Schooling Captive Clowns vs Wild

[chrissreef]

I have 4 Rods Reef clowns and I was wondering if I could put them in my DT together or if I need to break them up into pairs like wild caught clowns?

I would like to avoid them killing each other.

280g 60x36x30 mixed reef

Thanks!

 

[Slakker]

Clowns don't school. Split 'em up.

 

[stagefright13]

Only 2 Clowns to a tank is the rule. And I have had captive bred and wild caught and they have the exact same instincts... As far as I can tell.

Don't get wild caught fish! There are plenty bred in captivity. Don't support taking them from their homes!

I have 2 tank raised Clarkii's now and love them...

And seriously regret getting fish caught from reefs. I didn't know any better at the time.

 

[yardboy]

I don't mean to dispute, but clowns do school, if by that we mean that they will stay together in a group of more than two. I have seen large anemones in the wild with 15-20 young clowns all swimming merrily around. This shot only shows 4 but there were more before they dove off into the anemone when I started hanging around.
This doesn't mean that you can keep more than two of the same species at once in a tank. I have no experience with that, but there can definitely be more than two to an anemone, even of different species.

 

[Slakker]

Many clowns will share an anemone, but they do not swim in schools.

 

[yardboy]

Re: Schooling Captive Clowns vs Wild

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13758665#post13758665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrissreef
I have 4 Rods Reef clowns and I was wondering if I could put them in my DT together or if I need to break them up into pairs like wild caught clowns?

I would like to avoid them killing each other.

280g 60x36x30 mixed reef

Thanks!

So sharing an anemone together is more what the question is, not if they school together.

 

[Mike31154]

The species of clownfish can make a difference too. I recall seeing something about certain species being together in groups of more than two, with a dominant pair running the show and the remaining fish hanging around as juvenile males waiting for one of the dominant pair to kick off. When that happens, one of the juveniles gets promoted.

Can't do that with Maroon Clowns though, that I know for sure.

 

[JJFly]

Maroons won't school or share an anemone, except with their mate). Oscellaris, Skunk, Clarkii, Tomato... will all share a large enough anemone. I've had as many as 13 of a single species in a tank together (Fire clowns). Disclaimer, must be added at the same time and ensure only one is female. In order to do that, mine were all juvi (4mo old), had them for over a year.