School of clownfish. How many?

[Hollywood Corals]

I’ve had pairs of clownfish before, but does anyone that has had any experience keeping a bunch (4-6) of clownfish in a tank have any advice? I’m planning on getting juveniles from ORA for my new 150 build. Thanks in advance!

 

[Spare time]

As long as they are from the same batch and you get an odd number you will be fine.

 

[AmaleeC]

I’ve had pairs of clownfish before, but does anyone that has had any experience keeping a bunch (4-6) of clownfish in a tank have any advice? I’m planning on getting juveniles from ORA for my new 150 build. Thanks in advance!

I’ve never heard of keeping them as a school. Pretty cool. I read somewhere the female will divide up her aggression between the less-dominant males. Which species were you looking at in particular? Maroons? Occellaris?

 

[Fourstars]

They are not schooling fish, just two Is enough.

 

[Spare time]

They are not schooling fish, just two Is enough.

They do live in groups. You will find multiple non related clowns living in the same anemone with a ranking system. They spawn with the current at its strongest and drift away till they find a new anemone or clown harem to join and rank up in over time.

 

[Hollywood Corals]

Thanks for the responses. I’m planning on getting the Naked Occellaris. What is the mindset behind getting an odd number?

 

[nereefpat]

Thanks for the responses. I’m planning on getting the Naked Occellaris. What is the mindset behind getting an odd number?

It's commonly mentioned advice. But, personally, I don't think fish are very good at counting .

 

[AcroNem]

They do live in groups. You will find multiple non related clowns living in the same anemone with a ranking system. They spawn with the current at its strongest and drift away till they find a new anemone or clown harem to join and rank up in over time.

This is true in the wild, but put them in a closed system and it's usually Armageddon. I've worked with a very large harem in a large system (about 200 in a 500g, all raised together) and mortality due to aggression was high even with feedings 4 or more times per day and as many anemones as could be packed in there. In smaller systems it can still be done but is very difficult.

 

[fishguy242]

harem is the word,imo start with 9-12,will wean down ,they will weed out the weak,prob end up w 5-7 in end,does not sound pretty ,but is my experience,happy reefing

 

[Fourstars]

“ In biology, schooling fish are any group of fish that stay together and swim in the same direction in a coordinated manner”

Sure they live groups but I would not consider them “schooling”. In a 150 gallon you might get away with a group if they had symbolic with their own anemones. I’ve seen a few beautiful tanks set up this way.

For best results, set up as a species specific tank with individuals of the same size, all added at the same time to the tank. Sometimes it’s difficult to get tank raise clowns to form a symbolic relationship with sea anemones.

 

[manuelhardin]

You are right, there's a dominant female leader but they do live in groups. In my experience they don't need an anemone to survive in an aquarium and can live up 5 years.

do my homework​

 

[kevin_e]

I think BRS has a clown harem tank. Look it up. May have a video on it.

 

[AmaleeC]

Actually, in store World Wide Corals Orlando has a tank full of anemones, massive ones! And lots of clownfish reside in there. You can always give them a call and ask them for some advice, they seem to have to down-pact. The number is +1 (855) 992-7333, and hit option 3 :)