Percula Clownfish.

[Dylan5359]

I'm going to buy a 29 gallon tank. And I'm going to inhabit it with a percula clownfish pair. (first saltwater tank) I wanted to put an anemone in it. Would a star fish be ok for this tank? Or would the star fish stress the female and corrupt breeding?Also I wanted to get a young pair, is there anyway I could pick out 2 males from the pet store, let them pair up, one change sex, and let them breed? I didn't want to buy a pair online because they'd probably be old and die quickly. Please answer all the questions. (again first saltwater tank) any weekly/ monthly water changes I should do? What should I feed them? ( a nutritious supplement) also if you tell me some advice on caring for the anemone it would reAlly help. Also what kind of filter should I buy? *ALSO since this is my first tank I don't want to try coral yet. Is it ok just live sand, some live rocks, an anemone, and some live plants? Is this ok for a percula clown?

 

[AaronH]

you need to have a mature tank for an anemone and they dont really help that much if all u are haveing in the tank is clowns. i have bought to clowns form my lfs without any intention of breeding and they are what i belive to be a mated pair without the maited part. they get on fine and never leave eachothers side and "sleep" together in the same part of my tank. you should prob do a weekly waterchange and live rock with live sand should be fine try adding some clean up crew not to many doe. i am not sure on live plants. have no experiance in them. there are many diffrent fish foods avalible just reaserch into them to find what best suits your fish. aslong as ur water test levels are fine then all should be good. you dont need to shell out for a sump tank or anything with just clowns and maby get a protien skimmer and some lights and you should be ok. let your tank properly set up and cycle first before you think about fish and a min of 8 months to a year before anemone. thats my addvice. i may be wrong am kind of new to this myself but this is what i have herd and gathered information about.

 

[Dylan5359]

Thanks. I decided I'm not going to buy an anemone for probably a year or two. Where should I get the pair from? Or should I pick two young ones out from the pet store?

 

[pat8you]

You can get a pair from a LFS or a local breeder if you know of one. You can pick two young clowns and the dominant one will become female. In order to minamize the aggression during the period where they are trying to figure out who will wear the pants in the relationship it is better to buy them with a noticeable size difference.

A starfish would depend on what kind of starfish you want to put in there. Some might be ok if you were able to suppliment their diet others will need a larger tank.

It is good to feed your fish a variety of foods. A mix of dry pellets and mysis are a pretty solid choice. Every once and a while you can mix in other foods as well.

The clowns will be happy in the tank you have planned out. There are not very many live plants for saltwater that don't just serve a filtration purpose like marcoalgae. Some people keep mangroves because they like the look but these are often kept in a sump or remote tank instead of the main display.

Most canister filters will work for a tank that size. I prefer them over a hang on back filter because they are a little easier to hide and tend to make less noise. A good canister usually has an easy place to put things like activated carbon or phosphate media as well.

 

[Dylan5359]

Thanks.

 

[David S]

+1 for pat.I would also go with 1 larger than the other.

 

[Dylan5359]

Do you have any idea of a good breeder in NJ that can supply me with 2 pairing youngsters? I can't seem to find one. I don't want to buy from petco because their tank conditions were horrible! Like dead perculas sucked up into the filter.

 

[AaronH]

i just bought mine with a big size diffrent and they have been fine. i am in uk so have never herd or been petco untill i came acroos this forum and i here alot of people rateing that place haveing dirty tanks and dead fish doesnt sound right to me lol. with the clowns it will be alot cheaper to bye them like i did but they may not get along and fight where as a mated pair will obv be fine.

 

[classklown90]

where r u in nj? if ur in south nj, i know a place that has tiny clowns

 

[Dylan5359]

I'm up in the northern part.