Clown Fish!

[jttt3]

I need to know the bare minimum for having 3-4 clownfish in a tank.

I love clownfish, and am saving up for a saltwater aquarium that I plan to start next year about this time. The only reason I want a salt water aquarium is because of clownfish lol.

Can someone give me a bare minimum list for the task I want to accomplish? I can look up prices. Nothing complicated, nothing super flashy, just clownfish and me lol.

Thanks!

James

[cocoa_pleco]

a 10g can hold 1-2 clowns, so id say get a 33g for 4.

Just a heads up, salt tanks are expensive! Mines wiped out 400$ from me, and its only a 10g

[2manyfish]

It's also important to note that you cannot mix clown species in small tanks. In very large tanks it's possible, but in smaller ones, the two species will often fight or harass each other to no end. There is also one species of clown that I would not try to keep more than a pair of them in the same tank and that's the maroon clown. The most aggressive of the clowns and also the biggest. Very good chance that the unpaired clowns would be harrassed to death. To keep multiple clowns I would go with either 4 ocellaris or 4 percula. Buy them all very small (aquacultured if at all possible!) and at the same time and the most dominant will become the female, the next in line will become the dominant male and the remaining 2 will be wannabe males in waiting! :ezpi_wink1: I would also go with a standard 40g as it will be easy to find replacement parts/upgrade for the tank in the future.

You will need live rock, approx. 1 lb per gallon. Sand or crushed coral substrate, skimmer, heater, hydrometer, powerheads (at least 2) marine salt, test kits for saltwater. Filters are optional. I use a filter on my own salt tank although not everyone does. I like the fact that it takes bigger particles out of the water. BUT, if you use a filter it is very important that you clean it regularly and avoid bio-balls or bio-wheels like the plague. You can use your regular standard hood but you will want to change the bulbs out to either 50/50 or 10,000k bulbs.

Part of the fun of owning a salt tank is just planning for one!!
thumbs2:

[jttt3]

Awesome, great information and exactly what I needed.

I'd go for the really small clown fish. The smaller the better. =)

Thanks again!

[Drumachine09]

I wouldnt put a clown in a 10.

[cocoa_pleco]

Awesome, great information and exactly what I needed.

I'd go for the really small clown fish. The smaller the better. =)

Thanks again!


I really like oscellaris clowns. Theyre good for nano tanks

[unleashed]

i think a 40g would be the minimum

Also, when two pair off (dominant male and female), you will need to monitor the other two clowns. I have seen male/female pairs of perculas and ocellaris attack and (sometimes) kill undominant clowns.

[YaYgoldFish]

i think a 40g would be the minimum

Also, when two pair off (dominant male and female), you will need to monitor the other two clowns. I have seen male/female pairs of perculas and ocellaris attack and (sometimes) kill undominant clowns.


I checked a few site and they all mostly say the same things..:

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/clownfish/ocellarisclown

[Drumachine09]

I really like oscellaris clowns. Theyre good for nano tanks



ehhhh wrong?

[YaYgoldFish]

Maybe he thinks a 30g is a nano tank, who knows:hmm3grin2orange:

[cocoa_pleco]

Nope. Lots of stores here sell them for nanos. 90% of saltwater stores have 10g displays with 2 oscellaris's and anemones.

Ive known a tank for a few years with the same 2 clowns, theyre still in good shape

[Drumachine09]

Nope. Lots of stores here sell them for nanos. 90% of saltwater stores have 10g displays with 2 oscellaris's and anemones.

Ive known a tank for a few years with the same 2 clowns, theyre still in good shape


seems a tad bit cruel to me, but whatever makes them money.

[cocoa_pleco]

seems a tad bit cruel to me, but whatever makes them money.

It is a tad cruel, but its kinda like keeping a betta in a 1g tank, it works, but it's a bit cruel.

[jttt3]

I'm thinking I will go for a 24-30 gallon with a sump/pump filtration system. The only thing I put in 10g tanks are goldfish, but they are stupid and by the time they are on one side of the tank, its a whole new experience.

The guy at the Marine store I go to told me to get a 125 gallon tank and "do it right the first time" as it is expensive no matter what way you go. I'm wondering if he drives the beat-up camry in the parking lot?

I'd love to have a 125 gallon tank, but I would hire a service to come out and do the maintence on it for me I think. Changing out 25 gallons a week is definately not what I signed up for lol.

Anyways, I needed the bare minimum so that I had a financial estimate to scale from as I am saving for it instead of charging it.

Thanks!

[cocoa_pleco]

I'm thinking I will go for a 24-30 gallon with a sump/pump filtration system. The only thing I put in 10g tanks are goldfish, but they are stupid and by the time they are on one side of the tank, its a whole new experience lol.


lol, goldfish are for 20g and up.

[Fishguy2727]

Clowns are one thing. In the wild they rarely go far from their host anemone. This is farther than a 10 gallon allows, but none the less they are used to a small home range. It is all the other fish that are used to roaming an entire reef system that are all of a sudden crammed into a 150 that is cruel.

It does not have to be a 135 to be done right, especially if you are not looking to keep much. Most find it to end up costing about $50 per gallon depending on how into it you get.

[novice]

good luck with your clowns.:thumb: when you do get it all sorted out please post some picture. i love them lol

[modster]

is live rock really necessary in this case?

[2manyfish]

Definitely go with aquacultured clowns if you possibly can! They are much hardier than wild caught and are already used to life in a tank!!
Try and go with the 40g and a sump with it. If you want multiple clowns you will need the extra space.
Live rock is important as it will be your main filtration.
What fish store do you go to Jttt3?? I live in pinellas park and know most of the stores around....
You don't need a 125 to keep clowns!! But if you are wanting other fish later on then it might be something to consider.


90% of saltwater stores have 10g displays with 2 oscellaris's and anemones.



Any store that puts a hosting anemone in a 10g needs to have their heads examined!!! What a poor example to set.....

[jttt3]

good luck with your clowns.:thumb: when you do get it all sorted out please post some picture. i love them lol

Hehe, it will be next year before I get to go for clowns, but when I do, I will post them here. =)

Thanks!

[jttt3]

............................................

[jttt3]

What fish store do you go to Jttt3?? I live in pinellas park and know most of the stores around....

Exotic Aquariums over on Main street on the opposite side of US19 from the Country Side Mail. I think its the road on the north side of the mall that turns into Main street that heads into downtown Dunedin.

Do you know any other good places in Pinellas County? I've found a few places, not that they were any good lol. I live over on Gulf to Bay near the bayside bridge.

Thanks,

[QUOTE=Fishguy2727]It is all the other fish that are used to roaming an entire reef system that are all of a sudden crammed into a 150 that is cruel.[QUOTE]

LOL, yeah, I don't like putting fish that like to swim around in a small tank or even a deeper tank opposed to a longer one.

Though...If I had a house...and it had 3000+ sq feet, I would definately do this.

http://www.garf.org/news25p2.html#HUGE

Big enough? lol 500 gallons would be awesome, but I'd hire someone to maintain it for me.

[2manyfish]

The best of the best is a store called Fish and Other Icthy Things. It's near the Oldsmar Flea Market. It's kinda far from me but when I go there I just wander around in a daze!
These next are in the St. Pete area, one is called PetMart (no S) on Bay Pines Blvd and another called Rockin' Reefs off of 54th Ave. Both are very good! There is another PetMart in Tampa but I have never been to that one.
Did you know that the place that aquacultures live rock is right near us? It's called Tampa Bay Saltwater and they have a warehouse in Tampa where you can hand pick their aquacultured rock! And boy do they have amazing rock!! The downside is they are only open to the public on Saturday....
There is a store in Pinellas Park where the owner just recently got into saltwater, it's called Living Color and if you like cichlids it would be worth a trip just for them!! He has just amazing fish and some really unusual cichlids too.

[ND120883]

What's so hot about this rock from Tampa Saltwater? I'm in Riverview.


Shephards was OFF THE CHAIN today, BTW.

[jttt3]

Thanks Barb, I will check out all those places for sure. =)

james