Too many fish?

[ckfazz]

I have a 12g nano that currently has about 25lbs of LR in it. I want to add zoas and mushrooms to the tank in time as well as fish. Currently it has a rainbow damsel and a yellow spot damsel but I want to add a clownfish to it. Will this be too much for the tank size with 15% water changes done weekly? My filtration is the LR/LS and small filter and my parameters are as follows:

pH 8.2
temp 79-80
Amm - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - .4
Calcium 420
phos - 0

[muzscman]

from what i understand of damsels is they for the most part won't accept any other fish and are very territorial (sp?)....so i would say that they would probably kill a clownfish yes....

how old is the tank first off??

[ckfazz]

The tank is 3 1/2 months old but I don't plan on adding the clown to at least 6 months to make sure it is stabilized. I have heard of others having luck with these particular damsels not being territorial but I think I might bring them to a LFS to be on the safe side. If I do bring them back, whic most likely I will, I would want to put a diamond goby in the tank with the clownfish as a pair

[muzscman]

i took out my damsel when i went to buy my clown....didn't want to take any chances....

as of now, my tank is a few months old....maybe 4 months or so, i have a perc in there along with a ton of corals. it's doing great so far!

i will be adding a high fin red banded goby/pistol shrimp combo come wed or so....and that'll be about all the livestock in my tank (minus snails for cleaning and a few hermits).

i'd say get rid of the damsels and get the clowns...

:)

[AEreefer]

id say that would be too many fish. personally if i for some reason would ever buy a nano(believe me, i work at a wholesale/lfs and we get tons of cracked nanos back, people needing new fans, ballasts and sometimes pumps), i wouldnt put more than 1 fish in a 12 gallon

[Agu]

Clowns are just damnsels in pretty pajamas. Two damsels and a clown could get ugly fast, esp if the damsels have been in the tank for several months.

I have a hi fin goby/pistol shrimp in a 5.5 and can't consider them competing with anything for food. IMO they need a species tank or a large tank where you can feed heavily.

If you must have clowns with the shrimp/goby I'd recommend skunk clowns because they're passive as far as clowns go.