Should I add another clown???

[rrome]

Hi! I have a well stablished tank 55 gl with 2 x 65 W PC lighting.

I have had two medium sized (from one that split about 6 months ago) BTA'a that are happy next to each other( I've had the parent for about 3 years)

I also have a pink skunk clown (small) that lives in a Sabea anemone. I had a sabae that died a couple of months ago (I think my lighs were too old, I just changed them), the clown showed no interest in the BTA's in the interim and looked very sad :-(

I am considering getting a second clown fish and I would like to hear some suggestions as to what species to add (or if this is a really bad idea)

Another possibiliy is to move one of the BTA's to a small species tank( nano?, and again, i'd like to get a clown for it as well.

any thoughts?

Thanks,

Rom

 

[Lyscer]

from what I have read you should only put the same species of clown fish into the same tank or they may express hostile actions against others. Also if there is only one clown present in the tank it is most likely a female, so make sure you either get a juvenile clown or a male which would be difficult to distinguish without watching them with a female FME. I would say get a very young clown as they are sexless then you shouldn't have any issues with them fighting to death.

 

[rrome]

I was considering getting a very young member of a different (BTA compatible) species.

If not, maybe get get a small of the same and see if they pair up.

The ckunk clown I have now I've had for over 3 years. It's a great fish.

But you are right, it may become hostile...

 

[Lyscer]

I'm not saying it is impossible. I saw a guys tank a month or so ago (200gal) and he has An oscellaris, black and white, and a maroon, and they didn't seem to fight. But I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[brettandlyndi]

I'm currently keeping both an ocellaris clownfish and a pink skunk clownfish together in a 55g, with no problems. They've both been in the tank almost a year now together, and rarely bother eachother.

 

[stykthyn]

I would get another skunk

 

[El Langostino]

I let someone keep their pink skunk pair in my tank for awhile and the female Pink Skunk was seriously killing my Maroon Clown, so those little pink devils had to go. I really loathe pink skunks...anyway...My Maroon gets along fine with an Ocellaris in a 90 gallon.

I think the conspecific issues are exacerbated when you have a pair of clowns with a lone clown. If you have just two different clowns in a large tank, you might get lucky as I have. 55 gallons might be a little too small though.

Also, you can definitely have multiple pairs of clowns (I.e, a pair of false percs and say even a pair of maroons) if he tank is large enough and with multiple hosts. For this type of thing to work properly you need at least a 7 to 8 foot tank of 200 gallons or more. I've seen it done first hand multiple times.

 

[Jamie2337]

I have a pair of Percs and a Cinnamon in my 125. I have had no problems with them! Here is my cinnamon and her BTA.