Clown Fish compatibility ?

[Acipenser]

So I thought I had originally purchased a ocellaris but I guess it was a percula because when I got home with my 2nd ocellaris I knew right away I had made a mistake. The lfs guy told me not to mix them up as they would fight !
They seem to be quite happy together at the moment !

[ponokareefer]

Are they of different sizes and small still? There is a chance that if they are both young and remain the only clownfish in the tank that they may get along.

The best way to tell the difference between the 2 is the eyes. Both have black centres to the eyes. Percula's outside of the eyes are then orange, the Occelaris outside are merky orangish black/brown.

Occelaris:
http://redcoralaquarium.net/online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_56_127&products_id=410

Percula:
http://redcoralaquarium.net/online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_56_127&products_id=411

[Acipenser]

They are both tiny, this 1st one I got is slightly larger.

[paddyob]

I thought the only true way to ident had to with the number of bones in their dorsal or something.

My Ocellaris have orange rings.

This is the first time I have heard this.


I have heard many folks keeping percs and oc together... Among other clowns ( In bigger tanks )

Have even heard of paired oc/perc.


Are they of different sizes and small still? There is a chance that if they are both young and remain the only clownfish in the tank that they may get along.

The best way to tell the difference between the 2 is the eyes. Both have black centres to the eyes. Percula's outside of the eyes are then orange, the Occelaris outside are merky orangish black/brown.

Occelaris:
http://redcoralaquarium.net/online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_56_127&products_id=410

Percula:
http://redcoralaquarium.net/online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_56_127&products_id=411

[Myka]

Look at the eyes...Percs are black, Occys are orange. Percs have less dorsal rays. Percs and Occys will pair up just fine, and will crossbreed as well. Clowns of the same size will always squabble until they figure out who's the boss (female). If you get one big one and one small one there will usually be very little squabbling.

[daniella3d]

They can get along together, they can even pair and the offsprings are called "percularis". Kind of a cute name :)

[dsaundry]

Most clowns will fight and injury and/or death can occur, however if there is a lot of rock and plenty of spaces to hide the one will usually take the submissive role and turn into a male, the other will turn female and get larger. then they should get along...

[daniella3d]

Yes, the trick is to take one that is smaller than the existing one. That's what I did. I also took my larger clown out of the main tank and put it in quarantine with the new one for a month so if there was any fighting or imcompatibility, I would have known right there and I could put a devider. There was a bit of squabble but nothing serious and now they are best friend and always together. Putting my existing one with the new one in quarantine was a risk but that new one was tank raised and I gave it a dip in Paraguard for one hour before putting it in the quarantine tank. If any disease would have showed up, I was ready with formaline, paraquard and cupramine.

I transfered them to the main tank this week and they really like each other and already hosting my duncan coral.

I choose the smallest fish I could find to make sure that I would have a pair. If yours are happy already and not fighting it is a very good sign!


Most clowns will fight and injury and/or death can occur, however if there is a lot of rock and plenty of spaces to hide the one will usually take the submissive role and turn into a male, the other will turn female and get larger. then they should get along...

[paddyob]

Look at the eyes...Percs are black, Occys are orange. Percs have less dorsal rays. Percs and Occys will pair up just fine, and will crossbreed as well. Clowns of the same size will always squabble until they figure out who's the boss (female). If you get one big one and one small one there will usually be very little squabbling.

explain please. the eyes part.

[ponokareefer]

explain please. the eyes part.

Taken from Wikipedia: Also, the species have different eye arrangements: Percula have bright orange irises, making their eyes appear smaller, whereas Ocellaris have grey/orange irises which make the species eyes appear bigger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocellaris_clownfish

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Never cite "facts" from Wiki. ANYBODY can post a definition or article there. Doesn't make it true.

A few years ago, someone posted on Wiki that the comedian Sinbad was dead and there was great mourning, until someone told Sinbad & he went on TV saying "Hey, I'm alive..."

[ponokareefer]

Never cite "facts" from Wiki. ANYBODY can post a definition or article there. Doesn't make it true.

A few years ago, someone posted on Wiki that the comedian Sinbad was dead and there was great mourning, until someone told Sinbad & he went on TV saying "Hey, I'm alive..."

The quote from Wiki was not to be take as fact, but rather as a different explanation of the difference in eyes.

[Acipenser]

Well they swim around the tank like a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from a rear view mirror, you would think they they were always together, so I am hopeful. These will be the only fish in this tank, now time to get ready for the fun stuff.

[Myka]

Percula will always have clear, orange eyes. Occys will be black or shaded orange. This isn't a 100% way to ID them, but a good start.

Percula (orange eyes, fewer dorsal rays):
http://www.nano-reef.com/fish/images/perculaclown1.jpg



Ocellaris (black eyes, more dorsal rays):
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/images/ocellari.jpg

[Marlin65]

I have two together about the same size a orange ocelleris and a black or darwin perk. Took a bit but they are a pair now.