First clownfish buying advice

[yanni]

Hey everyone! As title says, I’m looking at buying my very first clownfish pair to add to a tank! I know it’s good to get clowns that have already mated, or if not to get two of equal of equal size, or one slightly bigger??

but really, I’d like to know upon buying a pair, what are the best things to ask the petshop/breeder, and any visual or behavioural things to look for with the clowns?

regards, yanni!

 

[bark1ngspider]

Look for any diseases, brook, ich velvet, and white stringy pop. Brook will looks like a slime coat on the clown and ich is spot...flukes is hard to see unless u frshwater dip...I would try to get a mated pair and look at the tanks aggression at the store...ideally you want one smaller clown (male) and one larger (female) sometimes u get lucky and they will mate but sometimes not..

 

[greetl01]

I bought mine out a tank of about 4 juveniles. I just took the smallest one and the biggest one. He submitted immediately and they snuggle together at night now. It’s adorable tbh

 

[DED65]

Ask to see them eat.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

they dont have to be mated already, you can buy 2 juveniles that are the same size. they start as males then one switches sex later on.

 

[yanni]

Ask to see them eat.

Why see them eat? Just curious

 

[greetl01]

Why see them eat? Just curious

bc not eating is a sign of illness.

 

[yanni]

bc not eating is a sign of illness.

Ahh okay, should they be super eager to eat etc? Or is there any feeding behaviours to look out for as well besides not eating?

 

[greetl01]

Ahh okay, should they be super eager to eat etc? Or is there any feeding behaviours to look out for as well besides not eating?

as far as eating, that's really the only sign that signals illness. my fish can have a full belly and they might not even eat, but they will still get excited and wait for the food to fall LOL. if they fish isn't responding at all it's probably sick.

 

[Alaeriel]

Also a note, if you want to add any other fish to the system, I suggest adding the clowns last. They're very rude.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Clowns are the best saltwater fish ever. They come in many different varieties, super easy to care for.
As previously said, ask to see them eat. Try and choose two where one is at least slightly larger than the other. Ask if the fish were quarantined (even though you should quarantine either way), ask where they came from, make sure they were captive bred, ask what foods they would recommend for the clowns. Also try and pick the healthiest ones; I personally wouldnt buy fish from a tank/system where there is a/multiple dead or sick fish.

 

[greetl01]

Also a note, if you want to add any other fish to the system, I suggest adding the clowns last. They're very rude.

I added mine first and they are super friendly with their new tank mates. during the day,the female hangs out more with the new goby than her mate.

Clownfish and Goby

My clownfish seems to enjoy the goby more than the other clown

youtube.com

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I added mine first and they are super friendly with their new tank mates. during the day,the female hangs out more with the new goby than her mate.

I got my clowns as my first ever fish, wasnt planning on adding anything else, wasnt even planning on get a CUC. Then I did. Then got obsessed with reef tanks. And then got some corals. Recently got a bicolor blenny, the clowns love him.

 

[jaganshi066]

I added mine first and they are super friendly with their new tank mates. during the day,the female hangs out more with the new goby than her mate.

Clownfish and Goby

My clownfish seems to enjoy the goby more than the other clown

youtube.com

Same, all my other fish are more aggressive than my clowns

 

[yanni]

T

I added mine first and they are super friendly with their new tank mates. during the day,the female hangs out more with the new goby than her mate.

Clownfish and Goby

My clownfish seems to enjoy the goby more than the other clown

youtube.com

They’re funny little fish, such crazy personalities

 

[thewire]

lesson learned, don't buy it from Petco no matter how nice they are!

 

[greetl01]

T

They’re funny little fish, such crazy personalities

yes they are!! so much personality

 

[yanni]

lesson learned, don't buy it from Petco no matter how nice they are!

I’m from Australia so doesn’t apply hahaha

 

[Alaeriel]

I got my clowns as my first ever fish, wasnt planning on adding anything else, wasnt even planning on get a CUC. Then I did. Then got obsessed with reef tanks. And then got some corals. Recently got a bicolor blenny, the clowns love him.

A few people are lucky like that. Others have fish that end up being bullies, or downright aggressive.

 

[Mical]

I have a a pair or tomato/maroon clowns in my 120 (that are about 15+ years old) and the only time they get aggressive is when there's eggs on rocks near nems. They will bully a 6" foxface when there's eggs present.
In my 65 I have a pair of gold nugget clowns who only get aggressive when I take to scraping the glass, they go ballistic towards the scraper.