Amphiprion clarkii WILD!

[ernho13]

Hey guys, love the community!

 

I just came back from a boat trip, in Hong Kong and one of the boat crew caught an Amphiprion clarkii. I read up about them, and they seem to be very common and prolific in Hong Kong waters, so I thought I could take one home and try to keep it. Problem is, I have no experience with saltwater tanks. I've read up about them and personally think that I am ready for one but never had the initiative to start keeping one until today. I've been keeping a successful Tanganyikan tank with Cyphotilapia frontosa and Tropheus moorii, as well as Discus and a Jardinii for 3 years now.

 

I know Clownfish are symbiotic with Anemone, however I've read that they don't need Anemone to survive (I know some of the members here don't keep Clownfish with Anemone because of the small size of the tanks, Anemone need large tanks). I'm thinking of keeping him in a 20 gallon tank. I will try to find him a mate at the shops in Hong Kong (farm bred Amphiprion clarkii cost like HK$10 a fish which is about US$1.5). I know he's a male because he has the yellow colouration on the top and bottom of his caudal fin.

 

Here are some questions:

1) For a fish only saltwater aquarium, what type of filtration do I need and how much of it?

2) Will a 20 gallon be enough space for a pair of Amphiprion clarkii?

3) Can I keep any other fish with a pair of them? I know they are very territorial...

4) Can or Should I try keeping soft corals with them in a 20 gallon?

5) What can I feed them?

6) I will be buying the salts tomorrow (they are in natural sea water atm, and I got some extra just in case I need to change water). What brand do you guys suggest? How do I check its the right salinity after I mix the water with the salts?

7) Did I miss anything?

 

Thanks in advance,

[tinyreef]

the tank may become a little tight for the clarkii. is it a long or a high? (high being preferable) how big is the clarkii now?

 

i'd advise you to get a marine aquarium setup book to take you thru the basics of a marine tank setup or do some searches of past threads (believe me, i'm saving you from a certain someone's flame )

 

i'd get the salt and ro/di or ss distilled water. i'd be wary of the waters around hk and any collected around any of the ferries or boats (petroleum and other pollution). get a hydrometer and pH test kit asap.

 

next time try to catch a pink dolphin! NOW that would be a challenge!

[ernho13]

Thanks for the reply Tinyreef.

 

Actually we caught more then just a clarkii... hehe. We also caught a Doublebar cardinalfish (Apogon pseudotaeniatus), a Doederlein's cardinalfish (Apogon doederleini), a Chocolate hind/Brown coral-cod (Cephalopholis boenak), two Honeycomb filefish (Cantherhines pardalis), 5 Bubblefin wrasse (Halichoeres nigrescens) and 2 other fish that I still can't identify using pictures we took of em.

 

Wish I caught an angelfish or something! That woulda been a treat hehe.

[ernho13]

Thanks for the reply Tinyreef.

 

Actually we caught more then just a clarkii... hehe. We also caught a Doublebar cardinalfish (Apogon pseudotaeniatus), a Doederlein's cardinalfish (Apogon doederleini), a Chocolate hind/Brown coral-cod (Cephalopholis boenak), two Honeycomb filefish (Cantherhines pardalis), 5 Bubblefin wrasse (Halichoeres nigrescens) and 2 other fish that I still can't identify using pictures we took of em.

 

Wish I caught an angelfish or something! That woulda been a treat hehe.