What is the minimum I need for pair of clowns?

[yhbae]

I've never done any reefs before. I read about them a while back but never went deep. I'm currently maintaining an mbuna tank but I have to admit nothing beats the look of reef tanks.

If I had to accomodate a pair of clowns (I think I remember that if I get both as juvs, they eventually become a pair?) what is the minimum size tank do I need? Also, what else do I need to keep them healthy?

Appreciate any feedback...

 

[Navarre]

I have seen a pair of juvenile clowns in a tank as small as 12 Imp Gallons and hve been kept very successfully. However, they will grow larger and i feel this size would soon be outgrown.

I would estimate about 20 Imp gallons (30 would be better) for a pair of clowns. They dont have huge territories so swimming space is not a huge issue but the most water you have the more stable your environment.

 

[nutter]

I agree, 10 might stunt them 20 - 30 is fine

 

[Ed4567]

What equipment you need depends on the type of system you want to set up, are you looking to keep just fish, fish with live rock, or a full reef with corals or an anenome?

 

[Fuzzy]

my system fo rmy 30 gal which contains 2 clowns is 2 millinium 2000 filters and 20 pounds of LR. my tank has been running smoothly, and have had no problems
i have no anenome tho, if u put another fish with the clownfish u shouldnt get one

 

[yhbae]

I was thinking of getting a 3ft tank, probably 1ft in depth and 1ft in height (which makes it 22g tank - an odd size). I have a strip light that accomodates two 30w bulbs, one of them is actinic - is this sufficient?

I'd use AquaClear300 filter. Do I need a protein skimmer in this sized setup?

The goal is to create a nice looking tank that is good enough for a pair of clowns to breed as well (I try to breed every species I own if feasible). If it can accomodate few more fishes, I do't mind either...

 

[Navarre]

The lighting is fine as long as you dont wan an anemone.
Clowns will be ok in a tank this size. If you want them ot breed though it will take alot of patience and research. There is a book all about breeding clowns ( i will have to look up the name and post it here for you) and its considered the bible when it comes to breeding clowns. It covers every aspect of them and what conditions they need for successful spawning.

Clowns dont need an anemone to breed so having the complication of an anemone in the tank wont matter. I would sugest aprotein skimmer in the tank, it will help remove some particles before it even enters the ammonia cycle.

 

[yhbae]

I do enjoy the process of doing research and trying out things until the result shows up. So far, I've been able to breed various fresh water species (curretly trying out panda corydoras). As long as it is feasible and people have done it (unlike say, clown loaches which one person in the world has done it, by fluke.. ) then it is worth trying out...

What is the normal reason for having anemone in the tank, is it just for a cosmetic reason? What does it take to keep some of these?

Thanks again...

 

[Navarre]

Clownfish naturally live in anemones and people like to see their behaviour simulated in their tanks. Unfortunately, people dont realise just how hard Anemones are to keep and just how many of these creatures die in transportation before they even reach hobbiests tanks. Though anemones are the natural hosts for clownfish, these fish will also happily live in leather corals or just abot anything to be honest.

Breeding marine fish is extremley hard to do for any fish, very few have been successfully bred, usually only the smaller species as thy have smeller territories. CLowns, damsels, dottybacks andgobies are usually the types that are bred.

As of yet the larger species simply are beyond our understanding