What type of clown can I get?

NewbyReefer

Member
I have a GBTA with a zebra eel and soon to be spiney puffer:dance:. I was wondering if there is a type of clown that would host my anemone and be able to hold its own with my other 2 fish. If not will my anemone be okay with these two if I just direct feed it?

Also eel is about 2 1/2 ft and the fuffer will be about 5-6".
 
I'm not an expert on either of the two fish you already have, but it's my understanding that an eel will pretty much eat what it can fit in its mouth. With that assumption, I'd try for one of the larger species - tomato, Clarkii, Maroon - and try to not get juvi's. i.e. something large enough so it won't be eel food.

Let's see what others have to say though.
 
I'm not an expert on either of the two fish you already have, but it's my understanding that an eel will pretty much eat what it can fit in its mouth. With that assumption, I'd try for one of the larger species - tomato, Clarkii, Maroon - and try to not get juvi's. i.e. something large enough so it won't be eel food.

Let's see what others have to say though.

My main consern would be the puffer. The eel might eat fish if its starving(not a fish eating spieces), but it most certanly is not. And will the larger clowns be more aggressive and possibly go after the puffer, or since the puffer will be larger they should leave it alone.

You don't need a host for your anemone, but if you add a clown, get the larger species as bues said.

I know I don't have to I just want to because I have to stick almost my whole arm in the tank in order to feed it due to where it desided to hang out:headwallblue:. I figured if I got a clown or even a pair of clowns and they started hosting it, they would mainly feed it.
 
Maroon clownfish & BTA are natural symbiots in nature. You won't necessarily be able to count on the clownfish feeding the anemone. I have a spawning pair of Maroons residing in a GBTA & it's clone and they generally don't provide food for the nem. I feed the nems a chunk of silverside once a week or so using one of those forcep tools, a few bucks at the LFS & worthwhile investment. That way I don't need to stick my arm too far into the water.

Maroons tend to be one of the more agressive clownfish species, but I've found my pair to be relatively calm, rarely attacking my hand when I'm in the display messing around. YMMV, you never know how each fish's personality will develop, it's a bit of a roll of the dice. Some clownfish of various species are known to draw the blood of their keepers whenever they try to stick their hand into the tank.

I have no experience with Puffers, Eels as tankmates, but have found that once the Maroons are settled into their anemone & have established their territory, the other fish tend to respect that & there are few conflicts. Tankmates for my Maroons include Yellow Tang, Singapore Angelfish, yellowtail Damsel & a couple of Mandarin Dragonets. It should get sorted out either way in the first week or so, after that it's all gravy. Could be casualties in that first week though, no guarantees until you drop the critter in there.
 
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