Interested in SW...

[Colin_T]

Would I be able to keep other species in that same tank as well? (Say maybe a goby or shrimp?)

Shrimp and gobies should be ok but might get attacked when the anemonefish breed. However, if you only have 1 anemonefish, it won't breed and shrimp and gobies should be fine.

If you only have 1 anemonefish, it will turn into a female and should you choose to add another, you will need a juvenile so it becomes a male.

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You move marine tanks like any other tank. Take all the rocks out and put them in a bucket. Put the fish in buckets with the tank water. Empty the tank and move it, then set it back up.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Ok, I was afraid that marine tanks would be more fragile or something.

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I like the idea of having a pair, so they can have a friend, but I would also want a shrimp and maybe a gobie.

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@Krib32, thanks. I’m not really sure what type of clown I want yet; there’s just so many...

(Probably not that one, because a pair is $160!!) :0

 

[Colin_T]

The smallest anemonefish are Amphiprion ocellaris and A. percula. The other species get bigger and you need a 3 foot tank or bigger to house a pair of them. The bigger species are also more aggressive, especially when breeding and things like A. clarkii, A. frenatus, and Premnas biaculeatus get real mean when breeding and often kill other fish in their territory.

 

[Chad]

50-55 gallons is the size I recommend for beginners. You can get away with 29 if you have an ATO but 50-55 is really more forgiving which is what you want with your first one. Once you get good at it you can pull off smaller. I had a 2.5 gallon marine tank and a nice 5.5 gallon which is one of my favorites to reminisce about.

 

[Chad]

Amphiprion ocellaris

This is my favorite clownfish and also having the best temperament of any clown. They don't need an anemone and I certainly don't recommend getting an anemone right away. Even the easiest anemone to keep is still not for a new tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

This is my favorite clownfish and also having the best temperament of any clown. They don't need an anemone and I certainly don't recommend getting an anemone right away. Even the easiest anemone to keep is still not for a new tank.

Ok, definitely won’t get anemones right now.

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I do want to eventually get some coral, but not as I first setup the tank. I may just use rocks for when I first start out, and then start saving for the lights.

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I don’t think I could get away with a 50-55 gallon tank. I think I might be able to push a 30g or a 40g long tank. Maybe.

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Next time I go to my LFS, I’ll bring my camera to take photos of the clowns that catch my eye, along with the species name, so I can do further research on them.

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I definitely want shrimp, that’s a must. It’s a shame that even if you get a pair, they will get aggressive.

Is there anyway to prevent the aggression?

 

[Colin_T]

I definitely want shrimp, that’s a must. It’s a shame that even if you get a pair, they will get aggressive.

Is there anyway to prevent the aggression?

No. They are like cichlids and become territorial when mature. It's in their genetic makeup.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Fup, that’s a shame.

How do people have big reef tanks with pairs of clowns and other fish? Wouldn’t the clowns be aggressive to the rest of the fish?

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I want a pair of clownfish over anything, even if that means giving up the shrimp idea. A star fish would be killer cool, if it would work...

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If I provided enough hiding spots, or if the shrimp was big enough, could it work out?

 

[Chad]

I don’t think I could get away with a 50-55 gallon tank. I think I might be able to push a 30g or a 40g long tank. Maybe.

Keep in mind that the footprint of a lot of these tanks is the same. They just are taller. A 40 gallon tank is 48x13x16 and a 55 gallon tank is 48x13x21 so same floor space just 5 inches deeper water.

As for the shrimp and their aggresivness...so true...you can have a pair but mixing species is risky and having multiples is risky. I managed to do two cleaners and 2 scarlet but that was a 300 gallon tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Keep in mind that the footprint of a lot of these tanks is the same. They just are taller. A 40 gallon tank is 48x13x16 and a 55 gallon tank is 48x13x21 so same floor space just 5 inches deeper water.

As for the shrimp and their aggresivness...so true...you can have a pair but mixing species is risky and having multiples is risky. I managed to do two cleaners and 2 scarlet but that was a 300 gallon tank.

Oh, didn’t realize they were almost the same dimensions! I would definitely want the tank in my room, and I’m not sure my floor would support it. (either of the tanks to be honest)

Wait, so the shrimp are aggressive to? Or the clown pair is aggressive, so shrimp would be near impossible?

 

[Chad]

Shrimp are aggressive toward each other and other species of shrimp.
Clownfish are aggressive toward each other and other species of clownfish.
Some, like my maroons, can kill other fish quite easily with their cheek spines.

 

[Colin_T]

Wait, so the shrimp are aggressive to? Or the clown pair is aggressive, so shrimp would be near impossible?

A lot of shrimp are territorial to other species of shrimp. Banded Coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) are more territorial than others. Lysmata cleaner shrimp can usually be mixed.

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How do people have big reef tanks with pairs of clowns and other fish? Wouldn’t the clowns be aggressive to the rest of the fish?

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I want a pair of clownfish over anything, even if that means giving up the shrimp idea. A star fish would be killer cool, if it would work...

Big reef tanks have space and lots of rock, and they usually only have 1 pr of anemonefish, with different species like tangs and wrasses that don't resemble anemonefish.

Each pr of anemonefish has a territory of about 3 feet square in an aquarium, and a bigger area in the wild. If the tank is 6 foot long they take over half the tank when breeding and are fine when not breeding.

Starfish are usually ok but will get bitten and carried out of the area if the fish are breeding.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Dang these guys are mean!

I may just end of with a pair of clown fish, which wouldn’t be half bad...

Is it here any other sort of fish/invertebrate I could add in there with them?

 

[Chad]

Banded Coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) are more territorial than others.

They also eat anemone. So if you plan on having one eventually the shrimp will need to go prior.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

SW is so complicated... so many things eating so many other things, and other things killing other things, if that thing doesn’t kill the other thing first!