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Adding a clown to a tank with existing clown...


Mojeska

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I am setting up a new aquarium. I just migrated a ocellaris clown to My new aquarium (and yes, the tank has been cycled). The aquarium is 20 gallons, and the Ocellaris is coming from a six gallon tank which it has spent almost 3 years. Question is, can I add a new occellaris to the aquarium?

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RIP Sebastian

I am setting up a new aquarium. I just migrated a ocellaris clown to My new aquarium (and yes, the tank has been cycled). The aquarium is 20 gallons, and the Ocellaris is coming from a six gallon tank which it has spent almost 3 years. Question is, can I add a new occellaris to the aquarium?

 

 

Hi there,

 

I like to think of myself as the resident "clown nut" on here, so I hope I can help you.

 

When clowns are born, they are gender neutral-they aren't male or female. In a harem (large group of clownfish) the most dominant fish becomes a female. The second most dominant fish becomes a male. Then a pecking order is established among the remaining gender neutral fish.

 

That way, if the female dies, the male becomes the female, and the most dominant gender neutral becomes the male.

 

Note that for clownfish, changing gender is a one-way street. Once they become male or female, the fish cannot return to its gender neutral state.

 

When kept without any other clownfish, a clown may choose to change into a female. It's not guaranteed to happen, but it's a common occurrence. My Onyx Percula has begun her transition.

 

Sexing clownfish is relatively easy. If there is a clownfish that is 6 months old and has been kept without any other clowns, it's probably a female. If you have 2 clowns, the larger one is the female. Males typically don't get larger than 1.5 inches. Females have been known to grow to greater than 4 inches. In a harem, the male is the second largest. The rest are gender neutral.

 

THE FEMALES WILL BITE. They're very protective of their territory. When they bite, lightly flick them. It'll stop them.

 

You're probably thinking "Get On With It!!" but I honestly just wanted to help. I'll answer your question now.

 

So, yes, you'll be fine. Just be sure the new one is smaller than the existing clown. There will be squabbling at first, but this is normal. When a male submits, he'll do a "dance" that looks like he's having a seizure. He turns on his side and wiggles.

 

Good luck,

 

Nick

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Thanks. My blackii yellow belly saddle back male did that dance. Flipped head down n wiggled in front of the female.

I got mine as size first then one got twice as big as the other one.

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RIP Sebastian

Thanks. My blackii yellow belly saddle back male did that dance. Flipped head down n wiggled in front of the female.

I got mine as size first then one got twice as big as the other one.

 

My pleasure.

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  • 2 weeks later...
quackyduckboy

I have a ocellaris and is probably about 1-1 1/2 inches big and introduced a gladiator ocellaris into the tank. The new fish was a bit less than an inch long and at first the bigger nipped a few time but all seems well now. I think the smaller one submitted and now they swim together for the most part. You should be fine if the new one is smaller.

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  • 3 years later...
9 hours ago, Abad said:

Can I add a 3rd Ocellaris clown fish to my tank?

Nope...not in a nano. I have seen it done in very large tanks of a few 100 gallons.

 

Once they decided to have babies they will best the snot out of the 3rd wheel.

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