Clownfish partners

[hossa81]

I have acouple questions. First, my situation. I had a pair of true perculas but during a qt. the male jumped out so now im looking for a new pair. Our lfs is selling ocellaris and true picasso percula clowns. I noticed that the picasso clowns had black eyes so r they true percs? Also, since the black ones r about half the price of the picassos so is it possible that i could get one black picasso true percula and one of the "fudge glazed" ocellaris clowns? They were all in the same tank the lat time i was there.

[wcroft987]

I am no expert but I have read a lot about clowns and have a few myself.

Picasso will be pricier because they are "designer clowns". As far as eye color a quick google search found
http://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/difference-between-ocellaris-and-percula-clownfish/
As far as I know it is best to pair the same species, so I would buy a small true perc to pair with your current female to be safe. As far as all of the clowns being in the same tank, as far as I know when they are all juviniles they will get along until one out grows the other and becomes the dominate male than female and starts the pecking order which will phase out the opposite species.

Like I said I am not an expert this is from my reading and experience and I may be wrong and if so please correct me.

[Mr. Bill]

First, you should get a mate for your current female or return her. Your tank is too small for 2 females of similar species.

That said, yes you can mix true and false percs as well as their black counterparts and designer morphs. Just make sure you're getting two unsexed juvies or a true pair (with 2 males, 1 will become female, but it may be a lengthy and ugly fight; with 2 females, it usually ends in a fight to the death).

[hossa81]

I was going to return her for a new pair. Im awair of the price difference so i am willing to pay the extra money, how can u tell if they are a mated pair or unsexed juvies if they all swim around in the same tank? Should i just try to get the smallest ones?

[wcroft987]

If the clowns are a mated pair one clown (the female) will be noticeably larger sometimes almost double the size of the male (the smaller one). When there are a lot of clowns in the same tank they are usually not paired yet, Juviniles will be by default male, when they mature the largest/strongest male becomes female. If you just buy two juviniles they will eventually pair together and one will become female.

I actually just had the same problem as you. My male black onyx jumped so I bought a juvinile black ice to pair with my current female. If it were me I would buy a small juvinile and let it pair with your current female unless you just reall want a different pair.

[hossa81]

Yeah im currently looking for a darker clown pair, more of a black pair instead of my current one who has very little black.