Clown fish what do i need to keep

Also, change out a quarter of the water in its tank once a week so that the tank is nice and clean. To learn how to set up a clown fish tank, keep reading! Did this summary help you?

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Article Summary. Part 1. Buy at least a 20—30 gallon A suitable tank is crucial for having a happy, healthy clown fish. Unfortunately, online pet-care resources can differ greatly when it comes to tank recommendations for clown fish.

Some sources recommend a minimum tank size of just eight to ten gallons, while others suggest a minimum of no less than 20 or 30 gallons Thus, for the clown fish's health and safety, most new owners should aim for at least a 20—30 gallon The dangers of having a tank that's too small can't be overstated.

If the filtration system in the tank is insufficient, impurities can quickly build up in the tank's water, leading to health problems for the fish like fin rot, marine ich, and more. In addition, if multiple fish share the tank, cramped quarters can cause territorial competition, which may lead to stress, injury, or even death. Place your tank in a safe, secluded spot. Many first-time aquarium owners underestimate the ease of preparing and maintaining an aquarium.

In fact, even the physical location of the tank can have a major effect on the health and happiness of the fish inside. As you plan a spot for your aquarium, keep the following tips in mind: Aquariums should be out of direct sunlight and away from heaters, air conditioners, ventilation openings, and windows. Sudden changes in water temperature can be harmful to the fish. Aquariums should be within range of an electrical outlet to power the lighting and filtration systems , but shouldn't be up against a wall, as this usually makes it difficult to perform maintenance and change filters.

Aquariums usually weigh about 10 pounds 4. This means that a 30 gallon Keep this in mind when you're choosing a table or stand to support it. Aquariums should be completely level with the ground. Test your tank for defects. You do not want to discover that your tank contains a leak or is poorly constructed when it's completely full of water.

A proper tank should be completely water-tight and completely level. Dry the outside of the tank with a towel and wait about one hour. Look for beads of water along the corners or pooling of water at the base — if you see these signs, return your tank for a refund. Test for levelness with a carpenter's level. Alternatively, add a few inches of water and marking the water line on either side — if the two lines differ, the tank is not level.

Keep in mind that this may reflect a problem in the surface beneath it rather than in the tank itself. Add your filtration system. A good filtration system is crucial for any aquarium especially, as noted above, smaller ones.

Unlike in the ocean, in an aquarium, there's nowhere for impurities from biological waste to go, so it's necessary to remove them via filter so that they don't build up and start harming the fish. Though filtration systems can vary greatly from product to product, below are some very general instructions for setting up a typical undergravel filter for a saltwater aquarium consult your product's packaging or the personnel at a local pet store for more information : Rinse all parts of the filtration system and place the lower filters which usually resemble square grids or plates at the bottom of the tank.

Attach all necessary tubes, valves, and air pumps to the lower filters. Usually, the filter system will contain something called a "check valve" which is marked with an arrow — the arrow should be pointing up and the valve should be about three to four inches from the main air pump.

Attach the lift tubes to the filter plates, then attach the powerheads to the lift tubes. The powerheads should sit below the surface of the water when the tank is full. Note : A special, separate type of filter called a protein skimmer is recommended, but not always required. Rinse your substrate the gravel-like substance you usually see at the bottom of home aquariums in a kitchen colander before adding it to the tank.

Be sure to use a specially-designed marine substrate recommended by your local pet store, not ordinary gravel from outdoors. If you're using airstones decorative devices that produce bubbles and circulate the water , rinse them and add them to the bottom of the tank now.

Add plenty of hiding places to the aquarium. Clownfish are famous for spending much of their time hiding in the fronds of sea anemones and rocky crevices in coral reefs. Give your clown fish a happy home by adding plenty of rocks, plants, artificial reef formations, and decorations for it to hide in.

Rinse each new addition to the tank before adding it. Though clown fish enjoy a mutually-beneficial relationship with sea anemones in the wild, you don't need to add sea anemones to your tank at home — having plenty of rocky crevices should be fine. If you do intend to add sea anemones, know that they can be somewhat more difficult to care for than clownfish themselves, as they require a high-quality filtration system, good light, and frequent feeding.

Consult an online aquarium resource like Aquacon. Fill the tank and add marine salt. If you have everything above sorted out and your tank appears to be in good working order, fill it to the top with water. Finally, add enough marine salt to produce a specific gravity of 1. The amount you need will differ based on the size of your tank — larger tanks will need more, while smaller tanks will need less. Consult your marine salt's packaging for exact usage instructions. Most pet care resources recommend using a device called a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of your tank — commercial-grade varieties are usually available at pet stores for cheap.

In addition, many pet stores offer free water testing services. Understand that tanks can require up to a day to achieve a uniform salinity, so be willing to let your tank sit for up to 24 hours after adding your salt. Don't use table salt in place of marine salt. Marine salt contains special chemical additives not found in ordinary table salt. Add the clown fish. Your tank is ready to go! At this point, you may add your clown fish and start caring for it according to the directions in the section below!

Part 2. Feed your fish about once per day. Compared to more finicky species of fish, clown fish have nutritional needs that are very easy to meet. Clownfish should readily consume most commercial marine fish flakes.

For maximum growth, try adding a pinch of fish flakes to the tank about once per day. You want to add about enough food each feeding that fish can consume all of it within about two or three minutes.

Only one clownfish, the maroon clownfish Premnas biaculeatus can be aggressive, and should only share a tank with large, hardy fish of about the same size four to six inches. Clownfish do not need anemones to survive or even thrive. In fact, anemones can be more delicate and difficult to care for than the clownfish themselves. Different species of anemone have their own specific requirements for things like lighting, feeding and substrate.

Some hardier anemones that host clownfish include the beaded anemone Heteractis aurora and the adhesive anemone Cryptodendrum adhaesivum.

A few can sting humans, so always wear gloves when handling anemones. Sometimes, in the absence of sea anemones, clownfish make take certain corals, like Xenia polyps, as hosts.

By using the site, you agree to the uses of cookies and other technology as outlined in our Policy, and to our Terms of Use. Tank Requirements Clownfish require a tank with a capacity of at least 30 gallons. Feeding Clownfish will eat most fish foods.

Tankmates Clownfish adapt well to a "community" style aquarium, an aquarium with small, peaceful fish. Introduction to keeping In the wild, Clown fish have a small territory, and therefore can survive in smaller home aquariums, but for a number of various reasons, bigger aquariums are better. Below is a list of equipment that you will need as a minimum to keep Clown fish: tank — at least 30 litres water — specialised artificial sea salt mix with a water ager sand — small grained sea sand 1kg of live rock per 20 litres of water at least filter — almost any kind of mechanical filter will do optional circulation — a small litre per hour internal pump to keep the water moving ammonia test kit — to test the level of ammonia in the water heating — watts of heating per 50 litres of water lighting — one or more fluorescent lights thermometer — to test the temperature hydrometer — to test the water salinity nitrite test kit — to test the level of nitrites in the water pH test — to test the pH of the water Setting up the aquarium Clean the tank of dust and dirt, and position it where it will be kept.

Ensure that the tank will not be in direct sunlight for very long at any time. It is very important to note that you never, ever use any cleaning products in, on or around your tank, as these chemicals can and will kill your fish. Always wash your hands thoroughly in water only before putting your hand in the tank, and do not use and aerosols, flea bombs or similar products in the same room as the tank.

Add sand to a depth of approximately cm average depth. Pour seawater or artificial sea salt mixed with aged tap water to the tank, leaving about 5cm from the top this is for the displacement of everything that is to be put into the tank. Put in the heater, and only when it is submerged, turn it one and set it to 26 degrees Celsius. Add the filter and turn it on. Add the internal circulation pump and turn it on. Let the cloudiness settle for a couple of hours and ensure that the tank temperature and salinity levels are correct.

Clown fish require the salinity to be 1. Add some live rock. You may keep the light on for approximately eight hours per day but this is not essential until you add your fish. Test the nitrite levels daily. For the first several days, the nitrites should be zero.

You will eventually see a very high reading. After this, the nitrite level will slowly drop over several days or weeks.