Keeping more than one clown type in a single tank

[mizliz]

I got a very nice Sebae anemone (I think that is what it is) and so went to get a clownfish for it. The guy at the store told me that I should not add clownfish to a tank with existing clownfish and so to buy what I thought I would want. So I bought a Maroon and a Percula. Well the Maroon took over the anemone leaving the unfortunate Percula to swim in the open.

So, feeling sorry for the Percula, I bought a rose bubble tip anemone and put it on the opposite side of the tank. When I bought the Rose anemone (from a different store) the owner told me that I would not likely be able to keep two types of clownfish in the same tank. But I thought I'd give it a try.

Now the Maroon had taken over the new Rose anemone but the Percula still has not taken the other anemone. It has only been a couple of days. Why won't the Percula take the vacant anemone? Can I add another clown to the tank - a mate for the maroon perhaps? Is there a limit to the number I can have in the tank? And can I keep two types in the tank?

Thanks...

[JamesJR]

Percula clowns don't always take to RBTA because they are not their natural host anemone in the wild. Perculas normally host in carpet and ritteri anemones in the wild. But don't give up hope just yet, because that percula may take to it anyway, just not right away. I had a bunch of BTA, reds and greens that I took care of at a store display and the pair of Onyx perculas took right to them.

How big is your tank? the store employee is right that it isn't advisable to mix clowns, but you can do it if your tank is large enough. Maroons can be very nasty.

[fittiger]

I don't always recommend this but in the past I've always had luck getting my percula's to host in an anemone or coral for that matter by placing the desired invertabrate in the clown's "home area". It's usually where the clown spends most of its time and the area where it sleeps. Be careful though if you have corals, the anemone may move and stick or knock over your other corals. ALSO....be very careful if you decide to do this, detaching the anemone from the rock can tear its foot and kill it.

[r2odie]

i have a gold stripe maroon which totally hosts a condi anemone in my 90 gal. i acquired a 29 gal. with a pair of ocellaris. i am making the 29 a seahorse tank and would like to know if i can safely add the ocellaris pair to the 90 with the existing gold stripe.
any suggestions?

[Reef4Fun]

my expierence has been that my maroon will not accept other glowns, she rules the tank, and its a 120 gallon tank. I was unable to even add a very young maroon for her to bond with, she beat it up to the point I had to take it out and back to the shop. I personally would not have other clowns with a maroon, they are too agressive.

[AlBunch]

My GF has a 105g with two maroons AND a black saddleback, their anemones are on opposite sides of the tank, the largest fish (the 3.5" maroon) was there first and she had her boundaries all drawn out until the saddleback came along, they both puffed up their chests at each other for about 5 minutes and it was over. Now they just ignore each other. Then she added a small 1" maroon and that little guy walked right up the the bigger maroon and sat down on one of her anemones tentacles - same thing, the large maroon blusterd a little bit and then went back to her business - now those two pal around. Prior to that, the saddleback tried to herd the small maroon away from the large maroon's side of the tank - looked like she was wanted to play, but who knows.

Guess we got lucky.