How Far Can You Push A Clown

[steelhealr]

Hi....

There are two issues here:

1) Can you keep an ocellaris in a 10G?

2) Should you keep an ocellaris in a 10G?

I'm sorry ..and will be happy to read all the retorts, but , an ocellaris DOES NOT BELONG IN A 10G aquarium. In the natural world, the fish is a free swimming animal and moves about the reef. Compare this is a dartfish (firefish) that prefers to never wander far from it's darthole, hence, why it is recommended as a 10G fish.

Many nano-ers do it, but, it is my opinion that it is not 'conscientious marine aquarism'. You can cram anything into a 10 gallon if you want, stress out your fish, etc....or you can keep as natural as you want and be humane. It is a personal choice. Although I haven't seen what scientific evidence most recs are based on, the general rec is for 20-30 gallons. IMO, this fish is worthy of the room. Similarly, I feel it is cruel to put a sixline wrasse in a 10G.

If you've dreamed of a particular fish, BUILD THE ENVIRONMENT FOR IT. Don't force the animal into something because it is WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE. Do a 24, 29 or 30.

It's JMO. I try to be as 'ocean minded' as I can.

SH

 

[mlawson]

I personally believe a 15 gallon should be a minimum tank size for clowns.

 

[Danno]

Well you could put a clown in a 5.5 gallon tank. It is just not recommended. I mean, I see people who say nanos in general are cruel (people at the fish stores). I was going to put a clownfish in a 10 gallon tank once but before I even got around to getting one I upgraded my tank to a 20.

 

[n3ont3tra]

IMO, minimum for percula or occelaris clowns should be 20usg. 5.5g should never be done. Think of it this way - people don't usually even put freshwater fish into a 5.5, except for a betta. Saltwater fish, in general, are much more active than FW fish and so they need more room to swim. They also put much more water though their bodies. So water quality is even more important. In FW, it's usually okay to add one or two extra fish. Most times you won't even have an ammonia spike. But SW, just one extra fish can kill your whole tank. I don't think it's worth it.

 

[atmmachine816]

O guess this resurfaced. Don't worry I didn't put a clown in my tank, I got a green clown goby instead. Reason I had originally asked this was I had read that you could put one in a tank. I know they can but shouldn't so I didn't get one. Thanks stealhealr nope I didn't get one, wasn't really planning on one but just wanted to make sure it wasn't possible. I realize now that they need space to swim, etc. This is the reason it takes me so long to get my stuff, I recently just got a fish. I wish I could build an environment for it but that will have to wait until either I can convince my parents to let me get another tank or until college or after.

Thanks to everybody else also for your opinions

 

[rhysiboy]

i personaly think a 5 gal is too small for any fish that can grow quite big. I rekon you could but its not really that fair

 

[kkyyllee]

7 gallon minimum for one, 10 gallon for a pair

 

[flamingonhot]

You would seriously put a clownfish in something as small as a 7g?

I have a pair of false-perculas in a 55, and they would kill themselves in a tank around that size. Both were raised in 10 gallons, and it really doesn't do them justice. Even in the size of tank they're in now, they still swim around the entire thing- even freaking out and hitting things if spooked bad enough. One of them is about 4 years old, one of my first sw fish, and the other is pushing 8 years or so and about twice the size (given to us a little over a year ago). If you saw a truly full grown clown, you'd never even think of a tank that size.

 

[kkyyllee]

they don't need that much swimming space

 

[drag]

the question is Can one live in a 5.5 gallon tank

i vote , yes... but not as its permanent home once it gets too big ist time to get the tank it really needs.

clown fish in the wild seldom go more than 3 feet from there anemones. they dont need alot of room.
i have a small 1" maroon clown in a 5.5 gal and its "happy". only buddies are a few hermits and 1 astrea. its been fine in the tank for 4 months now. the clown will eventually get a 125 gal and hpefully it will get up to 5 or 6 ".( when i get my new house), but i wanted to start raising one now so i can get a smaller one later to be its pair.

i dont advise to get a small tank for one, but i could not mix it with my three percs in my 30 gal.
I will say this the water evaporates @ a much more dangerous rate for fish. and i have to watch my peramiters much closer.

can it be done yes, is it ideal for the clown NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pic

 

[kkyyllee]

sorry off topic but, drag
how are the 3 percs doing, i would think they would pair up and kill the one left out...how long they been in there

 

[drag]

well its acually even more complex than that .its actually my percula female and an ocellaris male and an ocellaris juvi that hasent grown @ all since i got him . the percula is 2 years old, the male ocellaris is 1 and a 1/2 and the little guys been with me for a year. so theve been in there together a little over a year. not so much as a nip since the first couple of hours of showing him who was boss.


horrible pic but here it is

 

[Ehudd]

7 gallon minimum for one, 10 gallon for a pair

dont be an idiot

they don't need that much swimming space

they dont need much swimming space? .... if they didnt God would have made them in 5.5 g tanks!!! sorry i should say this to, they could have evolved into one.

Didnt want ppl taking offense