Can I keep two pairs of clownfish in a 40 gallon breeder??

izzy123 · 12/02/2010, 07:45 AM

Hello,

So, I got my tank set up(40G breeder with a 25G sump), cycled and I have a CUC in there and two clowns (occelaris), the "regular" kind

But I was wondering if I could keep another pair of black and white clowns in there too, or is that asking for trouble?

Thanks

Ivan

shifty51008 · 12/02/2010, 07:54 AM

t pairs in any tank IMO unless over 300gal. is asking for trouble. even in a 300 is iffy

izzy123 · 12/02/2010, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shifty51008

t pairs in any tank IMO unless over 300gal. is asking for trouble. even in a 300 is iffy

Wow, I sure hope you ment liters instead of gallons.......that's swimming pool size you're talking about.........

I guess two pairs of clowns are for the lucky few...... not me.....

Thanks

shifty51008 · 12/02/2010, 09:04 AM

no i really ment gallons. clowns become very territoral especally when they begin to breed

GhostCon1 · 12/02/2010, 09:16 AM

You do need a fairly large tank to successfully have more than one pair.

DeePDiSHeD · 12/02/2010, 10:41 AM

It works for some people. But a 40 breader is probably too small though.

Toddrtrex · 12/02/2010, 11:15 AM

There is no way I would attempt it. Been keeping clowns since 1992, and in my experience anything more then one pair will end up being one pair (( with the extras being killed )). It may work in the short term, but once one of the pairs starts spawning, all bets are off.

Ethan_W · 12/02/2010, 03:50 PM

even if it is a very large tank you should still never keep more than 1 pair

snorvich · 12/02/2010, 04:32 PM

The folks I have seen keep multiple clownfish have VERY large tanks (300 gallon is not swimming pool size) and usually as Todd says, they do not pair them and have multiple anemones for association. Otherwise multiple pairs will become ONE pair. So to answer the original poster, the short answer is NO.

deangelr · 12/02/2010, 05:16 PM

how about 2 pairs of clowns in that small of a tank with some sort of center divider? like eggcrate or something maybe they could see through as well?

Spar · 12/02/2010, 06:09 PM

They are likely to try to fight between the divider if they can see each other, and possibly injure themselves.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike P · 12/02/2010, 06:56 PM

I have even heard of 2 pairs fighting in a larger than 300gal before.

I used to ask the question about 10+ clowns in a 30 or so gal at your LFS and why they don't fight. I guess you can pull it off when they are still young. Once they find their significant other, it doesn't work.

I really wanted a pair of "regulars" and blacks in my 180 till I learned about it. I don't have any clowns in there yet, but when I do, I think I'm going to try 1 black and 1 "regular (orange)". I hear that it's possible if they are from the same family (ocellaris). I also heard that there is a VERY slim chance they will mate, but they will pair.

I hope that helps in deciding which type you want.

Ethan_W · 12/02/2010, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike P

I have even heard of 2 pairs fighting in a larger than 300gal before.

I used to ask the question about 10+ clowns in a 30 or so gal at your LFS and why they don't fight. I guess you can pull it off when they are still young. Once they find their significant other, it doesn't work.

I really wanted a pair of "regulars" and blacks in my 180 till I learned about it. I don't have any clowns in there yet, but when I do, I think I'm going to try 1 black and 1 "regular (orange)". I hear that it's possible if they are from the same family (ocellaris). I also heard that there is a VERY slim chance they will mate, but they will pair.

I hope that helps in deciding which type you want.

i work at a fish store and the reason we can keep multiple clowns in one tank is because they are all from the same clutch of eggs and are all juveniles. from some of the things ive seen clowns dont even have to be at maturity to be aggressive towards the other clowns in the tank. hence why you never mix more than 2 in your home aquarium

izzy123 · 12/04/2010, 11:02 AM

okay, a definite no no..... thanks for answering my question........ I still would like to see a 300G (or more) tank tho....... not a swimming pool you say.......
That is almost 8 times my puny tank!! how do you clean the windows on a monster like that???........ scuba gear??

Anyway, thanks for the info you guys

Ivan

xlotus123x · 12/04/2010, 11:45 AM

I love clownfishes. I would have 10 in my tank if it was possible.

shifty51008 · 12/04/2010, 04:00 PM

plenty of 300 gal. + tanks in this forum

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=252

saltyseaman01 · 12/04/2010, 06:19 PM

i had a 220gal and had a pair of marron clowns in there for 6 months and added a larger pair of occ clowns and in 25min one of my marrons were dead. so id say no way in a 40

vibrantfishluvr · 12/04/2010, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izzy123

Hello,

So, I got my tank set up(40G breeder with a 25G sump), cycled and I have a CUC in there and two clowns (occelaris), the "regular" kind

But I was wondering if I could keep another pair of black and white clowns in there too, or is that asking for trouble?

Thanks

Ivan

If the new clownfish are Ocellaris and sexless you can keep all four in the tank without any problems. I had 4 Ocellaris clownfish in my 40 breeder and once they established who was in charge they all got along well. While an adult pair is present the rest will remain sexless.

12/02/2010, 07:45 AM	#1
izzy123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Belgium Posts: 504	Can I keep two pairs of clownfish in a 40 gallon breeder?? Hello, So, I got my tank set up(40G breeder with a 25G sump), cycled and I have a CUC in there and two clowns (occelaris), the "regular" kind But I was wondering if I could keep another pair of black and white clowns in there too, or is that asking for trouble? Thanks Ivan

12/02/2010, 07:54 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	t pairs in any tank IMO unless over 300gal. is asking for trouble. even in a 300 is iffy __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/02/2010, 09:04 AM	#4
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	no i really ment gallons. clowns become very territoral especally when they begin to breed __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/02/2010, 09:16 AM	#5
GhostCon1 Rebmem Deretsiger Join Date: May 2010 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,590	You do need a fairly large tank to successfully have more than one pair. __________________ In the works Current Tank Info: Getting a big'un

12/02/2010, 11:15 AM	#7
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	There is no way I would attempt it. Been keeping clowns since 1992, and in my experience anything more then one pair will end up being one pair (( with the extras being killed )). It may work in the short term, but once one of the pairs starts spawning, all bets are off. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

12/02/2010, 10:41 AM	#6
DeePDiSHeD Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Strongsville (Cleveland) Posts: 113	It works for some people. But a 40 breader is probably too small though.

12/02/2010, 03:50 PM	#8
Ethan_W Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 373	even if it is a very large tank you should still never keep more than 1 pair __________________ 29g mixed reef - Filtration: modded AC70 refugium/AquaticLife Mini Skimmer 115 Lighting:4x24" T5HO ATI bulbs Flow: Koralia Evolution 750 Ammonia:0 Nitrite:0 Nitrate:>5 pH:8.1 SG:1.026 Livestock: 2 true perc clowns, firefish, scooter blenny, yellow coris wrasse, harlequin shrimp, acan, brain, frogspawn, Z's and P's, few SPS, etc

12/02/2010, 04:32 PM	#9
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	The folks I have seen keep multiple clownfish have VERY large tanks (300 gallon is not swimming pool size) and usually as Todd says, they do not pair them and have multiple anemones for association. Otherwise multiple pairs will become ONE pair. So to answer the original poster, the short answer is NO. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

12/02/2010, 05:16 PM	#10
deangelr Clown Whisperererer Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,262	how about 2 pairs of clowns in that small of a tank with some sort of center divider? like eggcrate or something maybe they could see through as well? __________________ Many Tanks.... ACROS, CLOWNS AND ANEMONES...

12/02/2010, 06:09 PM	#11
Spar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,517	They are likely to try to fight between the divider if they can see each other, and possibly injure themselves. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ 450g Mixed SPS/LPS Reef (MH/T5/VHO)

12/02/2010, 06:56 PM	#12
Mike P Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Berea, OH Posts: 96	I have even heard of 2 pairs fighting in a larger than 300gal before. I used to ask the question about 10+ clowns in a 30 or so gal at your LFS and why they don't fight. I guess you can pull it off when they are still young. Once they find their significant other, it doesn't work. I really wanted a pair of "regulars" and blacks in my 180 till I learned about it. I don't have any clowns in there yet, but when I do, I think I'm going to try 1 black and 1 "regular (orange)". I hear that it's possible if they are from the same family (ocellaris). I also heard that there is a VERY slim chance they will mate, but they will pair. I hope that helps in deciding which type you want.

12/04/2010, 11:02 AM	#14
izzy123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Belgium Posts: 504	okay, a definite no no..... thanks for answering my question........ I still would like to see a 300G (or more) tank tho....... not a swimming pool you say....... That is almost 8 times my puny tank!! how do you clean the windows on a monster like that???........ scuba gear?? Anyway, thanks for the info you guys Ivan

12/04/2010, 11:45 AM	#15
xlotus123x Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Brooklyn NY Posts: 29	I love clownfishes. I would have 10 in my tank if it was possible.

12/04/2010, 04:00 PM	#16
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	plenty of 300 gal. + tanks in this forum http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=252 __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/04/2010, 06:19 PM	#17
saltyseaman01 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 52	i had a 220gal and had a pair of marron clowns in there for 6 months and added a larger pair of occ clowns and in 25min one of my marrons were dead. so id say no way in a 40

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