clown fish needs a buddy

ducati1212 · 03/19/2019, 10:05 AM

I need some advice

I have a 13.5 gallon nano tank with 1 clown, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 small pistol shrimp.

filtration is 14 pounds of good live rock, live sand about 2.5 inches and chemi pure elite. I do 3 gal water changes every sat and change my chemi pure waaaaay more than I need to.

My clown is lonely and I wanted to get another fish.

question is what fish and is the tank size ok for another one

im nervous about another clown because they could fight or bond not sure I want to deal with the first.

what about something like a green chromis?

any suggestions

Vinny Kreyling · 03/19/2019, 10:25 AM

Dottyback, or Basslet?

Orsamax · 03/19/2019, 10:25 AM

Fish don't get lonely unless they are some kind of schooling fish, and even that is different when they are placed into a VERY SMALL habitat (even the largest reefers on here have incredibly small habitats when you consider an open reef with essentially infinite water volume). That is a pretty small tank to up your livestock options. The watchman goby comes with a recommended minimum tank size of 30 gallons. IF you were to get your clownfish a buddy I'd try to bring the watchman back and I'd get a clown that is considerably smaller than your current clown. I didn't say considerably larger because you will want to up your tank to 20+ gallons for a clown pair when they approach their adult size. Adding a drastically different sized clown will reduce the stress that comes from the dominance establishment that will occur when the larger turns to a female and the smaller a male. If they are too close in size then they could battle for longer and may never bond at all. It is also possible that the two just won't pair up anyway. Such is nature. Some clownfish don't approve of arranged marriages either.

ducati1212 · 03/19/2019, 11:23 AM

Just so people dont think im mistreating my fish my Goby is teeny tiny and I am building out a 100 Gallon system in the next month. This is my office tank.

I got him with a pistol shrimp and they hate each other

This was the first meeting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5bg2OMUVNQ

Orsamax · 03/19/2019, 12:08 PM

Ducati, no judgement from me. Sorry if it seemed that way. The fact that you are on here researching how to better care for your animals is commendable. It is the large pet stores that peddle these fish in droves to uneducated people with no capacity to provide even the most basic habitats for them that should be judged. Not people who have a plan to take good care of their pets. All the best.

RioReefr · 03/19/2019, 04:16 PM

I am with the other poster -- trade-in the watchman goby for another clown. I have 2 clowns and they seem inseparable. IMO, I really think clowns should be bought in pairs.

Every fish is tiny -- until they are NOT. They will get bigger and more aggressive and territorial in a short amount of time.

ducati1212 · 03/19/2019, 06:50 PM

am with the other poster -- trade-in the watchman goby for another clown. I have 2 clowns and they seem inseparable. IMO, I really think clowns should be bought in pairs.

Every fish is tiny -- until they are NOT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RioReefr

IThey will get bigger and more aggressive and territorial in a short amount of time.

Sounds like a girl I dated once

1claire · 03/19/2019, 07:03 PM

https://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/o...lownfish-care/

This content has an extensive list of compatible tank mates for clownfish.

Tastee · 03/21/2019, 01:44 AM

I too like Clowns as a pair, but I am not experienced in pairing them up myself. Our two were bought as a pair and are a very happy couple even if Tom does look a little henpecked at times (-:

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Kriegad · 03/21/2019, 04:55 PM

I like the clown gobies in small tanks like that. Might nip at sps though.

03/19/2019, 10:05 AM	#1
ducati1212 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mass Posts: 604	clown fish needs a buddy I need some advice I have a 13.5 gallon nano tank with 1 clown, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 small pistol shrimp. filtration is 14 pounds of good live rock, live sand about 2.5 inches and chemi pure elite. I do 3 gal water changes every sat and change my chemi pure waaaaay more than I need to. My clown is lonely and I wanted to get another fish. question is what fish and is the tank size ok for another one im nervous about another clown because they could fight or bond not sure I want to deal with the first. what about something like a green chromis? any suggestions

03/19/2019, 10:25 AM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Dottyback, or Basslet? __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

03/19/2019, 10:25 AM	#3
Orsamax Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 60	Fish don't get lonely unless they are some kind of schooling fish, and even that is different when they are placed into a VERY SMALL habitat (even the largest reefers on here have incredibly small habitats when you consider an open reef with essentially infinite water volume). That is a pretty small tank to up your livestock options. The watchman goby comes with a recommended minimum tank size of 30 gallons. IF you were to get your clownfish a buddy I'd try to bring the watchman back and I'd get a clown that is considerably smaller than your current clown. I didn't say considerably larger because you will want to up your tank to 20+ gallons for a clown pair when they approach their adult size. Adding a drastically different sized clown will reduce the stress that comes from the dominance establishment that will occur when the larger turns to a female and the smaller a male. If they are too close in size then they could battle for longer and may never bond at all. It is also possible that the two just won't pair up anyway. Such is nature. Some clownfish don't approve of arranged marriages either.

03/19/2019, 11:23 AM	#4
ducati1212 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mass Posts: 604	Just so people dont think im mistreating my fish my Goby is teeny tiny and I am building out a 100 Gallon system in the next month. This is my office tank. I got him with a pistol shrimp and they hate each other This was the first meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5bg2OMUVNQ

03/19/2019, 12:08 PM	#5
Orsamax Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 60	Ducati, no judgement from me. Sorry if it seemed that way. The fact that you are on here researching how to better care for your animals is commendable. It is the large pet stores that peddle these fish in droves to uneducated people with no capacity to provide even the most basic habitats for them that should be judged. Not people who have a plan to take good care of their pets. All the best.

03/19/2019, 04:16 PM	#6
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	I am with the other poster -- trade-in the watchman goby for another clown. I have 2 clowns and they seem inseparable. IMO, I really think clowns should be bought in pairs. Every fish is tiny -- until they are NOT. They will get bigger and more aggressive and territorial in a short amount of time.

03/19/2019, 07:03 PM	#8
1claire Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 28	https://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/o...lownfish-care/ This content has an extensive list of compatible tank mates for clownfish.

03/21/2019, 01:44 AM	#9
Tastee Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 277	I too like Clowns as a pair, but I am not experienced in pairing them up myself. Our two were bought as a pair and are a very happy couple even if Tom does look a little henpecked at times (-: Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

03/21/2019, 04:55 PM	#10
Kriegad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 51	I like the clown gobies in small tanks like that. Might nip at sps though.