Minimum size for a clown fish?

twig

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Apr 28, 2006
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I've never had a saltwater tank before but when I went to a local fish specialist store at the cash they had what appeared to be an 8 gallon hex with live rock and a bit of like ... i don't even know what it was.. just stringy purple stuff that looked kinda like a plant... Inside the lil tank was a clown fish :o

I was wondering what the minimum size of a clown fish tank could be? I really want to setup a tank like that but maybe it's too small or something?

i have no experience with salt water but i've got a 20gallon fresh D:
 
twig, what are the dimensions of the tank, can't ever be too big? As they say, the bigger, the better. A small clown fish in a tank by itself probably does not need too big of a tank. I have a small percula clown that I have had for 7 yrs or so, but not by himself and not in that small of a tank.

He doesn't need a whole lot of room because he (could be a she, I guess :)) is small, only maybe an inch and a half-two inches long and he really does not swim a lot. He seems to stay in one or two places, then will swim around just a bit. I think he would be fine in a small 10 gallon tank or so, with a little sand/rockwork to pretty it up a little. Might could even add a couple of small plastic plants or something. Could probably, eventually add another small gentle fish in there, along with a couple of snails, hermit or two, small mushroom/polyp and I think you would have a nice looking tank.

It is small enough that it would not be too hard to clean and take care of. My lfs has one or two small setups like that and they really do look nice. I'm not sure of the size of their tanks or of the lighting/filter type they use. I am thinking that it is a unit that comes with its own light/filter system, but can not remember the name/manufacturer.

If you do decide to do something like that, make sure you cycle your tank good and take your time when adding the fish (not at the same time).

Good luck, Frank
 
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