Question
I've had two clownfish for 6 - 8 months, one orange/white and one black/white. Now I'm trying to add more, but meeting heavy resistance. I realize that you can't mix species but I always thought mine were Ocellaris (the least aggressive).
I bought two ocellaris and put them in and the original two were super aggressive towards them. So I thought maybe I was mistaken about what I had (Can a black/white clownfish even be a Percula?) Here are some pics if you could correct me:
Anyway, so I removed the two Ocellaris and tried a (smaller) Percula. In both cases I added them overnight and over the past two days I've had it hang out in a breeder box right where in the spot they "host"; trying to force them to get acquainted. The perculas fared better but they still haven't let up. Do I need to get a pair of smaller clowns? A pair of larger clowns that aren't as vulnerable or even a few more clownfish all at once? Maybe be patient for a week or two with the breeder net? Or do I have to give up and get rid of these clowns and start over?? I'm running out of ideas.
Answer
The black one is an Ocellaris and is typically referred to as a Darwin as they're originally from a specific area in Australia.
Most likely you will not be able to keep more than a pair in the tank unless it's a huge tank. Clownfish are typically very aggressive towards conspecifics, they are a type of damsel, to the point where they will pester them to death, unless they are all juveniles or you just have a pair.
Not sure how large your tank is, but even if you start with juveniles, they will get aggressive once they mature. You could conceivable get away with 2 pairs or a pair and a 3rd clownfish if the tank is large, and the pair establishes their territory on one end of the tank and not in the middle of it. A pair will likely claim 3 - 4 ft of territory in all directions, so you're typically looking at 120 gallon (6 ft tanks) or larger.
Answered By - Jestep