Different clowns

[Ldoughty]

Hey there, have a biocube 32 and was wondering if I got 2 different types of clowns, would they be compatible or hostile toward each other? Something like a mocha storm and a Picasso percula?

 

[Peace River]

Good question! Most clowns of even the exact same pattern and species may be both compatible and hostile (sometimes even at the same time). Dominance and aggression is wired into clownfish which is part of the mystery, magic, and frustration of clowns.

There are a couple of types of differences that include patterns and species. A mocha storm, black frostbite, and a radical bullet hole are all different patterns of Amphiprion ocellaris, whereas a platinum and a picasso are patterns of Amphiprion percula. Additionally the species can be divided into complexes (or groups of species). Feel free to search clownfish complexes to see how these are split up.

IME and from my reading, when you start mixing and matching fish, the ones within the same species tend to have a higher chance of getting along and then species within the same complex tend to have a higher chance of getting along. However, a blood orange is a ocellaris-maroon mix and these are regularly bred by ORA even though these species are in different complexes.

After that long-winded response, I think that you will have a reasonable chance mixing a mocha storm ocellaris and a picasso percula. Of course, clowns are weird.

 

[Ldoughty]

Good question! Most clowns of even the exact same pattern and species may be both compatible and hostile (sometimes even at the same time). Dominance and aggression is wired into clownfish which is part of the mystery, magic, and frustration of clowns.

There are a couple of types of differences that include patterns and species. A mocha storm, black frostbite, and a radical bullet hole are all different patterns of Amphiprion ocellaris, whereas a platinum and a picasso are patterns of Amphiprion percula. Additionally the species can be divided into complexes (or groups of species). Feel free to search clownfish complexes to see how these are split up.

IME and from my reading, when you start mixing and matching fish, the ones within the same species tend to have a higher chance of getting along and then species within the same complex tend to have a higher chance of getting along. However, a blood orange is a ocellaris-maroon mix and these are regularly bred by ORA even though these species are in different complexes.

After that long-winded response, I think that you will have a reasonable chance mixing a mocha storm ocellaris and a picasso percula. Of course, clowns are weird.

Got it, thanks!