Making an older clown accept a partner?

PhunkeyPhish

PhunkeyPhish

Member
Greetings,
I have taken over care of a 65 gallon reef tank that has an Ocellaris clown, orchid dottyback and then recently introduced court jester gobie, snails, emerald crabs and scarlet and red tip hermits. This was/is my fiance's tank that she got when she was in high school, but her mom had been taking care of it while she was in college, grad school and before we moved back to the state she is from. The Clown fish is one of the original gangstas of the tank, so he is probably like 10-14 years old. He used to have a partner but she died and when she had tried to introduce another a long time ago he was aggressive toward it. Is there anything I can do to try to get him to accept a second clown for the tank, or is he a grump old fish set in his way? I'm unsure whether he is CB or WC. Thanks for the feedback!

- pp
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
First off he's a she. The only hope you have is to introduce a very small male. Personally I don't think in a small tank there is much chance it will work. It usually works best to introduce both when they are very small and let them pair up. One will turn female and the other will stay male.
 
J

Joanne

New Member
I wouldn't do it. I had two clowns together. After two years the maroon clown started to attack the clark. Maroon almost killed him. So, she was unfortunately rehomed.
I would hate for you to see the attacks and then rehome.
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Joanne said:
I wouldn't do it. I had two clowns together. After two years the maroon clown started to attack the clark. Maroon almost killed him. So, she was unfortunately rehomed.
I would hate for you to see the attacks and then rehome.
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That is a bit of a different situation as they were different species. There is a remote chance it would work with the same species. I still wouldn't recommend it in a small tank like yours.
 
F

Finding_Nem

New Member
I say your tank size is fine. If you really want to get another clown I would catch the solo one. Send him to the sump for a week or two. Let the new one explore and eat and get happy. The reintroduce and cross your fingers or fins. Good luck.
 
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