2 stripe and 3 stripe clowns?

[gus5946]

I have a clownfish compatability question. Listened to the LFS and bought a clown with 2 white stripes and one with 3 white stripes. Both were supposed to be Percula, one false and one true, but bigger two stripe is nipping at the smaller 3 stripe. Will they be OK, or should I consider taking one out?

Am also considering adding a 3rd 3 stripe ture percula with the hopes that the two would pair off. Have read that provides interesting entertainment, more so than just two clowns.

Thoughts?

[dalston]

I really hate the common name 'False perc' and for this reason. False perc is occelaris which is a different species from percular, hence your fighting fish. On very rare occasions, the 2 have been known to pair up but again it's very rare and usually ends in death of one of the fish. Its best to only keep 1 pair of clowns that are the same species.

Adding a 3rd clown is not a good idea, it will more than likely end up with a pair forming and killing the 3rd fish, far from 'interesting entertainment' IMO.

[gus5946]

I really hate the common name 'False perc' and for this reason. False perc is occelaris which is a different species from percular, hence your fighting fish. On very rare occasions, the 2 have been known to pair up but again it's very rare and usually ends in death of one of the fish. Its best to only keep 1 pair of clowns that are the same species.

Adding a 3rd clown is not a good idea, it will more than likely end up with a pair forming and killing the 3rd fish, far from 'interesting entertainment' IMO.

Another incidence of the LFS not knowing what they are talking about :(. Guess the 2 stripe will go back since they only have more Percular.

Thanks for the explanation.

[AquaReeferMan]

Leave the clowns in there, they will be fine. Every new clown pair is going to have some fighting at first. This is how they determine their sex. A. percula and A. ocellaris will pair up fine. No need to take one back.

dalston - The pairing of these 2 clowns species is not rare at all, its actually pretty common.

[gus5946]

UPDATE:

I left both in the tank to see how things would go, and they seem to be doing fine. The larger one still nips at the smaller once in a while, but they both appear healthy.

One is a bright orange (smaller) and one a dull orange (larger), I have read up and the two and three stripe doesn't make much sense I guess.

[WaffleWalffle22]

Hmmm... Post a picture I personally think you got a clarkii and an ocellaris sold as a perc.

[gus5946]

Hmmm... Post a picture I personally think you got a clarkii and an ocellaris sold as a perc.

I tried to get them together so you could see the color differences, but I think it is noticable even in the seperate photos.

What do you think?

My biggest concern to is ensure they will continue to get along, but if there is a potential of them pairing up, that would be awesome.

[jt_milstead]

They will be fine. They might or might not pair up. That is true of any two clown fish. By looking at the picture I think your percula(2 bars) is possibly a tank raised fish. You possibly can enhance her coloration with a good diet, and lighting can play a role as well..

[OrionN]

The two bars is a mis-bared A. percula and the three bars is a A. ocellaris. Percula and Ocellaris pair up all the time. You won't have any problem in getting to pair up at all.