Anemone and clown question

[Richard Kagen]

I am about 2 months into 5 clowns (standard ocellaris clownfish/ false percula) living together. So far so good in this micro harem. Bought them small, same breeder clutch and retail tank. No fighting, in fact they tend to bed down in a ball together. Really a fun group of fish in a mixed reef.

My question is that I want to add anemone(s) am I am concerned that all hell with break loose in this happy family. Thought?

 

[aresangel]

I would recommend several anemones. I have 3 clowns in my tank. Was two added two more. They killed one and let one live.

The main pair lives in a big Nem in my tank and the other small ones lives close in a different Nem about a foot away.

It might be good to introduce several nems instead of one. That way they if they break into groups they each have territory.

I have not kept a harem before but @JAG77 has one with several anemones maybe he can chime in.

 

[Greg Hiller]

This is the way clowns live in the wild. One mating pair will form in the anemone and the others (often several) will remain as immature males. I think it likely you could add an anemone without causing a huge upset in what you now have. The larger question however might be whether the clowns will actually go into/accept the anemone you get for them. With tank-raised clowns this can sometimes be an issue. Also, standard ocellaris clown's (A. ocellaris) natural hosts are typically more difficult anemones to acquire and care for. Ocellaris clowns oftentimes will ignore the Bubble-tip anemones that are easy to come by and keep (Entacmaea quadricolor).