Who Gives A Fish Forums

When adding a second clown, I believe it's crucial to get the opposite sex. Clowns usually coexist in pairs because they're likely mates. Since you mentioned the smaller clown passed, I think it was probably the male. In your case, I'd suggest getting another male - I might be wrong about the sexes, but I recall reading that the smaller one is usually the male.

However, just because a new clown is small, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a male - it could just be young and not fully grown. And when it comes to the hierarchy concept, keep in mind that you never know if the new clown has already made that transition. It's likely had contact with other clowns at the LFS, so it might've already started changing.

I've also noticed that larger clown species, like Cinnamon, Clarki, and Maroon, tend to be more aggressive towards smaller species like ocellaris and percula. And as for maroons, they just don't work with other clowns - unless you have a massive tank. I once took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, and they had a stunning 100-gallon display of clowns and anemones. There were about 30 clowns, but none were from the larger species. The curator mentioned that they tried mixing them, but it didn't work out.

When adding a second clown, it's crucial to consider the sex of the new addition. However, I've often wondered, aren't clowns born sexless and capable of changing sex based on the tank's dynamics?

When introducing another clown to a tank, it's key to get a male, as the dominant one will always become female. Buying from a large tank with young ones is your best bet - at this stage, no sex has been determined, so the fish you pick could become either, depending on the tank it's added to. It's a bit quirky, but once a clown becomes a female, it stays that way, and if the female dies, the male will take its place, becoming the new female - that's why you need to get a male.

If a snowflake is just a hybrid, I'd expect it to be more affordable at the LFS, right? I mean, most hybrids tend to be cheaper, so it's weird that snowflakes are super expensive.

FalconeX wrote: ↑Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:35 am If a snowflake is just a hybrid, I'd expect it to be more affordable at the LFS, right? I mean, most hybrids tend to be cheaper, so it's weird that snowflakes are super expensive.

Hybrid clowns can be pricey, but snowflakes seem to hold their value due to their rarity.