Cherub angel and Black and White clown, Aggression 1/4/08
Hi-
<Hello>
First off, I'm very concerned about my fish health because of a mean cherub, however I love both. I have a 46 gal bow tank and I have had a pink and blue spot goby and the cherub angel for 7 + months. Well recently I added a
black and white clown and the cherub will not leave him alone. I've tried all day to catch the angel and I finally have. My question is really if I keep him in qt for a week or so will he lose his dominance or do I have to get rid of him?
Thanks,
Aly
<Sometimes this break will help, sometimes it won't, really depends on the individual fish, but definitely worth a shot. You might also want to try reaquascaping the tank, this can help is some cases as well.>
<Chris>

Tiny Turbos (sys.) & mixed clowns (comp.)  12/24/08
Hey y'all
<Hi Jessy here>
These are probably dumb questions.
<Nah. Perfectly valid>
First, I recently noticed tiny turbo snails in my sump and the column off of my AquaC EV-120 skimmer. I'm assuming that's probably the only place the larvae don't get picked off by my 75g tank's other free-swimming inhabitants (scribbled Rabbitfish, 2 Banggai cardinals, 2 clowns, 2 peppermint shrimp). I've pulled a few out and deposited them onto the glass of my main tank. They are probably 2-3 mm across, but they do have shells. Will they fare better in the main tank or are they better off left in the sump? It's not lit, but I figure they're in the skimmer because they can feed on the gunk that collects in the column.
I do clean it twice weekly, so that's why I noticed them there.
<These little guys would do great in the sump. Like you noticed they'd most likely be picked off in the main tank, but in the sump they will live happily on the tank sludge that inherently grows there.>
Second, I recently introduced the clowns from 3 weeks in quarantine. I bought a pair of Percula clowns initially; although they appeared healthy and ate well, the larger one (about two inches) did not survive more than a few days in quarantine. There were no visible signs of disease, so I chalked the mortality up to shipping stress. After testing the water, I bought a third and introduced it to quarantine. Now I think the last one was a Ocellaris clown. They are slightly different colors of orange, something I couldn't tell until they were in the tank together. The Percula is a paler orange with prominent black bands, no black edges to its dorsal fin, and orange irises. The Ocellaris is a brighter orange with less black but its dorsal and pectoral fins are larger with black edges, and its eyes are all black. All of them were sold to me as tank-raised, but the store could only guess if they were Perculas or Ocellaris. I could have them mixed up, but I think they are different species. Anyway, both are doing fine now and swim together as a pair. The Percula is the larger of the two. Is there any problem with these 2 remaining a pair? I don't plan to breed them and I'm assuming if they did none of the offspring would survive the rest of my tank's inhabitants (there are also many corals:
several Sinularia, Montipora, Plerogyra, and various Zoanthids and Anthelias).
<No problem at all with them pairing up. If your Perc is the larger of the two, most likely it will be the female. And if you ever DID have the notion of breeding them, it wouldn't be in your tank anyway. Clownfish breeding is a labor intensive task with dedicated systems required.>
Thanks for your input and Merry Christmas!
<Welcome and Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. Jessy>
Ed

Fish Recommendation for a reef, grounding probe maint., Clown comp.   12/5/08
Third question; My clowns were not added together as I try my best to buy captive bred specimens ( for all my pets ) whenever possible and the only LFS within an hour driving distance that carries CB True Perculas only had one when I went and wasn't getting more for a few weeks so I bought it and then the 2nd one was bought 1-2 months later. It was slightly bigger than the first so I figured it would dominate and turn female if it wasn't already ( the first was 1.5-2" and the 2nd about .5" bigger but also bulkier ). Well it did turn out to be the dominant but the aggression hasn't subsided close to 3 months later. I constantly have to fish the smaller one out of the overflow box and a couple of times from the sump. It never tries to fight back and exhibits what I understand to be submissive behavior so I don't think it is a dominance struggle between them. How much longer can I expect this to go on?
<Perhaps till the demise of the smaller individual... I would read on WWM re... and move the larger one out to another system for a while, or at least hold it in "prison" in a floating plastic colander or all-plastic breeding net or such for a couple of weeks in the system, allowing the smaller one to become better situated>
I am wary of leaving the smaller one separated for long because I don't want it to grow and become a female but at the same time don't want to see it be bullied to death. It does eat well and doesn't show any signs of injury or illness but at the same time it keeps jumping into the overflow. What do you recommend I do?
<And Neale has responded to your FW queries... In future, please isolate/send your questions one topic/subject at a time. Thank you, Bob Fenner>

True Percula ID, Ocellaris comp.  11/25/08
Hello crew, Shea here.
<Hello Shea.>
I have a question about my false Percula Clownfish (or so I thought). I can't get a good picture of him or her but it is about 2" long, a red-orange color, with bold black borders around the white stripes. I am fairly certain that it is a True Percula that got mislabeled at my LFS.
I want to get a mate for it but I am unsure of what kind to get now. If I buy a True Percula and it turns out to be false, will they get along and pair up?
<There should be no compatibility issues whether you get a True Percula or false.>
Thank you,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Shea

Re: True Percula ID... actually comp.  12/1/08
Thank you for the response James.
<You're welcome.>
I went out and purchased a false Percula because I counted 11 spines on my original one. They paired up immediately. My problem now is that the male (new one) keeps harassing my Blue Spot Jawfish. Tonight he bit his tail and took a good sized chunk out of his fin!! Is this typical in male clowns? Will this initial aggression subside?
<How did you determine it was a male? Anyway, there will more than likely be a few skirmishes but it should subside. I'm guessing the Jawfish has his burrow set up near the clownfish's territory. You didn't mention the size of your tank so I'm thinking it is under 55 gallons and confined space can add to this aggression. Sometimes rearranging the rock will/can help in this matter.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Shea

Stocking ideas for a 90 gallon 10/24/08
Hi crew,
<Chaucer>
I have a 90 gallon tank that has been running for 2 years now and it's inhabitants consist of two Clarkiis. I wanted to get some ideas of some fish that would add a little more life and color to the water column.
I don't really want a shy fish that has beautiful colors but hides in the rockwork. I want something that will swim back and forth and add more life to my tank. I have tried Chromis but they either kill each other or are harassed to death by the Clarkiis.
I know tangs get too large and I can't necessarily say I want a fish that gets that big. I prefer it to be a small group of fish that grow to be average size.
I thought of adding more damsels. Maybe a school of Azure but I don't know if they would coexist in a tank my size. Maybe you guys can offer some suggestion as to what I can add to liven up this tank a bit.
By the way, I will also note that I have an anthelia farm (as it has been called by friends) that I use to trade for things at my LFS so a coral eater wouldn't be something I am interested in.
Thanks for your time.
<Many choices here... As you seem interested in Damsels, do give the Pomacentrid area a read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/FishInd2.htm
Second tray from the bottom. Bob Fenner>

Flame angel killed by sunk clown? And mystery small crustaceans  – 10/02/08
Aloha :)
Is it possible for a sunk clown to injure a healthy flame?
<Mmm, yes... a large Sunk/Skunk clown could>
Tank is 500 liters and heavily understocked.
<Interesting terminology>
I had the flame since 2 years and had taken him from a fellow aquarist who had him for 3 years.
He was healthy and was the aggressor.
<One>
After around 6-7 months one day I see him missing a bit of tail and then in a day or two I see fins ripped off.
<Yikes!>
Even then, He would swim in and around the clowns territory without being bothered.
I tried to catch him briefly to quarantine him but he just hid himself.
Next day I see my small one inch mud crab(maybe mud crab) eating him.
Had eaten almost half the body overnight.
<Yes, happens>
My clowns are a bit edgy after that.
Next day I see the crab on its back.
I was in one piece except the flesh inside.
Did it molt or is it dead ?
<Can't tell from here>
I have had 2 mandarins and a baby blue tang disappear before.
<Mmm, this crab may be too much...>
Seems a bit far fetched for either the crab or the sunk injuring the flame angel?
<Not to me>
Or do I have a mantis shrimp or some other predator?
<Could be>
Another question.
My tank is crawling with pods.
They are always seen on the glass and big ones on the rocks.
Small ones are around a mm and big ones are around a cm in size and white to transparent.
Some are even flowing in the currents. They are pods I believe as I see them moving and have seen them using a magnifying glass.
Both my mandarins died and sometimes my Palythoa don't catch them either.
What's the deal?
<Perhaps they are "too tough", smart or unpalatable... Even may be "not what you think", predatory... Any chance for you to catch, take some high-res. pix of these, send on? Bob Fenner>
Cheers
Ranjith

Flame Hawk vs. False Perc, mis-over stocked, Sm.  9/25/08
Hi Guys,
<Hello>
I have a 24 gallon reef tank stocked with 2 clowns (false Percs, in the tank approx 9 months) and a Coral Beauty (added 5 months ago).
<The Centropyge will need a tank at least twice as large.>
I added a small 2 inch flame hawk 5 days ago and the larger clown has been acting very aggressive toward him, chasing him all around the tank and nipping at him constantly.
<That tank is all claimed by the clowns most likely.>
The hawk either swims away or nips back and seems to be holding his own, but I was wondering if eventually the clown will stop being so aggressive.
<Perhaps, but in this sized tank I'm not sure.>
Does it think the flame hawk is another clown trying to take over as top female?
<It thinks it is invading it's territory most likely, which it is.>
I should mention that the hawk still has a healthy appetite and shows no signs of physical injury but is very, very annoyed by the clown bully.
<Watch that this aggression does not escalate.>
This new tank aura seems to have spilled over to the coral beauty who is now acting a little stressed even though he is not involved at all in the drama.
<Too much activity in a tank that is too small for it is probably causing stress.>
Please help! Did I make a mistake in adding the flame hawk? Nothing I read said he wouldn't be compatible with false Percs!
<It is a small tank, and the clowns are pretty aggressive, most likely they view the entire tank as theirs.>
Any insight you can add would be a great help!
Thanks,
Todd Wisniewski
<The Coral Beauty will definitely need a larger tank sooner rather than later. As far as the clowns and hawk are concerned only time will tell if they will be able to coexist.>
<Chris>

Mixing clowns  8/31/08
Hi there,
I have searched WetWeb for an answer to my question, but there are so many variables (types of clowns, size of tank...). I am hoping you can answer this for me. I have a tomato clown (maybe 2 inches--in a 30 gal) and a pair of pated Clarkiis (3 inch and 4 inch? in a 115g). Currently they are in different tanks. I have a 240 g tank I want to move them into at the same time. There are a few chromis and damsels in there as well as a Naso tang and a flasher wrasse. I want to move them with their anemones and put them on opposite sides of the tank. There is about 220 pounds of live rock in the tank too. The tank has been up for about 3 months. Thanks for your help!
Marianne
<I give you good odds that these Clowns will get along here. Bob Fenner>

Killer Clown 8/6/08
Hi.
<Hello>
I have a situation that I can't find addressed in any of your archives, so here goes:
My son and I have been keeping a BioCube29 (I don't think it's more than 25gal, though) for about 18 months now. The tank has mostly stock equipment and is stocked with a bunch of live rock, significant amounts of corals (zoas, green star polyps, Xenia, a frogspawn and some kind of SPS that's growing very well since last December), some inverts (a few hermit crabs, snails, a cleaner shrimp) and two Ocellaris Clowns (both about 2-inches long--the male has grown a lot over the last year and is now only slightly smaller than the female).
<May not be a male anymore.>
The tank seems healthy, water quality is good, and we do 5-gal changes every week or two.
Everything has been good until we returned from a 1 1/2 week vacation last week and found the female Clown picking on the male, and the cleaner shrimp was dead. During the vacation the fish were fed controlled doses of brine shrimp on three occasions and the water was topped off.
<Ok>
As we've watched them over the past week we have become increasingly concerned for the smaller clown's life, as the female keeps him herded into a corner of the tank, chases him relentlessly when he strays, and has harassed him to the point that he shows physical signs of abuse such as fading of the black around his fins, fin fraying, general color fading, etc.
<These fish need to be separated.>
The male has taken to hosting in a patch of green star polyps, which we haven't seen before, while the female frequently occupies their more familiar frogspawn. The female seems to be easing up a little now, but I don't know how long we should give it until we separate the two.
<If damage is being done I would separate now. It is not uncommon for the male to be bullied a bit by the female but rarely is injury done. I think in this case the pairing failed and the male and become a female, and this will most likely continue.>
Unfortunately, we don't have any separate system we can move one of them into, so I guess we'd be taking them to the fish store if it came to that.
<I would.>
At first I thought this might be associated with mating, but I'm not reading anything that sounds this severe. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Brad
<Separate the pair, sounds like these two fish were not compatible, which happens from time to time.>
<Chris>

Aggressive clown fish, help!, 7/29/08
I currently have an established nano tank, stocked with two clown fish (one false percula and the other is a black percula) along with a damsel, pink spotted goby and a pistol shrimp.
<If you mean Nano as less than 20 gallons, you are overstocked.>
I also have live rock and a few mushrooms and polyps. My false clown (bigger than the black clown) is chasing my black clown around the tank. He or she is biting the black clowns tail and is dragging him or her to the bottom of the tank. The orange clown will also shake and ram the black clown in the side. The black clown will lay on his or her side and be really still on top of the water almost like it is dead. The damsel occasionally will pick on the black clown too. At first we thought the orange clown was trying to do the mating dance as mentioned in many web sites, but now I think he or she is trying to kill the black fish. Is this true and what should we do?
<Sounds like the quarters are too small for both clowns, separate immediately or your black clown will be no more.>
<Chris>

Clown trouble? Beh., comp., sys.   7/22/08
Hi guys! I want to say first, that I enjoy and find your site very helpful. Thanks, for all the hard work! Now, I think I have a killer Black Percula Clown! Here’s a little background on my tank: I have a 55 gal salt tank. It’s been running well now for a year or so. I now have 2 Black Percula Clowns, a Coral Beauty, 3 Green Chromis, a Serpent Starfish, Blue and Scarlet Hermits, Various mushrooms, and of course, various snails. My female clown has ALWAYS been the boss of my tank! About 2 months ago we tried adding an Orange Firefish
<An...? This is a social species... usually best kept in duos...>
to the tank (our first Firefish died from Flukes when my tank was only 2-3 mo. old). My Female clown chased the firefish and the firefish was hardly able to eat.
<Not likely going to "make it" in a four foot long world...>
So, I decided to quarantine the clown in a breeder’s net
<Good idea... hope it's a big one... I'd use a floating plastic colander myself>
via advice from our LFS. After a week or two my LFS said I should be able to release her. I did so, and she still chased the firefish. He eventually died due to lack of food and stress. I decided to try something hardier and bit more aggressive. One month after the firefish died, we added a Bi-Colored Anthias,
<... also a social species... and one that really needs much more room than this>
but kept our female clown in the breeder’s net while introducing the Anthias to the tank. The Anthias was doing well. She made herself at home behind the “black box” hanging in the back of the tank (her favorite sleeping grounds!). I released the clown about two weeks later. The Anthias stood her ground and didn’t seem to let the female clown push her around too much; the Anthias just made sure they both kept a fair distance from each other. The Anthias seemed to have found her place in her new tank. Anyway, one morning (approx. one month after introducing the Anthias into my tank), I found my Anthias dead! Her body was in 3 pieces. One piece was in the sand and the other two on the top of my live rock hidden by some large hairy mushrooms. She seemed fine the night before when I fed her and seemed snug in her ‘spot” after the daytime lights went out. Do you think the female clown murdered the Anthias?
<Mmm, no... much more likely it died per the items you list, was partly consumed and dissected by the serpent star, hermits>
Or could the Anthias have been sleeping and ambushed by some rather large Bristle Worms (which I’m in the process of trapping!)?
<Not near as likely>
I’ve also noticed my female clown has been more aggressive to her mate. She chases him a lot more and her white stripes seem to be more reddish.
<Mmm, natural>
I’m also noticing that since the death of my Anthias, the Chromis are acting abnormally sketchy. One of the Green Chromis hovers close to the surface, up against the glass, or behind the heater, or a flow jet during the day; and at night patrols the perimeter of the tank at the surface. This Chromis hasn’t eaten at all (that I’ve seen) in 3 days. Why is this happening?
<The dominant species, individual is claiming all the ready space...>
Is this all linked; or are they all separate issues?
<All linked>
Please help?! My LFS thinks the Female clown killed the Anthias, and the one Chromis is either horrified and stressed out by what it witnessed or is getting old. If it was my female clown, what should I do? Will I be able to add any more fish?
<No, not likely a good idea... this "world" is only large enough for the Clowns really. Maybe some other invertebrates...>
Thanks, for all your time and help!
Thanks again,
Mikki

Clown comp.   7/15/08
Hi WWM,
I have a 75g reef tank that I've had for a while. I won't bore you with all the inhabitants and specs of my system. My problem is my clarkii clownfish. I have a small (2in) clarkii that I've had for about 2 months. It acclimated just fine and hosts my large RBTA, and hasn't been particularly aggressive to any of the other fish, even my ocellaris clowns. I recently purchased a larger clarkii (3.25in.), hoping they would pair.
<Mmm, much better to "go the other way around" here... place the much smaller specimen last>
I was concerned that the new clarkii would nip at the smaller one, but instead the smaller one has beaten the new clarkii into hiding.
<... yes>
It's fins are badly nipped, and it stays constantly in a very small cave. Is there any hope that they will stop fighting, or should I take the new fish out of the tank?
<Place the smaller one in a floating plastic colander for a week... covered below...>
I didn't think my small clarkii would have changed to female, and I was hoping the new one might have since it was the largest at the LFS tank. Please tell me what I should do.
Thank you,
Ryan Brown
<Read: http://wetwebmedia.com/clncompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Anemone bleaching
New Bulbs Shocking the Anemone, Clownfish Fighting – 6/4/08
Hi WWM
<Hello Joe, Brenda here!>
I love this site it is so helpful every time I come across a problem.
<That is good to hear, thank you! >
I have a reef tank that is about 3-4 years old. I was neglecting it to an extent this past year and it has the same power compact bulbs in there for 2 years!
<Yikes! These should be changed out about every 9 months. >
I have a couple corals, flame angel, six-line wrasse, sand sifter goby, and a BTA. The BTA was doing fine under the lighting I had, it was brown in color and was looking healthy. I just replaced the lights (thank god) and added 2 false Percs. They are hanging out near the anemone and for the first week they were fine. Now they will not stop fighting, locking jaws and spinning around. Constantly they are battling and this has been going on for about a week.
<You may have two females. If so they will fight to the death of one or both of them. >
I have also noticed my anemone is now starting to turn whiter towards the top of it. Could this be from replacing the lights?
<Yes. >
Should I only have them on half of the normal cycle?
<I recommend putting some window screen over the tank for a week or so to get the anemone used to the light. What size tank is this on, and how many watts of PC do you have? How much is day light and how much is actinic? >
What can I do about the clownfish fighting?
<If they are both females you can’t do anything except remove one. How big are these clownfish? It is not uncommon for newly introduced clownfish to fight. However, you will have to be the judge and decide if they need to be separated or if they are possibly working things out. >
Thanks Joe
<You’re welcome! Brenda>

Issues with my Clark clown
Re: Aggressive Clownfish, Clarkii, Suitable Tank Mates, Now Chromis Injury – 5/15/08
Brenda,
<Hello!>
I have observed something interesting regarding my Chromis problem. As I mentioned previously I watch the tank A LOT it's become less of a hobby for me and more of an obsession.
<I understand the obsession!>
I was down to 4 Chromis and took your advice about removing the crabs. I have removed more than a handful and I believe there are only 3 left.
The 3 left are emerald crabs that have grown immensely!
One of them I call the BEAST!
<”Beast” is an appropriate name, in my opinion!>
He is actually the size of a quarter and his arms are maybe an inch if stretched to capacity. I wonder if he has gotten so big due to the fish ha has possibly digested.
Anyway, my fifth Chromis who is no longer with us had developed something on his side that looked like a bruise of some sort almost like a blood stain but it wasn’t bleeding.
<Ouch!>
He passed and when I found his body there was a whole in the middle of him where this abnormality was located as I could no longer see it when I removed him. I now notice I have another Chromis displaying similar traits as the fifth one that died. He is hiding in the rockwork but briefly came out today and when he turned I saw the same thing on one of his sides. Could this be an attack or something else?
<Possibly! However, I’m betting it is caused from rough handling during collection. If it was an attack from a crab in your tank, I believe the Chromis would have already been somebody’s dinner. The Emerald Crab has a powerful grip! More information on Chromis injury found here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chromdisfaqs.htm >
I watched the tank last night and though my clown give chase to the Chromis it doesn't last long and I never see them actually catch them which leads me to believe these deaths are the result of predatory crabs rather than my clowns or maybe something else.
<I agree that the clownfish is likely innocent.>
Does this description ring any bells?
<Sure does!>
The other three Chromis are still alive, active, and are eating.
<Good! With a little luck, this will continue!>
I fear the fourth will not recover and another Chromis might end up like the last two.
<You are correct here. Brenda>

Morning crew! -Clark clown aggression -05/12/08
<Good Morning, Brenda here! >
I have seemed to hit a roadblock and need some advice.
<Okay!>
This is regarding one of my Clark clowns. The biggest is a bad SOB!
<Female!>
She reigns supreme as the queen bee in my tank. I have a 90 gallon hooked up to a 75 gallon sump. Water parameters are all normal. Here is my issue. I originally had a 55 gallon tank with my two Clarkii, a golden wrasse, and a bi-color blenny. The biggest clown hosts my BTA that I have had now for two years. The BTA was in there before I added the clowns. She took to it the second I dropped her in. My two clowns don't seem like a pair to me and never have. The bigger one hosts the BTA and the smaller one is not allowed in. She chases him until he does the "dance" and then she stops chasing him. Sometimes he gets chased into rockwork and she has a difficult time getting into some of the smaller areas.
<Good!>
She is double his size an always has been since the day I dropped them in.
<How long have they been together? >
Still they just don't strike me as a match. Anyways, I eventually upgraded to a 90 gallon tank. My first attempt at adding a new fish ended up with a not so happy ending. I tried adding a Royal Gramma and the second I placed him in the water my clown swam up behind it and fed it to my anemone.
<Ouch!>
It happened so fast I was in shock.
<I can imagine!>
My next attempt was in adding cleaner shrimp to the tank. Yea, I know what your thinking "are you crazy" but this time I came prepared!
<HeeHee!>
I gave her some krill to feed her BTA and let her get it out of her system. I dropped 3 cleaner in case one bit the bullet on entry. To my surprise they all made it and have been in there for a while without any issues.
<Great!>
They even go over to her and the BTA and she leaves them alone. From there on in, this was my strategy. I had added a Naso tang in the same fashion and he turned out ok.
<A 90 gallon tank is not large enough for this fish. >
Then came the Chromis! I got them in all alive and well acclimated. All of them were eating and then one night I woke up and there one of them looked like he had been attacked on his side. I know Chromis have a Peking order of aggression and chucked it up to that. My clowns chase them but I never see them catch them or bite them and usually this happens when they swim close to the BTA.
<I’m betting that the Clarkii is innocent in this case. It is more likely that the Chromis was sick. Clownfish don’t typically leave their anemone at night.>
My smaller Clark hosts some Anthelia and he isn't as protective.
<The smaller one is the male, this normal. His job is to protect the eggs. >
Anyway, I woke up this weekend and found one of my Chromis dead with a clear hole in his side!! Now there are 4. Not sure if he got taken out at night by a crab or if my clowns are beating them to death.
<It is very possible that the crab got a hold of him. All crabs are opportunistic feeders and will kill small sleeping fish. For this reason, I do not keep crabs in my main tank. They are excellent for the sump. Were there any bristle worms near the dead fish? It is possible that the hole in the fish was caused by the clean up crew doing their job. >
I don't see them doing any damage while I'm observing the tank, which I do for long periods of time a day. Also I had 6 Chromis and one is MIA and hasn’t been seen.
<Have you checked the overflow compartment? Do you quarantine your fish? >
I thought about moving them into my sump until they get bigger or bringing them back. If I brought them back what can I put in my tank that will defend itself from my clowns? I have stayed away from other damsels because they are aggressive but it seems I can't keep peaceful fish with my clowns.
<Clownfish and Chromis are both damsels. I would avoid adding more damsels. >
I did see a golden domino damsel I liked but figured if I were to add a fish like that he should be last or never at all... Hehe.
What do I do?
<I would wait a few months to see what is going to happen to the rest of the Chromis. After that, I would stick to semi-aggressive fish such as a Pseudochromis. You can also try rearranging part the tank when you add new fish. This sometimes reduces any territorial issues. Unfortunately with your size tank, and the fact that you need reef safe fish, you are a bit limited as to what you can add. >
P.S- removing my Clarks is not an option. Everyone who observes my tank always has something bad to say about my female clown because they hate how she runs the show but I'm attached to her.
<That is the nature of the female clownfish. You may find less aggression in some of the other species of clownfish such as A. Percula or A. Ocellaris. However, the female will always be in charge. >
She isn't going anywhere but the show must go on!!!
<Hope this helps! Brenda>

Adding Additional Ocellaris Clownfish to a Ocellaris Community.  – 03/22/08
Clownfish Compatibility 3-21-08
Hi Crew,
<Hello! Yunachin here.>
Hopefully you guys aren’t already frowning and saying, “didn’t this guy bother to read through all of our Clownfish Compatibility articles?” :)
I really did read, but I don’t think my specific situation has been covered.
<Okay, well let’s make a first.>
A little history. I have a 125g reef tank currently with three established Ocellaris clownfish and six long tentacle anemones. I started with one clown, but received two free Ocellaris. One of the new additions actually paired up with my original Ocellaris resident leaving its former mate. However, all three get along fine among the anemones.
<I have seen this happen several times.>
Now I have a friend who has another pair of Ocellaris clownfish that I can have if I wish.
So The Question Is: If I provide a separate group of anemones for this new pair of fish and being in a 125g would they learn to tolerate each other or fight? This would be a grand total of five Ocellaris clownfish.
<It depends on the size. Anemones don’t make a difference as far as territory as clowns in the aquarium really have no need to retreat in the case of danger. If they enjoy them and you enjoy them, then I say go for it and add another one. As far as the pair is concerned if they are smaller than the others there shouldn’t be a problem. You will have a little hierarchy in your tank, one female, one male and the rest juveniles. If you notice aggression, remove the one dealing the beatings for a week or so then reintroduce them in your tank and that should curb the aggression considerably. If it does get too bad then you may have to remove someone. I say go for it though, but you won’t be able to add anymore after this though as you will be pretty stocked through with clownfish. I would love to see pictures of this tank when you are done. Good Luck! –Yunachin>

Sweeper Clown in DSB, Clown comp., plenum des. 3/19/08
I swear I've read every link and question on this page! I love your site and my husband kids me "are you reading about fish again!" My question is, I currently have a 20 gal DSB with a plenum (running with live rock since 2001) that is working great. I followed the directions precisely from Bob Goemans book on Deep Sand Beds, but it seems that reading through this site, my gravel I used is coarser than the sugar fine you recommend (I used Aragonite reef sand). I am planning to upgrade to a 120 gal (24x24x48) tank and want to set it up with a DSB
also, but perhaps eliminating the plenum (as it appears to not be critical).
<Correct also>
My current tankmate is a Tomato Clown that loves to take her tail and sweep the bed down to the first screen. I worry that it'll upset my system, but nitrates, nitrites and ammonia are all zero, pH 8.4, sp grav ok., so she seems to not be causing too much havoc to the chemistry. My question to you is what do you think about adding a screen in the middle of my new DSB to keep her from sweeping down to the glass in the new tank?
<Is done quite frequently... the "fiberglass" one (vs. metal)...>
My 2nd question is around using my current bed to seed my new tank (even though the sand is coarser than preferred).
Could I use the top layer to sprinkle on the top of my new sugar fine bed?
<Mmm, yes>
Should I throw away the bottom level or can I rinse it and reuse it as well?
<Can be re-used>
I'm also setting up a refugium and may use a DSB in that as well. I've read Bob Fenner's comments on keeping the DSB in the refugium versus the display tank, but I'm nervous about not having a DSB in my main tank, since it's treated me so well in such a small tank. It would be much cheaper to outfit the refugium with a DSB than the main tank, however. Thoughts?
<I am the same BobF who still prefers remoting DSBs>
His Reef Invertebrates book just arrived at my door last night, but not seeing as many pros and cons on that subject as I had hoped.
<If memory serves, they are there>
Your FAQ sections on DSB has varying opinions which is to be expected. I'm just excited about my new tank and want it to be the best home for my Tomato... she's going on 7 years old now and she deserves a bigger house.
<Ahh! Have seen A. frenatus and A. melanopus clowns that have been in captive settings for more than two decades>
One last question, since she is my anchor fish, are there any sites or places I can go to find the best tankmates for her?
<Mmm, perhaps Joyce Wilkerson's book on the subfamily>
I've read Michael Paletta's "New Marine Aquarium" and he has a nice list of fishes to put together, which would be nice if I was starting out new, but since I have her, I need to build her tankmates around her. Any input would be appreciated, have been planning for months and am looking forward to moving from planning to implementation.
I love this hobby!!! Jean
<Me too. Bob Fenner>

Clownfish being consumed?  3/14/08
Hello all,
<Rebecca>
Thanks for your great site and speedy answers!
<Welcome>
Okay, we have a true percula clownfish in a 90 gal. tank with integrated filtration and a 20 gal. sump. He (she, most likely?) is only shares this space with a blue hippo tang, a neon cleaner goby, a fire shrimp, a cleaner shrimp,
<What species? A Stenopid?>
and some soft corals,
<What species...?>
turbo snails, and hermit crabs. They have been in this tank for months together without incident. We are planning on adding fish soon - likely a yellow tang and a flame angel to start. Both fish have been doing well; eating like little pigs, growing. The clown is bonded with a big happy torch coral. Our water quality is good - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates/nitrites, pH 8.4 - and we do weekly 5-10 gal. water changes.
So we went out of town for a week, leaving the house-sitter explicit instructions not to overfeed.
When we returned the clown's dorsal fin was chewed all to pieces! She is still eating and acting as before. I have noticed the blue tang is a bit more aggressive and chases both other fish periodically. Is it possible that the tang is eating the clown?
<Yes... but not a high probability>
Is there a disease that causes dorsal fins to look "chewed"?
<Mmm, no>
I have searched the web and not found any clues as of yet.
More importantly, what should we do? Do we have to get rid of the tang or will possibly introducing other fish give him something else to do, making him less aggressive toward this one other fish
<Likely will have this effect, yes>
(with whom he used to appear to "school" - they would swim all over the tank together and I saw the clown apparently grooming the tang on several occasions)? And, this may be a really dumb question, but could the thirty or so baby turbo snails who recently manifested in the tank be causing the problem?
<Mmm, no... again... the Cleaner Shrimp... is the most likely suspect of those listed here... is this a CBS? Even a Lysmata... the debelius perhaps... might be a bit too eager in its cleaning duties... This eating/cleaning behavior will also be "spread" by adding the new fishes...>
Many thanks for your help!
Rebecca
<Welcome! Bob Fenner>

Could you please help, clown comp.  2/24/08
hi,
<Hi, Mike I with you today>
Could you please tell me if black and white clown fish are compatible with common clown fish ?
<Depends what a black and white clownfish is... If you mean another Amphiprion Ocellaris, then yes>
I have 2 common clown fish,
<At this point, I'll say if you're thinking of adding a further clown to the tank, then you risk either some fierce bullying of the new clown, or breaking up your existing pair. 3s don't tend to work in clown families. Do read our clownfish indices: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clownfis.htm >
a regal tang, a cleaner wrasse and a fire fish. also I have seen a fish in my local pet shop & it is listed as a color changing tile goby ? I really like the look of the fish but cannot seem to find any information on it.
<Possibly the flashing tile goby, or chameleon tilefish (Hoplolatilus chlupatyi) see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tilefishes.htm >
I have a couple of corals and invertebrates : a leather coral, a few mushroom corals, three feather duster worms, three red / orange hermit crabs, a blue hermit crab, some turbo snails and a red starfish. my tank holds thirty three UK gallons and has eleven kg of live rock. Is there any information that you can give me ? many thanks, Dave
<Dave, Have provided what I can with the information you provided. If there's something specific do search the site first, and failing that come back to us. Thanks, Mike I>

Clowns and Volitans Lion, incomp.    2/22/08
Hello, a friend of mine recently passed away and left my me his Volitans Lionfish, it is rather young I would say around 8" or so. his children took
the rest of the fish and equipment).
<Hello Irwin, my condolences on the passing of your friend. The Volitans, like the one you have inherited, are stunning fish.>
My LFS would not take him, they are over stocked, I have one 55 gallon fish tank with 5 Yellow tail blue Damsels and two false Percula clowns. I have had him in this tank for 3 days but seems to pay little attention to the clowns, the other fish I am not so worried about they do not stay in one place for any amount of time. The clowns do have me growing more and more worried.
<I am too.>
They were feeding him goldies, I am trying to wean him off, the pet store said to starve him for 3-4 days and then he should start to take the frozen cubes of shrimp and muscles.
<He will switch diets in time.>
I have gotten him to eat a feeder guppy just in hopes to spare the lives of my poor clowns. At this time I cannot afford to purchase a
tank/equipment of at least 30 gallons to rehouse the clowns and their hosts.....if I keep him well fed, will he continue to leave the clowns
alone, they are still rather small, or his he a ticking time bomb. I am in a rock and a hard spot so to speak. Thanks in advance Irwin Wardly.
<Although they may coexist for a while, the odds are your clowns and damsels will end up as meals. If a fish can fit in the Lion’s mouth, it will likely end up there in time. I have included a few links to help you out with feeding and compatibility info. Good luck, Scott V.>
http://wetwebmedia.com/goldfshfd.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/lions&rels.htm

Adding more Clownfish or Alternatives 02/15/2008
Hi guys and gals,
<<Guy.. Andrew here today>>
I have a 38-gal (36"L x 20"H x 12"W) reef tank with 2 tank-bred Ocellaris clowns. I don't claim they're "mated" because neither is significantly larger or more dominant. They've been together about nine months and are both about 2". Tank mates are a Coral Beauty and a Royal Gramma. I was wondering about adding another pair of juvenile tank-bred Ocellaris. Alternatively, I was wondering if a Bicolor Blenny and a Watchman Goby could coexist in this setup?
<<I would not add another pair of clowns in your tank. I would go for your alternative arrangement with the blenny and goby. They would be fine together>>
Thanks, Scott
<<Thanks for the questions. A Nixon>>

Clownfish and Damsel: Fight on?? 2-11-08
Hey Guys,
<Una chica Yunachin at your service.>
I just bought a pair of (true) Perculas for my 55g FOWLR tank today.
All water chemistry is good, and the tank mates are a yellow-tailed blue damsel, a domino damsel, and two black mollies.
<You are going to have problems soon.>
The mollies were actually used to start cycling my tank when I set it up, but I haven't had the heart to remove them. They actually get along quite well with the damsels.
So anyways, there are plenty of nice little hiding holes in the tank, but for some reason the clowns are just swimming like crazy along the glass in the tank. They look quite unhappy and I’m not sure what to do.
They're not under any harassment from the other fish.
<Yet, or that you can see.>
The domino "used" to be the boss of the tank, but he's actually giving the new clowns quite a bit of space. Is this behavior just them trying to adapt to their new environment? What should I be on the lookout for in the next few days?
<First, clownfish and damsels are in the same family and are both a very aggressive species. Your Domino damsel is probably the worst tempered of the entire damsel family. He is also going to grow to a possible length of 6 inches; your clowns are going to remain smaller. Your yellow tailed blue damsel reaches a length of 2 inches and is usually the more docile of the species, but still aggressive. As they age the damsels will become more of a terror and you are most likely going to have to remove someone, most likely the Domino, IMO. Right now your clowns are getting used to the tank and will settle down in a day or two, but you need to watch for unneeded aggression between them all, Mollies excluded because they will probably run and hide. Make sure there are plenty of rocks and cave area for someone to retreat to if need be. Good Luck!
Thanks,
<You are welcome! –Yunachin>

Question about Maroon Clownfish, comp.  -02/06/08
Hello All,
I just stumbled across your site searching for Maroon Clowns on Google and am so glad that I did. My boyfriend, Rich, likes to just buy animals and se la vive!
<totally irresponsible>
I like to do research first and then decide, but I can't always get him to change his ways. Well 3 days ago we were in a pet store and saw a beautiful Gold Striped Maroon Clown. We had a Tomato Clown in the tank for about 7 yrs. I tried to convince him to look into it more before buying. The guy at the pet store told him it MIGHT be o.k. if he shifted the tank around and Rich chose to get the Maroon. The Tomato battered the Maroon around that night and the next morning. Rich removed the Tomato because he preferred the Maroon.
<ugh>
We have a 75 gallon tank that has been running for about 7 years. It is mostly fish which has in it 2 Scats (don't ask), 3 Convict Gobies (what they were sold to us as), a Lionfish (Pterois Volitans), a Wrasse along with a recently rediscovered Watchman Goby (he was bought about a year ago and we hadn't seen him since until we tried to rearrange the tank to introduce the clown!) Besides them we have 2 Urchins and one Moray Eel (he's coming out as soon as Rich can catch him.)
<Too many aggressive fish for this tank!>
Rich takes care of the tank, but I do know a little bit about it. He keeps the temp. around 79 degrees and the salinity at 1.023. He doesn't test for the rest of the things he should, but since he's had tanks running longer than the ten years I've know him and the fish always seem to flourish he must be doing something right.
<Or maybe he just keeps getting new fish?>
From what I've gleaned from your site we probably bought a female GSM (it's very dark colored and around 4" long.) Also that it isn't a good idea to introduce another Maroon after too much time. I have a couple of questions. First, do you think things will be fine with the fish that are currently in the tank and the new Maroon?
<no>
Second, if so then would it be o.k. to introduce another Maroon into the tank or are we better off leaving it as is?
<Wait, you already added one maroon clown and it didn't work out with the tomato. So now you want to add a second maroon clown? Huh?>
I now it would have to be smaller, but about what size? Also what is the length of time we would have to do this (I realize this isn't an exact science, just looking for a guideline?) Also what is a good reference to know your getting a male? Would a light color and small size be enough? Is there a link to how to introduce the new one properly?
<Please do some more reading about these fish. You can start here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/maroonclnart.htm>
Lastly, even though you recommend that the Maroon be the last fish to go into the tank I know my boyfriend will want to introduce other fish in the future. He has that I want to figure things out for myself attitude and doesn't tend to care what experts recommend so much.
<So why bother even asking us?>
Besides other Clownfish are there any others species to absolutely avoid adding in the future? I do get him to listen to tank size restrictions so I'm just worried about the conflict with the GSM.
<Again, if your boyfriend is just going to do whatever he wants without any thought to what's wise, intelligent or responsible, why even bother asking?>
Thank you so much for your help and sorry this is so long and addled. I tried to find the info. on the site, but there is so much there that I kept getting sucked in. :)
<This is not a hobby for the faint of heart or for those who aren't willing to do a great deal of reading/learning. Unfortunately, some irresponsible people get into it anyway and just do whatever they want to anyway without any concern for the consequences or the innocent lives they risk. We can't do much about that except strongly encourage them to change.>
Sincerely,
Samantha L.
<Good luck,
Sara M.>

Percula Clownfish Replacement, 1/30/08
Hi,
<Hello>
One of my percula clownfish died recently leaving one female left over. If I replaced the dead fish would the female accept the newcomer or exclude it from its territory?
<If you get a juvenile smaller than the female most likely it will accept it.>
The only other inhabitant is a neon goby and I have no sea anemone. My tank is 16 gallons in volume.
Many thanks,
Chris
<Welcome>
<Chris><<This tank is too small likely... RMF>>

Compatibility/Clownfish 1/22/08
Hello there,
<Hi Ashley>
I have been reading a lot of your Q & A's and although I have found it very informative and answered things for questions I never thought of, Thank you by the way.
<You're welcome.>
I still haven't found an answer for my question. I'm hoping you can help me out.
In my 65 gallon system I have:
A Rena XP3 filter along with a Tom PS4 wet/dry filtration with a protein skimmer attached to the devise.
A Saline Solutions aprox. 5 gallon hang-on Refugium with Chet algae, live rock rubble and live sand.
1 400 Maxi jet power head feeding the Refugium, 
1 600 Maxi jet power head focused behind the live rock.
1 400 Hydor Koralia pointing to the front of the glass on an angle to reflect back on to the bottom of the sand and rock bed.
Both my Xp3 and my Toms output are faced towards the surface to keep a constant current on the upper water level.
I also have aprox. 100lbs of live rock and about 2 inches of live sand/crushed coral bedding.
Now the occupants:
2 False Clownfish
3 Majestic Damsels
2 blue/green Chromis
1 Diamondback Goby
1 Yellowhead Sleeper Goby
2 Evansi Anthias
1 Scooter Blenny
1 Purple Lobster
2 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Peppermint Shrimp
10 Sexy Shrimp
1 Tiger Crowie <Cowry> snail
Some Turbo and Mexican snails
And some aprox.25 Zebra Hermit crabs.
Now for my question.
<You are a little overstocked with fish for a 65 gallon tank.>
I have ordered a BTA and am a little weary of my False Clowns won't host in it.
<Can depend on whether the Clownfish were tank raised or wild caught.>
So to be safe I purchased a Clarkii Clown from the fish store and asked them to hold it for me but to put him in their anemone tank so he will be use to the anemone when I take them home.
After doing some reading I'm starting to wonder if I made the right choice.
Will the Clarkii and the False Clowns be at battle all the time? Or will they learn to adjust with each other?
Right now the clowns always sleep vertically at the right upper corner.
Please tell me if they will be able to adjust and be comfortable in my tank or should I return the Clarkii Clown.
In advance I do thank you for your help and will admit like many others on your site, your information is both informative and greatly appreciated.
<Ashley, I'd return both the Clarkii and the anemone. It is not a good idea to keep anemones with fish other than Clownfish. You will risk losing fish/invertebrates to the anemone's sting.
On another note, you may not have enough light intensity to keep an anemone. The Purple Lobster is also not a good idea with small shrimp present such as your Sexy Shrimp. They risk falling prey to the lobster.
James (Salty Dog)>
Ashley

Re: Compatibility/Clownfish 1/22/08
Hi James thank you for you reply,
<You're welcome>
I realized I forgot to include my light system in my first e-mail.
I have a Coral Life Deluxe Compact series.
In response to having my tank over stocked, how many fish would you recommend? A lot of the reading I did said aprox. an inch per gallon.
<That rule does not apply to marine systems. Too many variables. As for the amount of fish you could keep in your 65 will depend on the size of the fish, compatibility issues, amount of waste they produce along with the efficiency of your filtration system.>
If my choices were from your current stock, I would choose:
2 False Clownfish
3 Chromis
3 Anthias, include only one male
Both Gobies
Scooter Blenny
I've chosen not to keep the damsels, are very scrappy with age. The above would give you a nice peaceful balance.>
I thought I was keeping it safe calculating the max. growth length.
Please advise.
<As above.>
I am more looking towards having a natural habitat more then a fish tank.
Fish are beautiful to look at but watching the invertebrates and other sea life doing what comes natural is a true sight to behold.
<I agree and read here to get an understanding of stocking levels. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/Reef%20Ramblings/ramblings.htm>
Thanks for your help.
<You're welcome. I've deleted all your personal information for your security. Please delete this information in future queries. James (Salty Dog)>
Ashley

Clown Bully! 1/18/08
Hello Crew!
<Hi>
Happy new year to you all!
<And to you.>
Have a 6 month old 60gal/LR system. Have a lone False Percula (about 3-4 inches)
<A feisty female I would guess>
and some snails & shrimp in there for about 2 months. Introduced a Banner fish 3 days ago and the Percula went after him. I saw some minor damage to its fins. I rearranged the live rock completely but did not change the behavior of the Percula. The Banner died today.
<Sorry>
My question is am I going to face this problem with every fish I introduce?
<Very well may, clowns are a subset of damsels and can be quite aggressive.>
How do I avoid this problem? I do have a 10 gallon QT. Should I move the Percula to the QT whenever I get a new fish while the new arrival adjusts to the main tank?
<May help, worth a shot. Otherwise your only choice to get equally aggressive tankmates, which could still lead to some fish's death, or get rid of the clown.>
Thanks for you help!
Cheers,
Gans
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Percula domestic disputes
Hi guys,
<Joel>
I'm from Australia and currently have a 4? 255L (sorry but not completely sure what that is in gallons... 120 maybe)
<There's a little over a pint in each litre... four to a gallon...>
the tank is about 1 ½ years old and at the moment contains a yellow tang, 2x damsels (they're purple with light yellow tails sorry don't know the actual name), a keyhole angel, a Bicolour Dottyback and a mated pair of Perculas?. I have about 5 coral pieces of varying types and two fairly large anemones that both clowns used every night. The yellow I have had for about 14 months and the clowns would be the next oldest at about 12 and have up until now been great with each other. I was told they were both around 3 months old when purchased (my LFS is pretty reliable and generally I would ask him but its after hours and its maintenance day tomorrow so he could be hard to contact) There's always been that little bit of niggle from the female towards the male (I base their gender solely on that fact as I've been told the females of the species are generally bitches)
<Mmm, well, larger... more aggressive for sure>
but over the last week its gone a little more sinister. The fights are more frequent and I've noticed the male spending more and more time at the back of the tank in ?hiding?. I had theories that maybe they had laid eggs and he was standing guard as he has displayed this type of behaviour before but not for such an extended period. Unfortunately without pulling the tank apart I can't get in to see if there are any eggs laid so I can't confirm that suspicion.
<They would both be guarding if so...>
The male seems to be eating but only if I deliberately direct food toward him. He also appears to be losing pigmentation on all fins, ie. The clear parts are increasing and the black parts are fading, this I thought was meant to go the other way as they got older.
Does my female Perc need some time out or does it look like divorce for these two???
<Maybe the time out... catching (use two nets) and placing in a floating, plastic colander in the tank... for a few days, a week>
My only other theory would be that he is in fact getting old and on his way out. At this point in time the male is curled up underneath the anemone against a rock with the anemone curling back under him.
Oh and my water has been pretty much rock solid for the last 12 months with neither ammonia, nitrate or nitrite levels increasing much above 0. Lights have just recently (3 days ago) been modified to allow the halides and U.V.s
to be on separate timers set for 10 hours for U.V.. and 7 for halides (I used to manually turn the halides on for as close to 8 hours a day as I could and currently do 7 hours to help keep algae down).
Also I'm thinking of adding a Fu Man Chu to the tank should my LFS be able to get some in ? would this be a bad idea in my tank or would he just keep to his own??
<Would inhale the clowns, the damsels, likely the Dotty in time...>
I'm a little worried one of my current fish that I've gotten attached to might cop an accidental sting.
<Also a possibility>
Thanks for the help
<As stated... the best option for you here is to isolate the larger clown for a bit. Bob Fenner>

Clownfish Aggression, Pairing Mixed Species – 1/5/08
Hi There,
<Hello, Brenda here!>
I am relatively new to marine systems but my tank parameters are stable and the sole 'backboned' inhabitants are 2 clownfish juveniles, one I believe is an Ocellaris and one a true Percula. I also have a BTA, which is doing well in my small 35 gallon tank, and a couple of feather dusters. I have dispensed with 'faddy' gadgets and focused on water quality and lighting, as the BTA is more demanding than the fish.
<Yes, anemones are delicate creatures.>
However, my question relates to the fish behavior. The Ocellaris appears more dominant and has made the anemone its home. I had separated the 2 fish for a week or so following a few scuffles (removed the Percula). After re-introducing the Percula, the Ocellaris appears to be dominant and approaches and sometimes chases the Percula, but the Ocellaris also 'quivers' which I have seen on your site to be a sign of submission?
<This is normal.>
The Percula avoids the anemone and appears to be trying to host on the feather dusters (which don't retract and seem OK) and mostly ignores or avoids any behavior made by the Ocellaris. My question is whether to separate them or leave them together?
<Unless they are hurting each other, I would not separate.>
I have read on the web and in Wilkerson that these two fish can cross breed.
<This is true.>
But I am confused as to whether they will eventually pair up or not?
<It is a good possibility. Only time will tell.>
I have two very healthy fish and I have read elsewhere on your site that territorial disputes in such a small tank can lead to the death of one of the fish.
<A 35 gallon tank is sufficient.>
I don't know what constitutes sorting out a pecking order and what constitutes serious aggression.
<Torn fins and constant fighting constitutes serious aggression. The pecking order is there way of determining who will be the boss, also the female.>
Is it worth trying to remove the Ocellaris and seeing if the Percula takes up the anemone, since the Ocellaris was the fish that did all the quivering?
<I would leave things alone for now. Let them work it out themselves.>
The other option I was considering is moving some of the live rock to make a partition, so that boundaries are more clearly defined and they don't see each other so much, as sight obviously triggers a lot of the Ocellaris behavior.
<Their behavior seems completely normal to me. However, I am not the one witnessing this. You will have to be the judge here. Unless they are injuring each other, I recommend leaving them alone. Good luck to you! Brenda>

Aquarium acquired doing well...but stuck... Clownfish addn.   12/18/07
Hello,
I am new to the marine aquarium but have read two books already and am in the process of reading The Conscientious Marine Aquarist... I have acquired some equipment from someone who is breaking down their tank r/t a move. So far I am doing well but need some help.
The facts: 46g all glass bowfront w/stand. remora protein skimmer, Rio 2100 powerhead, 40 lbs live Fiji rock with multiple small Hawaiian Featherdusters, Orbitz lights system and 2 1/2in yellow tang.
Accomplished so far (with help from girl selling equipment and LFS)
Day1: breakdown and reset up of tank with new aged (by me for 48hrs) salt water, 40lb bag thoroughly rinsed aragonite gravel, existing live rock transferred, added additional 10lbs fully cured live rock, also added additional MaxiJet 900 powerhead, bought heater, heated water to 78 Fallowed tank to clear for 6hrs, acclimated tang slowly over course of 1hr by adding new salt water to transported water from previous tank water. Results: tang did well, showed some stress in beginning (bilateral red splotches on sides-disappeared with decreased stress level). Day two: tang feeding on Formula 2 flakes, water tested by LFS-all wnl, 5 scarlet hermit crabs purchased and added to tank, using standard light set not Orbitz lights yet tang happily exploring nooks crannies and tunnels in tank. Goal: W Question:
my husband is chomping at the bit to add a clown fish
<Can, could be done. See WWM re Selection, Compatibility: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/part2.htm
The bottom tray.>
Goal: Eventually a modest reef tank.
Question: my husband is chomping at the bit to add a clown fish I'm kind of confused as to where I am in the process. Does my tank need to cycle or has it already since the live rock was taken from her tank.
<Likely has>
Do I need to wait several days or several weeks before adding any further live species?
<I would wait a good week here... to allow all "to settle in">
Does the live rock need time to "catch up"? Do I need to wait for algae to grow?
Thanks for sorting out the confusion. Your website has been invaluable so far. It helped me diagnose the "stress response" the tang was undergoing. I appreciate your input and keep the great info coming!  
<Best to take your time... enjoy the process. Bob Fenner>

Re: Was Tang M I A/ Mixed Clowns, now: top-off water systems, mixing clowns/anemones in a large system
Hi Bob
<Ian>
Thought I would let you know that it appears as if the MIA Yellow Tang is being allowed back into the community although he is still being chased on occasion. It has taken a month but it looks like things will get back to normal.
Two questions if I may.
I store my RO in a 200 litre drum about 3 metres above the sump. Would it be possible to link in a small 5mm diameter tube at the base of the drum and feed directly into the sump with the end of the pipe at the max level I want.
<Yes>
As the water evaporates and the level drops it would allow the RO feed to top up. I would imagine the small diameter would not exert enough pressure to simply empty the drum.
Somehow I do not think this will work... sounds too simple, what do you think?
<Mmm, there are devices... some relying on floats, others that are mechanical in other ways (e.g. drip infusion bottles in medical applications), even tools that measure spg et al. that would be of use here. Am sure you don't want to suffer having all the water feed into the sump, overflow onto your floor... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/h20makeupfaqs.htm>
I have a rather large Clarkii Clown, at least 80mm plus a smaller Cinnamon Clown of about half that size. They seem to get on fine as long as the Cinnamon does not get close to the Clarkii's Carpet anemone. I would like to introduce a few other species of Clown, namely the true Percula and the Tomato clown.
<I see from below... that this is a very large system... You may get away with this>
I have managed to find one of each so far and am looking for another two and then possibly some other interesting specimen. I am housing them together in the refugium and I want to introduce a bubble anemone for all of them. I assume they will all get on together?
<Maybe... there are a number of possible outcomes here... with the dominant Clown (the Clark's) "hogging" all host anemones... possibly killing the BTA... it floating about causing trouble... Do take care to assure the new anemone is VERY well established (perhaps a plastic "cage" arrangement over it for a month or so) before exposing it here in your main system>
After a month or two I plan to introduce them all into the main display tank and place them as far away from the Clarkii as possible. The Clarkii is at the one end of a 2.5 metre tank which has about 2500 litres of water. I was also thinking of introducing them inside a largish see through plastic box for a week or two to get everyone accustomed to them.
<Worthwhile>
I really do not want to go to all this trouble and expense( The true Percula costs the equivalent of $100 and it is only about 15mm long!)
<Wow!>
to simply have the Clarkii make a meal out of them.
Sorry to drag this out but basically do you think this will work or should I simply keep them in the "specimen" tank?
<Mmm, if it were me, mine, I'd go the latter route... better to have just the carpet and one dominant clown (plus possibly a small, male mate...) in the large system>
many thanks
Ian
<As many welcomes. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Maroon Vs. Ocellaris Clownfish Compatibility – 12/5/07
Hello Great Crew,
<Hi Frank, Brenda here! Thank you for the compliment to the crew!>
I’m nearly at the end of setting up my long 72" 125 G Tank. Still have a few kinks with the plumbing design, but.......I was planning on moving my Large Maroon (Wild born) clownfish into this tank. I am also planning on moving my small false Percula in to that same tank to consolidate some small ones I have. Will the length and size of tank keep the Maroon from interacting (but really attacking) my false Percula? Or would it be wiser to put my false Percula into my 37 G Tank that already has an established false Percula of the relatively same size?
<It is possible the two will co-exist peacefully, but not probable. I don’t recommend mixing the two. Maroon clownfish are aggressive. An Ocellaris clownfish will not likely be able to defend itself against the Maroon. I don’t actually recommend mixing clownfish species unless you have a few hundred gallons, or more, even then there is no guarantee.>
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Frank
<You’re Welcome! Good luck and Congratulations on your new set up! Brenda>