Brianmatje
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
:? Is a clownfish a good fish for begginers because i really want one and if not what is?
Is clown good starter
- Thread starter Brianmatje
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Clowns are relatively hardy fish if they're acclimated right and healthy from the beginning (and looked after of course!). They're considered good for beginners. A true or false (ocellaris) percula (nemo!) would be a good starter...
But, you have a very small tank - at a push, you could put one more SMALL fish in with your clown, but nothing else. Get a few crabs and a shrimp or two though - they're just as entertaining as fish!
Research LOTS before you buy or start anything, it will pay off in the long run. Read as much as you can on here, ask questions, and read lots of books - See "Book Library" above for a list of excellent marine books.
But, you have a very small tank - at a push, you could put one more SMALL fish in with your clown, but nothing else. Get a few crabs and a shrimp or two though - they're just as entertaining as fish!
Research LOTS before you buy or start anything, it will pay off in the long run. Read as much as you can on here, ask questions, and read lots of books - See "Book Library" above for a list of excellent marine books.
RocketSeason
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am not sure you could put anything else in with that clown. perhaps a firefish or something relitivly peaceful...
just stay away from damsels. they will bug the clown to death. I saw 2 damsels nip the fins off of a tank full of clowns.
If you have the space. start with at least a 29 gallon tank. a 10 gallon is to small for beginners. Salt water requires near perfect water parameters and a large swing can easily occour in a 10 gallon tank.
Welcome to AA!
just stay away from damsels. they will bug the clown to death. I saw 2 damsels nip the fins off of a tank full of clowns.
If you have the space. start with at least a 29 gallon tank. a 10 gallon is to small for beginners. Salt water requires near perfect water parameters and a large swing can easily occour in a 10 gallon tank.
Welcome to AA!
melissfish
Aquarium Advice Activist
i started with two clarkii clowns in a 10 gallon tank. Now i have a mini reef and lots of fish. Id suggest start with the clowns, they make really cool pets! If you go slow in the 10 gal it should be ok
nodoubt471
Aquarium Advice Freak
def go with ocellaris or percs in a 10, they stay the smallest. clarkiis, tomatoes, maroons etc will quickly become too large for such a space. if you have enough LR you can geting away with having a pair, or one clown with another peaceful fish such as a royal gramma or a clown goby. make sure the tank is cycled and dont add both fish at once, etc.
RocketSeason
Aquarium Advice Addict
no more than 2 small fish in a ten gallon tank.
klam
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I would start with ocellaris because they are more hardier than perculas clowns. Try to purchase captive bred(CB) ocellaris because they are more hardier than wild caught. Unlike wild caught, CB will accept most aquarium foods, flakes, frozen, pellets,etc. CB clowns are disease free and healthy but sometimes LFS mix these clowns in with wild caught clowns and the disease is transmitted to the CB clowns. When purchasing CB you are not yanking the wild caught out of their homes in the ocean which will than leave their host anemone open of some other fish to eat it. I'm tree hugging!!
ORA is a major clown breeder and a lot of fish stores carry them. I know Petco carries ORA clowns.
If you do buy wild caught they should be quarantined because a lot of them come with diseases.
ORA is a major clown breeder and a lot of fish stores carry them. I know Petco carries ORA clowns.
If you do buy wild caught they should be quarantined because a lot of them come with diseases.
RocketSeason
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have two Tank-Raised Ocellaris clowns and I would not trade them for the world! defintaly a perfect choice for a beginner!
klam
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I also wanted to add that CB/tank raised will adapt faster to home aquaria because that's all they have know since they were hatched and that means less stress to the fish.
It's a myth when people say that CB fish will not take an anemone as a host. IMO it's in all clown fishes instinct to host.
It's a myth when people say that CB fish will not take an anemone as a host. IMO it's in all clown fishes instinct to host.
RocketSeason
Aquarium Advice Addict
My TR Ocellaris clown is beginning to host the Powerhead. The big female has scared him enough that instinct has kicked in. I will need to get him a soft coral to host soon.
