What do you do with too many clowns?

[CarmieJo]

I have either a ocellaris or percula clown that I inherited with my nano. The people I bought the tank from only knew it was a "Nemo". I also have a maroon in my 54. I was given 3 ocellaris clowns 5 weeks ago and they are ready to exit QT. One of the 3 did not look good from the get go and died a couple of days after I got them.

So anyhow, now I need to decide what to do with the new fish. When there were 3 I was going to put them in the nano thinking that I would have 2 pairs even if the "Nemo" was a percula. But I am not sure how a trio would work. The clown is the only fish in this tank.

There is plenty of room in the 54 but Ms. Maroon Clownfish is MEAN. I have never seen her bite the other fish although she chases them if they get too close to her anemone. But, she bites the hand that feeds her - hard enough to draw blood! For what it is worth when I added my C. argi she did not bother it.

I'm so confused. Should I try adding them to one tank or the other? Should I move the "Nemo" from the nano to the 54 and give them the nano? Should I return the Nemo to the LFS or take it to the frag swap on Saturday and use the nano for the other 2?

Thanks for your input.

[lReef lKeeper]

i would take them to the swap. clowns are known to be aggressive towards other clowns, that a DAMNsel for you. you never know ... maybe you can get a couple of high end SPS frags, that you can send me, for them !!

[CarmieJo]

I read one place that maroons are tolerant of other clown species. Have you heard that?

[lReef lKeeper]

i have not, BUT i am pretty much done with my fish list, so i do not research fish unless i see one that i can not live without.

[CarmieJo]

Interestingly enough I was looking for something else and ran across that a few weeks ago. I tend to remember random bits of trivia and that one stuck. Unfortunately I can't find where I read it now.

[CarmieJo]

When I was cleaning tanks last night I decided to acclimate the 2 ocellaris to the nano. (One less tank to clean you see.) I thought that if there was a problem I could pull them back out and still take the "Nemo" to the swap. But, I am happy to say that they all seem to be getting along. I feed an hour or so before I moved them and then after they were all together. The lights aren't on yet this morning but they are still all swimming together today.

Obviously I still have to monitor them and if there is a problem I will can always take one to the LFS for credit.

[CarmieJo]

These three have been all living together peacefully. Today I noticed the one of the two I got together keeping the other down in a bolt hole. Later, I saw the one bite the other on the tail and hold on. The third one (my original) seems like a bystander. Should I pull the one out? It could go in my QT. Or should I say this is mating/courting behavior and just let it alone?

[PhotoJohn]

I have had a maroon/gold stripe in a tank with 2 ocellaris clowns (46g) and never had a problem.

[CarmieJo]

John, that goes along with what I read. Which did you have first?

[PhotoJohn]

I had the gold stripe first but they all went into the 46g around the same time. the gold stripe was in my 2.5g nano for months before the move. His best friend was a green cromis.

[Amphibious]

Gold Stripe Maroons have been an exception to the normal Maroon behavior in my experience.

[PhotoJohn]

It was always a placid fish except to another gold stripe which it killed.

[Reefbaby]

Carmie - I have two perculas and one black ocellaris together (it used to be two pairs until my husband sucked the other black one up in some tubing!). The pair occasionally pick at the "blackie", but pretty much leave him alone. They were all much better when they were two pairs, but...the three of them are okay as well.

[CarmieJo]

I have gone from too many clowns to no ocellaris clowns at all. I pulled the clown who was getting picked on out and put him in QT but apparently it was too late and less than a day later he died. Then I came home on Saturday night and BOTH of the clowns in my nano were dead! I am really bummed because they were fine when I fed Friday night. They ate the same thing as my other tank and all those fish are fine as are the corals and other inverts in my nano. I had had the one for 8 months and the other for over 2 months. Too weird...

[Amphibious]

I share your sadness over your loss. My Atlantic Dwarf Angel (one of my favorite fish) of two years just turned up missing, perfectly healthy, eating like a pig, beautiful in color, gone without a trace. Nothing in the tank that would kill him, no carcass, nothing. I'm sure the clean-up crew got a premo-meal.

Sadness reigns from above.

Dick

[CarmieJo]

I'm sorry Dick. I bought my Atlantic Dwarf Angel based on your recommendation and have really enjoyed him. They are like a little jewel in your tank.

[Amphibious]

Thanks, Carmie. They are little jewels. I'll be getting another.