Pairing up a lone juvenile clownfish

[GradoniusTheWise]

Hello,

I am new to the hobby and I purchased my first clownfish a week ago. He is definitely a juevenile. I wanted to make sure my tank was healthy enough to support fish and inverts before adding too much livestock. All the tests were showing my cycle was complete and he and the 4 inverts have all seemed to be doing great in the tank! I believe I am hooked.

I am watching a slight ammonia spike (< 0.25 ppm) while the tank stabilizes with the new fish.

I would like to add a second clownfish as soon as I can, but I just recently found out that a lone clownfish will eventually start to turn female. What is the best way to add a second one now that I will be 1-2 weeks in with him being by himself? There were larger clownfish at the LFS that I could get, which would easily take the dominant role; however, I am looking for advice.

I think mine is smaller than all the other ones there at the moment. I am not sure if even this short amount of time could have triggered something in the male's brain that he is dominant and started an irreversible change to female.

Thank you for any advice!

 

[Boehmtown]

Honestly a single clown is much better than a pair in my opinion. Pairs get aggressive and over host areas

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What size is your tank? Personally I would wait a few weeks for new fish, let the system adjust to the bioload increase before increasing bioload again.

Are you using API tests? They often show .25 ammonia..... fish are always pooping and some food always rotting, so always trace ammonia in the system which some tests can pick up and show as .25, but you can consider it to be zero.

 

[GradoniusTheWise]

What size is your tank? Personally I would wait a few weeks for new fish, let the system adjust to the bioload increase before increasing bioload again.

Are you using API tests? They often show .25 ammonia..... fish are always pooping and some food always rotting, so always trace ammonia in the system which some tests can pick up and show as .25, but you can consider it to be zero.

This is a 20 gallon that I converted from a freshwater that I want to see how much I like saltwater. I have another 75 gallon that I plan on converting to saltwater in a year or so if I find I like the hobby enough. I am using API tests.

My tank was a month old before adding my first clownfish and I have waited a week now with just this guy. I plan on going back to the LFS in about another week before adding the second one to let the system adjust to the bioload.

 

[GradoniusTheWise]

Honestly a single clown is much better than a pair in my opinion. Pairs get aggressive and over host areas

That is good to know. From the videos I have seen online, a pair seems like a fun addition to my smaller tank. I want to minimize aggression, which is why I am trying to do my research on how to add the second, assuming I keep that plan.

 

[its just laurie]

Taking tank out of equation because I’ve paired a bunch. If he is a small clown you want a substantially larger one to be female. I’ve he’s larger than smaller but a good size difference between too to prevent aggression. Even then they may not bond but you would not instantly. If they are too similar in size they will fight for dominance

 

[exnisstech]

You didn't mention what type of clown so I'll assume ocellaris or perc. IME its almost impossible to add two juveniles and expecting no aggression. They will fight when one decides to transition. They usually work it out but it isn't fun to watch and I have lost fish this way. A full proof method that has worked for me is to wait 6 months to a year after adding the first and then add the smallest male you can find. There can still be aggression but i find it much less than when adding two young ones and letting them fight it out.
Another option that I used with my current two was to purchase the largest most aggressive juvenile from a group in the store and add it then I went to a different store and bought the smaller least aggressive one and added it. These two have now been together for 6 months and I've seen zero aggression and they are exhibiting the behavior of a pair.
Something to keep in mind is that a spawning pair of clowns can be aggressive and could claim most of a 20g tank as theirs. I had a pair of maroons once that claimed half of a 6ft tank and no other fish were allowed on that end. The female would even rip corals off her rocks when I tried to glue them down.
Clown fish are really cute and all but they can be mean little suckers. They are damsels after all.