Mixing Clowns with damsels. is it ok?
- Thread starter jasony
- Start date
nicetry
Active Member
What species of damsels/what species of clown?
They can certainly be kept together. Your tank size will help. The trouble most people have with damsels is they add them first, and given their territorial nature, they just don't take well to newcomers. Added last, or at least after the other small peacful fish, some are pretty good citizens. It can often be species dependent though.
They can certainly be kept together. Your tank size will help. The trouble most people have with damsels is they add them first, and given their territorial nature, they just don't take well to newcomers. Added last, or at least after the other small peacful fish, some are pretty good citizens. It can often be species dependent though.
nicetry
Active Member
Rearranging the rock might help. Also leave the lights off for a few hours when you add the clowns. If possible, add them in the evening when you're ready to darken the tank for the night. If there is some pushiness, it should let up in a few days. Small clowns might not be a match for aggressive damsels although the clowns should swim together, maybe making it difficult for one to be singled out. If you see the clowns getting beat up, remove somebody.
adroitmind
Member
I am more worried about the clowns pestering each other. Eventually two of the clowns will pair up and become a mated pair. They will then become aggressive toward the odd man out. You should only have one or two clowns of the same species in your tank. You do have a large tanks for clowns though so it might work out.
fish lady
Member
I had 4 of the blue damsels as well, as much as it was a pain to catch them I had to. They where to mean to everything in the tank. I have also had no luck with a odd number of clowns. They have always picked on the odd one that is left out and before long they die. I am no expert but that was my encounter with them. I kept one of them and he was fine until he tried to save or eat (i am not sure wich) the dying clown that was sucked into the bottom of the power head and he got sucked up himself before I could unplug it.
nirvana9784
New Member
i just bought a clown fish myself and one night the clown was there and the next night my clown was gone and i have only 6 damsels so i think from my experoence you might want to re think that or get a few anenomes for the clowns to run and hide in.
jasony
Member
thanks
i appreciate the input..
b4 i purchased the 3 clowns i asked the guy at the lfs if i could have more than 2 clowns in a tank.. ( i told him i had a 150) he told me with a tank that size i could keep a max of about 6 as long as i buy them all at the same time and they are all juveniles..
i took his word for it..
did he steer me wrong?
i appreciate the input..
b4 i purchased the 3 clowns i asked the guy at the lfs if i could have more than 2 clowns in a tank.. ( i told him i had a 150) he told me with a tank that size i could keep a max of about 6 as long as i buy them all at the same time and they are all juveniles..
i took his word for it..
did he steer me wrong?
ice4ice
Active Member
Originally Posted by myreef05
Best thing to do by far is return 2 clowns and ALL the damsels. You will understand in a couple of months.
Sorry, but this is poor advice. Keep in mind he has 150 gallon tank so this is not a problem. Clownfish ARE a member of the damselfish family.
Also I don't see a problem with having 4 clownfish of same species providing you have 2 anemones; one on each side of the tank for them to host.
A single clownfish pair usually dominate a territory of 2 sq. feet of space. Keep watch on your clowns.
Best thing to do by far is return 2 clowns and ALL the damsels. You will understand in a couple of months.
Sorry, but this is poor advice. Keep in mind he has 150 gallon tank so this is not a problem. Clownfish ARE a member of the damselfish family.
Also I don't see a problem with having 4 clownfish of same species providing you have 2 anemones; one on each side of the tank for them to host.
A single clownfish pair usually dominate a territory of 2 sq. feet of space. Keep watch on your clowns.
myreef05
Member
Originally Posted by JasonY
thanks
i appreciate the input..
b4 i purchased the 3 clowns i asked the guy at the lfs if i could have more than 2 clowns in a tank.. ( i told him i had a 150) he told me with a tank that size i could keep a max of about 6 as long as i buy them all at the same time and they are all juveniles..
i took his word for it..
did he steer me wrong?
He made a sale didn't he? He steared you wrong for sure. LFS want your money; here we don't thats why free info. is better than dead fish anytime. You will always get several ideas but very close in most cases. Always go with the MAJORITY answer NOT the answer you WANT to hear.
lesleybird
Active Member
I have read that the true percula clowns and maybe the false percula clowns can be kept in even numbered groups if added at the same time, or in a large tank where each pair can have there own terratories. Why don't you give it a try before you jump to take two back. I see them at my fish store in a group in one tank. Lesley
myreef05
Member
Originally Posted by Lesleybird
I have read that the true percula clowns and maybe the false percula clowns can be kept in even numbered groups if added at the same time, or in a large tank where each pair can have there own terratories. Why don't you give it a try before you jump to take two back. I see them at my fish store in a group in one tank. Lesley
You see them in a group at the LFS because it is a store. Do you see how many die? NO, you don't.
Clowns are of the damsel family and will gt mean if needed.
Ice4ice, i will attribute your "bad advice" comment to lack of experience.
Have this person come back on here in a month , maybe 3 months and see if all is well then. I have seen it first hand so I KNOW YOU ARE WRONG.
I have read that the true percula clowns and maybe the false percula clowns can be kept in even numbered groups if added at the same time, or in a large tank where each pair can have there own terratories. Why don't you give it a try before you jump to take two back. I see them at my fish store in a group in one tank. Lesley
You see them in a group at the LFS because it is a store. Do you see how many die? NO, you don't.
Clowns are of the damsel family and will gt mean if needed.
Ice4ice, i will attribute your "bad advice" comment to lack of experience.
Have this person come back on here in a month , maybe 3 months and see if all is well then. I have seen it first hand so I KNOW YOU ARE WRONG.
jasony
Member
wow...
ok..i went to return the 2 extra clowns and llo and behold.. the lfs doest give refunds so i kept them
i hesitantly added them to my display....
8 hours later they seemm to be doing fine
one pair has chosen a few rocks on the far left of tank another pair is oddly swimming with the 4 damsels following them around...
the blue damsels are not bothering them... yet i guess
i will post back if anything happens for the worst but rite now its a ok
ok..i went to return the 2 extra clowns and llo and behold.. the lfs doest give refunds so i kept them
i hesitantly added them to my display....
8 hours later they seemm to be doing fine
one pair has chosen a few rocks on the far left of tank another pair is oddly swimming with the 4 damsels following them around...
the blue damsels are not bothering them... yet i guess
i will post back if anything happens for the worst but rite now its a ok
nicetry
Active Member
Originally Posted by myreef05
Still, 2 will pair up and kill the other 2. 1 pair per tank is the rule and advice you would have recieved if asked first.
This is inaccuarate information. While two will pair up after one of the males undergoes sexual transformation into a female, the m/f pair will inhibit the --- change in the others, essentially keeping them juveniles. They won't kill the other two.
Still, 2 will pair up and kill the other 2. 1 pair per tank is the rule and advice you would have recieved if asked first.
This is inaccuarate information. While two will pair up after one of the males undergoes sexual transformation into a female, the m/f pair will inhibit the --- change in the others, essentially keeping them juveniles. They won't kill the other two.