Clown fish questions

Acipenser · #1 01-31-2012, 12:13 AM

I had a pair of clowns that I got when they were tiny one was about 40% larger than the other, I am guessing the female. I just got a 3rd clown much larger than the other two at least twice as big as the female in my tank . how long before the old female switches back to male and what happens with the smallest male ? Is this a going to happen for sure or is there a chance of the bonded pair to stay bonded ?

Clown fish police move along !

MMAX · #2 01-31-2012, 12:23 AM

All tank bred clowns start off as males. I'm not 100% sure but once they switch to females I don't think they can switch back to males again.

Acipenser · #3 01-31-2012, 12:29 AM

Ok then i guess I may need to add 1 more small clown and hope they pair off I guess Ill need to start an other tank.

Ryan · #4 01-31-2012, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMAX

All tank bred clowns start off as males. I'm not 100% sure but once they switch to females I don't think they can switch back to males again.

Actually they start off as neither sex. The most dominant becomes female and the 2nd becomes male.

If the female dies the male becomes female but once a female they cannot turn male. Only forward not back.

ponokareefer · #5 01-31-2012, 03:13 AM

You should only keep 2 clowns in one tank. Any more than that and eventually the dominant pair will kill off the other clownfish.

Acipenser · #6 01-31-2012, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

You should only keep 2 clowns in one tank. Any more than that and eventually the dominant pair will kill off the other clownfish.

I have seen multiple clowns kept together successfully !

reefwars · #7 01-31-2012, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acipenser

I have seen multiple clowns kept together successfully !

3 is a bad number for clownfish they almost always kill off the third or stress him out bad.the bigger the tank and hiding the better the chances.

lee9 · #8 01-31-2012, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acipenser

I have seen multiple clowns kept together successfully !

Yeah, I thought I saw a program on TV that said in nature clownfish typically live in social groups in their anemones. A large female and a smaller male which is the dominant pair and then a number of decreasingly smaller males. I wonder if this is ever imitated in an aquarium environment?