help a noob plz

[matt randazzo]

hi i was just wondering and thought that it would be better to ask some people with experience first. lol... would it be okay to keep multiple types of clowns with multiple anemones in one tank? lets say for an example a pair of clarkii's, tomato's, and false perc's or ocellaris clowns all with their own bubble tip nems in a 55gallon

[kduen]

Please do not do this. There should only be one species of clowns per tank and then it should only be one pair of fish. I'm sure some will chime in saying that " I have 4 different pairs in the same tank for two months and all is well" However once one of these pairs sexually mature there is only going to be one pair left. If you have multiple species in the same tank the most aggressive species will win leaving only one. Again bad idea.

[evsalty]

+1 to the above

[SkullV]

Please do not do this. There should only be one species of clowns per tank and then it should only be one pair of fish. I'm sure some will chime in saying that " I have 4 different pairs in the same tank for two months and all is well" However once one of these pairs sexually mature there is only going to be one pair left. If you have multiple species in the same tank the most aggressive species will win leaving only one. Again bad idea.

Up until a couple days ago I would have agreed with this. I was recently over at someones house with a 500g tank and he had 4+ pairs in the same tank with no issues. One of the pairs was a pair of Gold Stripe Maroons with a 5+ inch female and a 4+ inch male and they were all getting along great.

For a normal tank I wouldn't do it, but if you have a huge tank I say go for it!

[bradleym]

SkullV,

OP specified a 55 gallon. Way too small to risk multiple pairs, IMO. But I agree, if there were a ton of space, clowns do not travel much and would possibly never even see each other across a huge tank, much less fight.

[SkullV]

SkullV,

OP specified a 55 gallon. Way too small to risk multiple pairs, IMO. But I agree, if there were a ton of space, clowns do not travel much and would possibly never even see each other across a huge tank, much less fight.

Yeah completely missed the 55 gallon part. Definitely only one pair.

[steelhead77]

I agree that in a 55 this would end badly. Especially with Tomatoes and Clarkiis - they, along with Maroons, are some of the most agressive clowns out there.

I disagree about never being able to keep more than one pair however. It is possible, and many reefers do it without issues. I have a pair of Pinks and a pair of Percs (both pair sexually mature and laying eggs) who have co-existed for over two years, starting in a 72 Bow, now in my 180. They live in their respective hosts on opposite ends of the tank. There seems to be an invisible barrier somewhere in the middle of the tank that neither pair will cross over.
This has been my personal experience for over two years now.
YMMV, of course.