Lonely maroon clownfish

[reefer red 91]

Hello everyone! So I have a complicated situation. I have a female maroon clownfish that is about 16 to 17 years old not sure how old she was when I got her from the lfs in 2010. I had her and her partner but the male died about 5 years ago and have had a hard time finding something that can go in the tank with her since she’s got quite an attitude. Is there any fish that would be possible to put in the tank with her ? Most people I talk to say not really possible but just wanted to hear what people think here. I feel like she is just lonely and a cleaner shrimp doesn’t do much for her. Any advice would be helpful! Thank you

 

[mann1139]

1. How big is the tank?
2. That looks like an ocellaris.

 

[reefer red 91]

It’s an innovative marine 20 peninsula. She’s been in various tanks over the past 15 years depending on my living situation of what tank I can fit in the home. Yea she does look more like a normal clown but she does have that darker upper half. I wouldn’t say she’s a tru maroon like the dark red browner ones. Maybe she’s a Cross of both? She was alittle more dark when I first got her. Idk. She was sold as a maroon at the store. Her tank makes in the last have been a few fish like a 6 line wrasse, yellow and purple tang, and a purple dottyback and varieties of shrimps. Wasent till I everyone died over the years she’s become more difficult. I had gotten a mandarin goby 3 years ago for a overload of pods in my tank but she took him out within 3-4 days so I don’t want to kill more fish and also waste money. I feel like it’s a hit or a miss with putting something in with enough aggression to handle her.

 

[Savage Henry]

I had a female ocellaris that was about 11 years old when I bought a new male for her. They partnered up straight away. Maybe you could try a new male.

Otherwise, I’d suggest fish that are totally out of their space like yellow assessors. These are fish that will be aware to avoid her space and will work around her.

I recently acquired a royal grammar and it’s great with my pair of Ocellaris clowns. It knows when to give way to the female, but has a go back at the male.

I had a pair of Maroon or tomato clowns years ago and they were mean. But, they were only mean to fish that got in their way. For instance, I had a coral beauty that was an idiot and tried to make fuss with whatever fish it could. The female clown bit the coral beauty’s tail off. The coral beauty then kept its distance. I’m kept the coral beauty for twelve years or so and it’s tail never grew back.

 

[mh0ward]

I'm not sure if this would cure the "loneliness", but you could probably get a pistol shrimp and watchman goby. If the clown gets too close or aggressive, it'll just shoot right into its cave. I occasionally see my YWG hanging out outside his cave with the clowns closeby. I've also got a Bicolor blenny that swims around with my clownfish, but mine don't seem to be particularly aggressive, only when something gets too close to their eggs.

 

[reefer red 91]

I'm not sure if this would cure the "loneliness", but you could probably get a pistol shrimp and watchman goby. If the clown gets too close or aggressive, it'll just shoot right into its cave. I occasionally see my YWG hanging out outside his cave with the clowns closeby. I've also got a Bicolor blenny that swims around with my clownfish, but mine don't seem to be particularly aggressive, only when something gets too close to their eggs.

Im using “loneliness” as a term of just being the only fish in the tank . That’s a good idea since it’s not a fish that will be swimming around in the tank with the clown

 

[reefer red 91]

I had a female ocellaris that was about 11 years old when I bought a new male for her. They partnered up straight away. Maybe you could try a new male.

Otherwise, I’d suggest fish that are totally out of their space like yellow assessors. These are fish that will be aware to avoid her space and will work around her.

I recently acquired a royal grammar and it’s great with my pair of Ocellaris clowns. It knows when to give way to the female, but has a go back at the male.

I had a pair of Maroon or tomato clowns years ago and they were mean. But, they were only mean to fish that got in their way. For instance, I had a coral beauty that was an idiot and tried to make fuss with whatever fish it could. The female clown bit the coral beauty’s tail off. The coral beauty then kept its distance. I’m kept the coral beauty for twelve years or so and its tail never grew back.

Thank you for the info. I was wondering if that would be possible to her to pair back up. No one has mentioned that but you. I do agree with just a fish that will keep its distance also as an option.

 

[reefer red 91]

I'm not sure if this would cure the "loneliness", but you could probably get a pistol shrimp and watchman goby. If the clown gets too close or aggressive, it'll just shoot right into its cave. I occasionally see my YWG hanging out outside his cave with the clowns closeby. I've also got a Bicolor blenny that swims around with my clownfish, but mine don't seem to be particularly aggressive, only when something gets too close to their eggs.

Thank you also for your feedback!