are my clowns a pair?

[chromis]

On saturday I was going to the lfs to get a fiji devil damsel for my 55 gallon tank that has had cured rock in it for 3 weeks, ammonia is at 0, nitrite-0, and nitrates-about 7, however I found a couple of tank bred percula clowns that had a very odd coloration. One was all orange w/ a spot and the other was simmilar to the premium aquatics logo. They had 8 or 9 dorsal spines, are they percula? I floated them in my tank for about 20 minutes and then released them on opposite sides of the tank. Within minutes of turning the lights off, one swam to the other and I thought they had paired. I knew they would probably fight for a while, so I just sat back and watched. They seem to stay pretty close to eachother but from what I can tell from their skirmishes, the dominant one seems to go on little scouting trips around the tank, never more then a foot or so from the other clown. At night they snuggle together, they are very neat and are alredy eating. From what I have told you, do you think they are a pair?


Thanks
Andrew

[firechild]

I would say the chances are good that they are already a pair. Perculas have 9, sometimes 10 dorsal spines and ocellaris have 11, sometimes 10 so if you are sure it is 9, then I would say yes they are perculas. Did you buy them from a tank that had lots of clownfish or one that had just that pair?

[chromis]

thanks firechild, after they are settled in more I will net them and count to be sure. One was in a tank all by himself w/ an anemone he did not show intrest in, the other was in with another clownfish that was beating up on the one I bought.

Andrew

[chromis]

Also, what anemone should I buy once I am ready? I was thinking a bubble but if I have better chances with another then it shouldnt be a problem with 2 X 250 MH over a 55.

Thanks
Andrew

[Carlos]

Bubble tip anemone would be perfect for percula clowns. The only thing I warn you is that you have to be careful not to bleach the anemone. Reduce the photoperiod or get a bubble tip anemone that is already under MH lighting. That will increase the chances of survival.

Carlos

[firechild]

I have heard so many times that BTA would be perfect for perculas but they are not natural hosts. The natural hosts for perculas are Heteractis magnifica, H. crispa and Stichodactyla gigantea. It may adopt the BTA but then again it could adopt a fluffy mushroom or a powerhead.

[chromis]

thanks Carlos and firechild, I dont have the 250's yet, they are still being built. Right now I just have 2 X 55 10k PC's. I am assuming this is not enough light for a BTA? I am going to try to get a rose so I will at least have a pretty anemone if the clowns dont like it. I am almost positive they are a pair, or at least friends. They are tank raised so they are probably brother and sister? Does this mean anything? Oh yeah, of the natural hosts I think that H. crispa would be the only one I would attempt.


Thanks again
Andrew

[firechild]

H. crispa is one of the harder anemones to keep. I would go for a BTA, the chances of it being taken as a host are more than 50/50.