Looking for advice ...

[lightcs4]

I have a 46 gallon bowfront that I would like to upgrade to a 70 gal or a 90 (I'm saving toward a new (used) one). I had some problems during the late Winter / early Spring. I lost all my SPS, but only one LPS and no zoanthids. I have a crocea clam that is still recovering but looks like it will be OK. I have Duncans (eleven heads) that are doing great. I also have two false percs (clowns) that are somewhat agressive (one attacks my hand when it's in the tank). I finally added a purple with green center candy cane that is doing great so far (only a few days though). Ammonia and Nitrites are 0, nitrates less than .20, and PH between 8.0 and 8.2.

So, yesterday I purchased two fish, a chalk basslet and a six line wrasse. The basslet is very peaceful, but thought it be OK adding it with the six line. I found the basslet this afternoon, lying on the bottom and looking as if it was attacked. I suspect the clowns. The six line was doing OK until this evening, again looking like it's tail fins may have been nipped at by the clowns. The one clown is always trying to be hosted by the duncans, preventing them from expanding as much as they used to do.

Finally my question. Would you sell the clowns and restock with more peaceful fish? I don't want to find a bigger tank only to have the clowns pester anything I add to it. I really want an esquiset wrasse, and maybe a couple of gobies, and ruby headed wrasse (if compatible with the esquisete wrasse). I also don't want them stressing out the duncans too much.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ted]

I would lose the clown. He thinks he is the bad ass of the tank. I dont have much experience with corals but from what i have read hes nesting with the duncans could kill them. He is stress them out. :grumble:

 

[daugherty]

i have the same problem but only have one clown almost everything i put in gets pestered until it is dead. i hate my clown and have thought alot about getting rid of it. if you can get rid of them do so. just my 2 cents

 

[yote]

Thats why I got rid of my clowns.
I'd trade em.

 

[daugherty]

if my kids did not love the clown so much it would be gone already. they think it is funny when it tries to bite me when i am cleaning the tank.

 

[Piggy]

That's one of the reasons I upgraded. Now my tank is big enough that when I add a new fish it has the other side far away from the clown.

 

[Wes888]

if my kids did not love the clown so much it would be gone already. they think it is funny when it tries to bite me when i am cleaning the tank.

LOL. My daughter thought the same.

 

[meshman10]

I personally love clown's. but yea, if you read up on them there all somewhat agressive some more so than other's like say a cinnamon (just got rid of mine) or a tomato.BUT!! I also bought a mated pair of maroon's.. got a firetail a sandsifting a coralbeauty and the 2 maroons pay them no never mind.. now keep in mind that i tried to mate my cinnamon last week and it didn't last 3 hrs and DEAD.. no longer in the tank.i think they need to host or a mate and or both... check out my post in reef fish

 

[Smitty]

My pair of clarki clowns were the same, the female bothered corals and other fish, and the male would attack my hand...so I switched them out for some young perculas, which are doing much better...once they show that type of aggression, get rid of them..."never bite the hand that feeds you".

 

[lightcs4]

OK, sold them tonight when someone came over for a frag of my palys that I was giving away. My eleven year old tattled on me to my seven year old, so he wasn't happy :grumble:. However, he understood why we sold them (even though we had them for a year and a half) . He also came up with a great idea ... "make the living room a fish room with lots of tanks, one to hold just the clowns" (not going to happen). I think the fact that we picked up the "new to us" travel trailer (I'll post pics in the off-topic if there interest ... I'm pretty excited going from pop-up to travel trailer). Priced them at $15 each or $20 for the pair, which I thought was pretty fair. They have a lot of color for false percs. Now my duncans should be happy and I have $20 for another fish. I also found my six-line wrasse ... or what was left of him :shock:. I'll wait a while before I add another though.

I would really like to upgrade to a 70 gallon tank (I can't afford different lights and the 70 is 3' long). I may wait until then, depending on how long it will take to get the carpet in the basement and save for the upgrade (and find one on Craig's list). I'm finding myself so impatient to get one ... if only I had a rich relative :mrgreen:.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I do hope the clowns get comfortable in there new home.