Is getting one clown “bad”?

[Pat24601]

I don’t really want any clowns, but my kids want Nemo. I’m either going to set up a Nemo tank (out of a biocube) OR I’d like to get clown fish for my main tank.

I really would prefer to have my main tank have only less commonly kept fish, but I also don’t like maintaining a whole tank just for Nemo.

So, I thought about only 1 clown to not really use up much of my fish allocation, but still have Nemo.

Is that mean to clowns? Do they really need to be in pairs?

 

[Pancho75]

You can have only 1 clown, in fact there are less aggressive this way


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Oxylebius]

One fish is fine to have. If your kids love Nemo as much I suspect they do, the fish will most likely come to the front of the tank to interact with them. In my experience clownfish LOVE to interact with people (following little humans around a room from one side of the tank to the other).

 

[Oxylebius]

One fish is fine to have. If your kids love Nemo as much I suspect they do, the fish will most likely come to the front of the tank to interact with them. In my experience clownfish LOVE to interact with people (following little humans around a room from one side of the tank to the other).

Mine are literally at one side of the tank looking at me on the couch. And I know they are thinking, why haven't you fed us yet

 

[Cvlnurse]

Great Question because I just bought a Snowflake Clown. Just one in my tank. Doing well after 5 days so far. Had a snail die though.

 

[Pat24601]

Mine are literally at one side of the tank looking at me on the couch. And I know they are thinking, why haven't you fed us yet

That’s really cool to know. You’ve changed my whole attitude about getting one from “I guess I have to” to “the kids will really enjoy this. That’s awesome.”

 

[Pat24601]

Great Question because I just bought a Snowflake Clown. Just one in my tank. Doing well after 5 days so far. Had a snail die though.

Snails die right and left. For me, anyway. Restocking my snails maybe every 4-6 months is just part of it. Of course, I typically have some crabs. That makes a difference.

My point, though, is don’t get too attached to your snails. I’ve seen people name them. I think of them as part of the filtration system.

Glad to hear the clown is doing well! Those first few days are usually the toughest when things are the most likely to go wrong.

 

[DaveK]

Having one clown is fine. However, be sure to quarantine it. Many clowns being sold today are not in very good condition and/or have clownfish disease. Be sure to get a healthy one.

 

[Cvlnurse]

Snails die right and left. For me, anyway. Restocking my snails maybe every 4-6 months is just part of it. Of course, I typically have some crabs. That makes a difference.

My point, though, is don’t get too attached to your snails. I’ve seen people name them. I think of them as part of the filtration system.

Glad to hear the clown is doing well! Those first few days are usually the toughest when things are the most likely to go wrong

Thanks Pat. Snails are a dime a dozen lol. Yup he’s doing well. Or she. Not quite sure lol. I do have some blue legs. They are crazy

 

[Cvlnurse]

Just bought another snowflake clown and a cleaner shrimp. The one I had is more active now. He seems happier!

 

[Uncle99]

Kept them individually, in pairs, even a small group.
If you only have one, it will become the female, if not already.
Never noticed the fish behaving much different except pre and post spawn
1 is just fine, although the smallest tank I used for just them was 20g.

 

[Pat24601]

Kept them individually, in pairs, even a small group.
If you only have one, it will become the female, if not already.
Never noticed the fish behaving much different except pre and post spawn
1 is just fine, although the smallest tank I used for just them was 20g.

Thanks, @Uncle99 ! I'd have them in at least a 30 gallon tank, so hopefully that works.

 

[Oxylebius]

30 gallons should be fine. Give them time to get used to the tank and then you/your kids. No fast movement to scare them (as I tell my nephew). Mine eat from my fingers and my nephews fingers as well. They will actually bob at the surface sticking their heads out of the water with impatience wanting their food.Frankly it reminds me of puppy dogs the way I interpret them begging. I will try to take a short vid and post it for you.

 

[Pat24601]

30 gallons should be fine. Give them time to get used to the tank and then you/your kids. No fast movement to scare them (as I tell my nephew). Mine eat from my fingers and my nephews fingers as well. They will actually bob at the surface sticking their heads out of the water with impatience wanting their food.Frankly it reminds me of puppy dogs the way I interpret them begging. I will try to take a short vid and post it for you.

That sounds really cool! My kids would absolutely love that!!! They love the fish now. If they can interact with them more that will really be something they love.

 

[Pat24601]

Just bought another snowflake clown and a cleaner shrimp. The one I had is more active now. He seems happier!

Very cool! Clown pairs are fun! I had some in my first tank.

On my first tank I also bought a flamehawk fish after I had bought a cleaner shrimp. My cleaner shrimp “disappeared” shortly thereafter.

I really like cleaner shrimp. I haven’t decided if I’m going to have them or a flamehawk in my display this time around.

 

[Cvlnurse]

Very cool! Clown pairs are fun! I had some in my first tank.

On my first tank I also bought a flamehawk fish after I had bought a cleaner shrimp. My cleaner shrimp “disappeared” shortly thereafter.

I really like cleaner shrimp. I haven’t decided if I’m going to have them or a flamehawk in my display this time around.

I’ll have to look up a flame hawk. My cleaner is hiding lol

 

[Cvlnurse]

 

[Pat24601]

View attachment 48145

I see him! They do like to hide.

 

[Cvlnurse]

Tried to take more photos but they would not load.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Snails die right and left. For me, anyway. Restocking my snails maybe every 4-6 months is just part of it. Of course, I typically have some crabs. That makes a difference.

My point, though, is don’t get too attached to your snails. I’ve seen people name them. I think of them as part of the filtration system.

Glad to hear the clown is doing well! Those first few days are usually the toughest when things are the most likely to go wrong.

Snails die because of
1. Bad care/shipping water parameters before they reached your tank.
2. Predatory hermit crabs. (All former dwarf cerith snails are now blue leg hermit crab homes.)
3. Tank crash.

Our money cowrie is now 5 years old and survived a tank crash that killed serpent starfish and fish.
Turbos 1.5 years.
Nassarius 4+ years
Scarlet hermit crabs, blue legs and dwarf zebra hermit crabs are all 4 to 5 years old.

Not restocking for at least a few more years just so I can be sure what is alive is from the original groups.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk