Mixing Clown species

[marcingo]

So I have heard and read that I cannot mix most clown species.

From what I have been told I cannot mix maroon or tomato clowns with smaller false perculas or skunk clowns.

Is this true?

Ideally I would like to have a black perc, yellow stripe maroon clown, orange skunk clown and a clarkii clown.

My tank is a 55 gal tank (4ft) and I was thinking of having one of each clown.

If I have one of each will they develop a sexual orientation if they do not have one yet? Would they be happy and healthy without others of their kind?

If I cannot mix all these species together which do you guys think I could mix (I have heard the black perc will be ok with the skunk and a false perc). By the way I realize the black perc is just a color varient of the false perc.

Also other than these I do not plan on keeping any other fish in the tank and would like to focus mainly on keeping a reef (mostly zoos, mushrooms, gsp, xenia, and maybe one or two pieces of hard corals such as a brain coral and a favia)

Thanks for the help.

[marie]

Both the maroon and the clarkii are known to get quite aggressive and people have enough trouble trying to pair them up, let alone mix them with other clown species.

Clowns are in the damsel family and even the cute, small ones can act like it :mrgreen:

[marcingo]

Ok. Thanks for the info. So then I should be ok with black percs. skunk and false percs?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Unless your tank is huge (6' long for instance), you're taking a chance mixing clown species. I had a pair of ocellaris & a pair of gold striped maroons in my 6' 110g reef, but each pair stayed on one side of the tank & had a LR structure to call home. Still, it was iffy getting the 2 species to accept each other.

If you try it in your 4' tank, be prepared to pull out one species if the expt. doesn't go well.

Anthony

[ed99]

My experience is similar. I used to have 3 skunks and an ocellaris in a 92g bow front (about 3' across) and the skunks had the ocellaris cowering in the corner. They let him live but I don't think he was enjoying himself!

Ed

Unless your tank is huge (6' long for instance), you're taking a chance mixing clown species. I had a pair of ocellaris & a pair of gold striped maroons in my 6' 110g reef, but each pair stayed on one side of the tank & had a LR structure to call home. Still, it was iffy getting the 2 species to accept each other.

If you try it in your 4' tank, be prepared to pull out one species if the expt. doesn't go well.

Anthony

[OCDP]

My experience is similar. I used to have 3 skunks and an ocellaris in a 92g bow front (about 3' across) and the skunks had the ocellaris cowering in the corner. They let him live but I don't think he was enjoying himself!

Ed

I'm surprised you didn't run into problems with 3 skunks, let alone 3 skunks and an ocellaris !

[ed99]

I gave it a try since some reefers had reported being able to keep these 'relatively peaceful' clowns together but it didn't work so well for me. The three skunks set up their family and all slept in the BTA together but gave the ocellaris a hard time. I am now setting up a 6', 205gal tank and plan to keep a true perc pair together-hopefully there is enough room for everybody!


I'm surprised you didn't run into problems with 3 skunks, let alone 3 skunks and an ocellaris !

[marcingo]

Do you guys think you would run into these problems if you had one of each peaceful species together? ie: false perc, black perc, skunk. 1 of each

[marie]

Do you guys think you would run into these problems if you had one of each peaceful species together? ie: false perc, black perc, skunk. 1 of each
I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that clowns aren't exactly a peaceful type fish :biggrin: . Your best bet is to pair them up maybe you could get away with a black perc and a true perc, if they were male and female

[ed99]

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that clowns aren't exactly a peaceful type fish :biggrin: . Your best bet is to pair them up maybe you could get away with a black perc and a true perc, if they were male and female

Yep, that's my experience. Whether you mix different species or not, I think your best bet is to get them when they are juveniles, but I have found different species have always fought.

[marcingo]

Ok thanks.