Clownfish harem

[DangerDave]

I’m getting ready to do one of these. I’ve done a ton of online research. Curious if any members have experience with them? I’d like to hear you experiences and opinions on these type of tanks.

My plan is to plumb it into the main system. The nutrient load will be a good thing. My system can handle it. If needed I can dial back some other things I currently do to keep the nutrients up. and if it went too far the other way, I could always throw up an algae scrubber. I built and ran one for over a decade. I’m not now because gfo is easier maintenance, but much more gfo then I’m doing now will be too expensive.

I need to pick the physical size of the tank. I’m thinking a cube with a center island coming off the back wall/overflow, and full of bta. No sand, but lined with travertine. I’m not sold on this yet.

So please let me know what you know!

 

[nano1908]

@Wilson, have any tips?

 

[amado]

I think this is very hard to do in the long run. i have only seen that kind of tank at the aquarium and BRS. BRS and the aquarium have a bunch of tanks that they can move fish around when they start to fight.
my Expirience with clown fish is that they are
Mean fish. I wouldn’t put more than two clowns in any tank. By the way BRS tore down the clown herem tank.

 

[erics210]

I have 4 Clowns and they all get along

 

[motortrendz]

I also have 4 a female snowcasso, a picasso male, black storm male and a mochavinchi male

 

[Mrx7899x]

My brother-in-law tried it didn't work out too well. They started killing each other but its was only a 40 gallon breeder. I thing it can work if you get them young and the tank is bigger like a 75 gallon or so.

 

[DangerDave]

My current plan is to order 20 percs from a breeder, all from the same clutch. I’ve read that is what makes the difference in keeping them from killing each other. The female and male will develop, the rest will remain sexless. I was thinking maybe a 60g cube.

 

[Wilson]

I had a clown harem, did the whole same clutch thing. One thing I noticed in the beginning was they like to huddle together, adorable.
It took some time before they were comfortable enough to explore.

Unfortunately I added a pair that I won from a raffle and got brooklynella, total loss. The tank went fallow for 6 months after that..



And thus harem 2.0. This consisted a mix of a variety of designer clowns. I've lost count of how many are in there, if I had to guess, around 30-40, in 75 gallons.
A couple of observations, I noticed the clowns with similar if not the same patterns tend to hang out together, (bunch of racists clowns). As the dominant pair emerges, they've started to claim their favorite anemone, and everybody else is spreading out.

From a hosting anemone standpoint, the clowns all completely ignored them in the beginning. But the second I added a ritteri anemone, all the clowns went in. The dominant pair of black occys has claimed it as their own now, and spend most of their time chasing others out.

Those who don't like being chased have spread out and started to claim other anemones. But they seem to have learned the behavior of hosting in one.

As warned nobody touches the long tentacle, or the condys, but boy are they beautiful.


Over time, my concern would be multiple dominant pairs showing up, because the clowns are spreading out and claiming territories. But overall successful so far.

But anyway, I think it can work, with enough space and patience, as with anything in the hobby. The hardest thing right now is keeping the tank pure, and not adding other stuff haha.

 

[Sponge]

@Wilson great Wright up, information and pics. Great job thanks for sharing. And please keep posting updates. @DangerDave I have seen your tanks. Your gear and your corals. There is no doubt you can pull off a clown harem. And I love the cube look. As always bigger is better. Best of luck.

 

[DangerDave]

@Wilson that is a beautiful reef. Thank you for sharing! If you can get 30-50 in a 75, I think 20 in a 60 would no problem. Do you think the same clutch is a waste of time?

 

[Wilson]

I think as long as they were all small and gender neutral, it wasn't an issue.

 

[lefkonj]

Have to get them all very small so that there is no dominate female as of yet. Then add as many at the same time as possible. They will figure it out with the harem rules and things should be fine. I have 2 bonded pairs in my 180 it is fine.

 

[DangerDave]

Do we know of any clownfish breeders in NJ?

 

[nano1908]

Sooooooooooo....... what's the update? Started your harem yet? If so pix please!

 

[DangerDave]

Nah, found a tank though. Waiting for guy to sell the livestock. 2x2x2 cube. Spoke to the guy you referred me too, good there. Once I get the tank set up, I’ll move the nems I have now in, and get a couple more. I should put fish in Jan/feb

 

[rrspike]

Was really thinking of doing one of these in the future , so following along . Best of luck with it.