2 Questions about some Clowns & Hermits

[slammy16]

Ok,
Just added some new guys a 1 False Percula and 6 red leg hermits and 3 Turbo snails. These are the first things i have put in there.
First question: My wife loves the clown fish, I do to but, my favorite is the gold stripe maroon clown. Now is it ok to add the maroon to the tank scince the other clown has established himself already? I have no anemone's so there would be no quarrel over it. If i would get him it wouldnt be for another week or so. The Percula is only about 1.5 inches long maybe 2.
Second question: With my hermits, When should i put some empty shells in the tank or should i even bother? I have 6 and there are 2 decent sized ones the others are medium to small.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tank1483]

As far as the clowns go, I dont think adding another clown will be an issue. However, other people may have more experience than I with that. I myself got two clowns at the same time.
As for the hermits, I would still get some extra shells in the tank soon. The shells are usually inexpensive and this gives the options to the crabs to move to a nicer shell if they want. Otherwise they will begin fighting with eachother over their shells. HTH

 

[slammy16]

bump

 

[gati]

adding a second clown, especially one that is a different species, to a tank where there is already one is a disaster waiting to happen IMO. If you had a huge tank, possibly. but i wouldn't recomend it.
yep, shells need to go in soon, if not he crabs will start killing each other for them. my suggeston would be to go to your lfs and when you purchase something just ask them to give you a few, they usually have lots of extras. mine does that for me.

 

[jedi]

Slammy,
I am sorry I dont know the size of your tank as I answer this.
Adding clowns of diferent types is possible if the tank is large enopugh. I added 2 saddle backs to my 90 that had a pair of Percs, and they all get along fine. the saddlelbacks even are Hosting my LTA:jumping: ( which i am thrilled with)
I have found that percs should be in the tank first and allowed to establish, then you could add a diferent pair.
Some peeps will differ, but in my experience adding a "pair" will be more beneficial than adding just one, and if you have only 1 false perc, I would add a second, then after a month add a pair of maroon clowns. but to intruduce just 1 of each will probably end up in disaster.and the stress of the ffish "fighting" can be harmfull to other tank inhabitants.
Just my experience, and others will have different ones...
Jedi
edit: I see it is a 72 gallon, you should have no problem with diff types. I would stay away from Clarkies though.. they are a little "rough"

 

[slammy16]

Well, I did it.
I bought a small gold striped maroon and i bi-color blenny.
As soon as i put the maroon in the ocelarris and the maroon headed right for eachother and i was like crap here we go got to get him out should have listened to some people. Well they didnt do much, maroon came at him a few times but that soon stopped and now they are swimming together eating and doing whatever it is clowns do. This is what i had hoped for and its coming true knock on wood. Maybe i have some strange clowns that just need a firends.