Discussion thread for Premnas biaculeatus (http://www.atlantareefclub.org/wiki/Premnas biaculeatus). If you would like to add a comment, click the New Reply button

Experienced keepers, please use this thread to indicate how you have cared for your maroons. :)

this might be the rule with all clowns but this one esp. if you already have 1 and youre going to add another, please make sure its smaller than the one you have or they will fight for dominance, which could lead to injury or death on one or both fish.

I am actually ordering 2 of these this week my main question was between aquacultured (tank bred) or Wild Caught. I understand the impact of wild vs. cultured but as far as differences in the fish, coloration, natural ability to survive and use instinct. These are things that I am unsure about.

Captive Bred is the way to go, imo. Captive bred fish are generally hardier (from a good breeder that is) and you can know their real age. A clownfish in the wild can live 5-6 years (rough average lifespan in wild) without growing more than 2.5" and remaining a non-mating fish in the presence of a pair. Where as a small captive bred fish is likely to be no more than 10-12 months sometimes as little as 6 months old.

Captive bred are already used to aquarium "food" and generally (Again from a good breeder) eat flake, pellet, prepared, etc. right from the start. Joyce Wilkerson writes of a captive bred pair she purchased that missed their flight. The fish shipped the next day, and she assumed that they would show up dead. Instead they showed up and has spawned in the bag... :)

Captive bred also have little to no risk of brook and other diseases WC are susceptable to.

from what I understand about tank raised and wild caught with clowns, wild caught are more susceptible to diseases and might have a shorter life span in our tanks....tho thats not to say they wont live long, its just what I've heard. Tank raised usually are more adapt to living in our imitated water worlds and generally speaking are a lot healthier. I'm not too sure the amount to tank raised maroon clowns tho, I think most of them are wild caught. As far as instinct in our tanks, they eat and sleep, thats about it.....but if youre wondering if they will naturally host faster than say a tank raised oci. maroons generally host faster than other clown. The two I have hosted in my anemone within a day and the 3 oci's I had didnt even know what it was, granted they were tank raised and I'm not too sure what my maroons are, but I think they are wild caught; unless anyone knows what Petlands maroons are.

I had a Maroon already and I bought 2 from Kzoo. During acclimation the original one was trying to get into the bag. When I put the new ones into the tank the fight began. They fought so hard I reached into the tank and pulled 2 of them out I seperated the orginal, bagged him and put the new one back into the tank. The new ones were a mated pair so I kept them and gave the other one to Jamie til I can decide what to do with him.

the main problem there is the females are trying to establish dominance, I'ld say keep the two you have and either trade off your orignal or give it to a friend.

well it isnt so much hosting that i was referring to with natural instinct..i just meant general behaviour of a clownfish not like my somewhat brain dead occelaris that doesnt look so bright all the time. SWF.com has tank bred yellow stripped maroons for $14.99 and the WC for $29.99 so i really had no idea why I might want to choose one over the other. Thanks for the info I will be ordering 2 YSM clowns tank bred this week!

wow man those are great prices on those fish. Yeah I'm not too sure the odds of getting a brain dead fish, my female maroon does nothing all day but stay in her rose anemone and the male either swims around his BTA "shaping it" like nipping at points where it doesnt want it to be or he sucks on its tenticles.....odd lil fish he is, lol. Dont know if you can call that "normal" tho lol. Either way good luck with them and if you have any more questions, I'll do what I can to anwer.

lol well i guess none of the behavior will be truly like the wild but thats good info atleast your male has fun! Yeah i will be ordering tonight probably.