Am I missing out?

[tebstan]

It seems like a reef tank isn't complete without a pair of clowns.

I've held out on getting some, but I keep considering it. I want peaceful inhabitants, so many of my favorites are out. (Maroon, Tomato, Clarkii) I want fish that stay small so I don't have to part with them.

I don't want fish that may damage coral, and I don't want an anemone. Mostly, I just don't want the same thing everyone else has, so ocellaris are out.

Is there anyone else out there that refuses to jump on the nemo bandwagon? Am I really missing out on some great fishy personalities?

Tell me what you have and what you love about them. (Or hate!)

[Europhyllia]

I have clowns -from Polly's actually. I think when I got them Polly's was the only place that had tank bred clowns and it was before the designer thing really took off so they are the plain old ocellaris. They are fairly old but probably will still live another 5 years or so (don't clowns usually live into their teens, etc?)
Even the small peaceful clowns will get defensive once they start breeding. And it seems as long as they're healthy and old enough all clowns start breeding eventually. They are like the rabbits of the fish world. So clowns that have been sweet and gentle for a couple of years will then turn to be real buggers when they protect their eggs. And they always have eggs.
Here's what I hate about them:
- yup it's the ocellaris kind that everybody has. I'd much rather have some sweet skunks
- they do not fit into my Caribbean theme
- they are crazy about that rock niche they lay their eggs in
- they cost me a fortune. When my little boy destroyed my 29g nano all I had was clowns. If it wouldn't have been for the clowns I could have quit right there. But no I had made a commitment to the clowns and so I had to get a new tank. And then that didn't work out so I had to get another new tank. So several thousand dollars later the beasty clowns are now living in a Caribbean 215g tank

here's what I like about them:
- they have given me a chance to redeem myself. I took terrible care of them for the first few years. They deserve a nice retirement
- they are always healthy and happy and doing their thing. nothing to worry about with clowns

will I have clowns again? probably not. They just don't interest me all that much. I could see them be really cute in a species tank though with an anemone. Something well researched where the anemone and the clown come from the same area, etc. because I like that sort of biotope thing

[Troy Valentine]

I've got a pair of GSMs, and I find them to be a real pain, especially when adding anything new like coral frags,live rock or snails. The clownfish have outlined a 2 foot boundry around their home. If anything gets within that area they just push it off onto the sand. They also enjoy attacking me when I put my hand into the tank. But they are cool to look at, and they add personality to the tank. So I've just learned to live with it, but it still ticks me off when I see a new coral laying in the sand.

[justahobby]

Pink skunks.....nuff said. They stay smaller and are pretty peaceful. Mine never bit me nor showed aggression to other fish. Difficulty getting them to spawn would be their only down fall IMO

[Europhyllia]

I could see them be really cute in a species tank though with an anemone. Something well researched where the anemone and the clown come from the same area, etc. because I like that sort of biotope thing

Like this would be very pretty and worthy of its own tank:
http://www.greenreefing.com/resources/GiganteaAnemone.jpg

[Troy Valentine]

Nice!!! That looks like an H. magnifica. Hmmm.....

[Mr Cob]

My clowns are Onyx Clowns from GCReef...they are my favorite. My pair came from the first clutch they bred and I nursed them from little babies. I would be happy if they were the only thing I had left and their RBTA. Seriously of everything I have had, the trio I adore most. I say forget about what you think everyone else is doing and just do what you want to do.

[Troy Valentine]

Justin what anemone are your skunks hosting?

[tebstan]

The skunks are cool. I liked the oranges when I read the clownfish book by Jocye Wilkerson but I've never seen oranges for sale that didn't look like regular skunks. (A. akallopisos vs A. sandaracinos)

Do they color up as they age?

[justahobby]

The PS seemed to get more pink as they got older. Especially the female. OS's also lack the side stripe and I want to say they are a bit more aggressive. Seems like I've heard that somewhere.

Troy, a BTA. It took the female about 3 days to decide on it. The male was introduced a month or so later and flocked to it.....or his lady. I'm calling them male and female, but really both were juvies at the time.

They do look really nice in riterris and magnificas....figures, right?

[allan]

I have two pink skunks, and the female is huge. If they're knocking ankles I don't know about it.

But they are very peaceful. At this point my most cankerous inhabitant is the bengai cardinal.

I think the coloration is rather bland, and despite the hype Nemo seems to pop out as far as color, IMO.

I got the skunks while looking to find something to host my BTA, which never bubbles anymore so I'm not sure if that's what it is.

Together I enjoy the interaction. Were it not for the anemone I would not be interested in keeping the skunks. Nor would I try to keep the skunks with a small BTA. Mine is football size and that seems perfect for the size of my two skunks who pretty much only come out to eat.

[alton]

I have 2 regular ocellaris and 1 black ocellaris. The black I got from a friend who was tearing down his tank, I have tried to get it to pair with another but she ends up killing the smaller one so she is on her own. The two regular I got from B & B a few years ago and still are about the same size. They don't bother anyone, they hide out in the frogspawn, but don't hurt them. They don't eat alot, have never taken to anemone so why have one. The three hang out sometimes until sleeping time, and then the two stay in the frogspawn and the black swims to the other side of the tank. I had GSM years ago, positive side they are guranteed to go to an anemone, negatives they are mean and grow large. In the future my wife wants a snowflake/picasso pair in the 40 gallon.

[allan]

11424

I got my skunks from B&B as well. You can see the small one looking at me from the lower portion of the bta.

[BSJF]

I love the pink skunks, but I hardly ever saw them. And then of course there are my picassos. But put what you want in your own tank, no one will think bad of you for not having a clown :).

[hobogato]

i really enjoyed the pink skunks i had in my 240 a long time ago, and yes, they really liked the magnifica anemone that was in the tank. apparently, they are still doing well at their new home (donny took the anemone, clowns and tank so it was just a change in scenery for them) and apparently they are spawning - at least they were the last time i talked to him.