Clownfish in a 10G tank?

Wiskey · Oct 12, 2019

Hello all,

I'm bringing a tank to work and I think people would really relate to clownfish in it. The tank is 10G, and probably 8 or 9 gallons of it are swimming area, with the back gallon being the filter. I struggle with putting any fish in a tank this small, but in my 75 the clowns never go much more than 4 inches.

So what do you think? Would you put a False Perc pair in a 10G? The tank will have a RBTA if it matters.

Whiskey

Tamberav · Oct 12, 2019

I had my percs in a nuvo 10 for awhile when I was between tanks. It felt cramped to me since they were not babies but I don't feel it effected their health in any way.

Gareth elliott · Oct 12, 2019

A single ocellaris should be fine in a 10 gallon if purchased small , in 2-3 years when bigger if cramped could always find a new home.
Another nano fish that are enjoyable to watch would be a single fire fish. Very active and have a very noticeable feeding interaction. Will never outgrow the 10 gallon. They are also more outgoing when no other fish

truetricia · Oct 12, 2019

ORA also has dwarf clownfish. They tend to stay smaller. Minimal rocks, an RBTA, and you should be fine for awhile.

Jesterrace · Oct 12, 2019

truetricia said:
ORA also has dwarf clownfish. They tend to stay smaller. Minimal rocks, an RBTA, and you should be fine for awhile.

These ones, right?

https://www.orafarm.com/product/stubby-ocellaris/

truetricia · Oct 13, 2019

Jesterrace said:
These ones, right?

https://www.orafarm.com/product/stubby-ocellaris/

They don't know their own size. They definitely think they're bigger fish.

Jesterrace · Oct 13, 2019

truetricia said:
They don't know their own size. They definitely think they're bigger fish.

Agreed. I had a little snowflake occ and he was a complete jerk to his tankmates. Boy did he regret picking on my Melanurus Wrasse though. :D

jurgenph · Oct 20, 2019

FWIW... i have two clowns (not sure if they are ocelaris or perculas) in a 10 gallon. i don't feel like they are cramped.

J.

Jesterrace · Oct 21, 2019

jurgenph said:
FWIW... i have two clowns (not sure if they are ocelaris or perculas) in a 10 gallon. i don't feel like they are cramped.

J.

Yes, but how long have you had them and what size are they? I agree that 10 gallons is fine for young Occelaris that are in the 1-2 inch range, once they start getting bigger though the 10 gallon gets pretty cramped.

jurgenph · Oct 21, 2019

Jesterrace said:
Yes, but how long have you had them and what size are they? I agree that 10 gallons is fine for young Occelaris that are in the 1-2 inch range, once they start getting bigger though the 10 gallon gets pretty cramped.

the 10 gallon was setup last august, so, not that long :)

however, i've kept a pair in a 6 gallon a few years back as well.
they just hang out in their favorite spot, and only once in a while take a little swim around the rest of the tank when they got bored of that :)

that said, those were perculas or ocellaris, not the other clowns that get much larger.

J.

Peace River · Oct 21, 2019

10g is a common size for a clownfish breeding tank. Often those tanks are plumbed in to a system with a sump and many other tanks which changes the water quality part of the discussion, but the swimming space is still 10g.