Fish Choice for my C130?

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
Sadly one of my Common Clownfish died over the holidays after keeping him for over 5 years. So I'm now left with just a single Clownfish with no other fish. Therefore its time to re-stock, but not sure what is best?

1) Buy another Common Clown but worried the original will not like an intruder after being in the tank for over 5 years, unless I get a bigger clown?

2) Buy two other fish altogether. I quite like the dwarf Angels but worried it would pick at my corals.

Any suggestions on replacing the clown or other options please?
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
You had both clowns together for five years?
Which of your clowns died (the larger or the smaller clown)?
What is the size of the clown that you currently have?

When clownfish grow older and reach sexual maturity the largest will become the female, the second largest the male. You do not want to buy a clown that is the same size or bigger then your current fish. The best route to take is to buy the smallest clown you can find, that way you are guaranteed that this fish is either a male or a neuter (non-reproductive fish).

By buying a smaller clown you will likely see less fighting between them. The smaller fish will most likely be accepted (with a little bickering, which is normal), whereas a larger fish will most likely just fight with your clown until one ends up killing the other.

This is what I I would do, QT the new clown (normal practice for me). Then I would use a fish acclimating container when you add the new clown to the tank. This acclimation container should have holes or slots in it so that you new clown can stay in there for days, even weeks. What you will want to do is observe the behavior of the two fish to make sure they are showing signs of accepting each other. The shaking and dancing that the smaller clownfish does to the dominate fish is what you are looking for in the new little fish. Sometimes the larger fish will also do it back. This is the behavior you are looking for.

You can use the acclimation container for all new fish added to the tank so that all the fish can get used to each other w/o one picking on another.

Now there is always a chance that you current clown will not accept any new clown (or any other fish), so always have a plan B, just in case.
 

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
You had both clowns together for five years?
Which of your clowns died (the larger or the smaller clown)?
What is the size of the clown that you currently have?
....... .

Thanks Oxylebius for a really helpful and detailed reply. Yes, both my clowns were together for over 5 years and it was the smaller one that died. They never really grew all that much so the largest is still only about 1.5 inches. Getting a smaller one should therefore be straight forward, following your acclimatization guidance. Interesting that I was sort of on the right track but need to go for a smaller clown, not bigger! Thanks for again for the advise.
 

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
After weeks of searching(!!) I eventually found a nice small clown fish. He immediately settled in with the older "bigger" clown and they seem to be getting on really well. Thanks for the advise to introduce a smaller clown, it has certainly worked, well pleased :yup:

Also introduced 2 Green Chromis in the end so that's my fish stocked up again, hopefully for another +7 years :)
 

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
A few pictures;

IMG_7974.jpg


IMG_7972.jpg


IMG_7979.jpg


IMG_7968.jpg
 

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
Sadly I lost both the green chromis over the last week. No obivious problems at all, eating fine, no fighting then one stopped coming out the rocks and died within 24 hours. The second chromis did the same a week later. Feeling really sad and guilty I could not make them happy :-(
 

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
My tank is lit with Stevesleds, although to be fair the photo is more down to the camera and Photoshop ;)
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear the fish didn't make it. Sometimes viruses or other diseases that we can't see take hold of the fish.
 
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