More than two clowns?

[Budaman]

I've always heard its bad to put more than two clowns in smaller tanks(29 gal). However I see multiple clowns in tanks the same size and smaller at the LFS.


What would I be risking by adding a 3rd or 4th clown? The two I have now are still very small.

 

[Grizz]

Death of a clown fish or two. The fish at the store are never there for long

 

[JonathanG]

So what size tank would be reccommended for keys say 2 pairs of clowns?

 

[daney90]

A pair of clown you can put it in a 10 gal and thats it. You can add a 3rd one but you are risking that clown of getting bullied. if you are planning to have two clowns in your tank make sure you get the two together or one clown now and a few weeks later add the other one because clownfish can get territorial especially if one ha been added in the tank for a few months already.

 

[Budaman]

Any opinions on mixing a black and orange?

 

[aadair22]

Any opinions on mixing a black and orange?

It looks cool. I had a pair like that but the black one was sick when I bought it ended up dying, and then my orange one a week layer now i just have two black clowns

 

[TheTodd]

Going more than two runs the risk of one getting beaten up. That's by the book. I've heard of people putting three together and they got along. Seems more like luck to me in smaller tanks. To go two pairs. I would say 120+ so that there is plenty of space for each pair to claim their area.

In your LFS, they get away with multiples of many types of fish in smaller tanks due to the fish not being around long enough to get a territory established. I think part of it is the way the tank is set up. One of my LFS has a big corner tank (probably 250g or so, maybe more) with tons of fish. Multiple Tangs, Angels, rabbitfish, etc. Almost no live rock. You'd think there would be constant aggression, but they all seem to get along. All are healthy and he says some have been in there for years.

 

[Jmkb02]

I've always heard its bad to put more than two clowns in smaller tanks(29 gal). However I see multiple clowns in tanks the same size and smaller at the LFS.

What would I be risking by adding a 3rd or 4th clown? The two I have now are still very small.

A 29 gallon is good for two, I wouldn't add any more unless you have a larger tank. I had 5 in a 75 with no anemone, tank bred stubbies and I never had any problems, but when I upgraded that tank they would chase each other around. I did buy all 5 at the same time, and introduced them all at once. I think that may have played a factor. They formed a school and didn't fight but as soon as the upgrade went in, the female went on a rampage. Didn't loose any, but had to pretty much give them away.