in the new tank in about 2 mos after it cycles? Just worried about waiting because they'll be even older and larger.

 

[davocean]

Your guess is as good as mine, if I ever did a clown specific like that I would do all very young from the same clutch, I'm over taking risks, and I see even that as a risk.
Even in Moberts thread which was pretty successful I believe she states some of her clowns got picked off over time

 

[addictedreefer]

Your guess is as good as mine, if I ever did a clown specific like that I would do all very young from the same clutch, I'm over taking risks, and I see even that as a risk.
Even in Moberts thread which was pretty successful I believe she states some of her clowns got picked off over time

+1. IMO, these clown "harem" tanks are irresponsible. You are essentially dooming at least a handful of clowns (at best) to death for the sake of your experiment.

 

[LotsaTanks]

I'm not too into experiments that will likely fail. It makes me sad to lose a fish and I don't want to put myself (or the fish) through that. If I do this I'll stick to the same clutch. And I have a couple other systems I can put any that seem to be unhappy.