Clown Groups

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Frank:

Do you know of anyone who is successfully keeping clownfish in groups large than 2?

I have a pair of ocellaris clowns that has been spawning, and I was thinking of adding back some tiny clowns to the group. Maybe even their own offspring.

Thanks

[FMarini]

Randy;
Sorry i didn't get to this earlier, I just got back into town.

No I have not seen people keep groups of clowns in a single tank, unless all the clowns were fry.
However i guess if you're tank was big enuf, and contained enuf physical barrier, and two sperate hosts, you might get away w/ it.

Now you mentioned fry, great questions and one that I don't have enuf experience w/ to give you a straight answer.

In general terms, I believe that fish could care less the genetic heritage of the other fish, but if you were to keep the fry w/ the adults and raise the fry til adulthood, things might be different.

My gut says no to groups of same species clowns, but again I don't have any direct experience w/ this.

Sorry i couldn't be more definiative
frank

[scott324]

FWIW, I think I remember reading in Wilkerson's book about being able to keep false percs in more than 2 numbers. I will see if I can find the exact part.

[CT Clownfish]

Hi Randy.

I have 3 Ocellaris Clowns in a 75 gal tank. I had Six at one time. But Two paired off and started fighting. I took those two out and gave them there own tank. That left 4 in the 75. Two more paired off but they left the other two clowns alone. I had to remove one of the not paired clowns after one of the clowns in my other tank went for a walk on the rug one night.

Now way back when I started my tank I started with two small Ocellaris. About 3 months later I added 4 more Ocellaris. The Lady at the store told me they would all be dead in a week from fighting. Well she was wrong. The only one to die, died from jumping from the other tank. Hope this helps. Bob