Clownfish are some of the cutest fish in the ocean. Perhaps the most famous clownfish in recent history is Nemo from the Pixar movie Finding Nemo. This fish surged in popularity after the movie came out, and many people wanted them as pets.
But can clownfish live in a 5-gallon tank? A bigger tank, ideally at least 20 gallons, makes more sense since they live originally in the ocean. They should have plenty of space to move around, just like their natural homes.
In the movie, Nemo was taken from his ocean home and brought to the aquarium by an Australian dentist. In this large tank who lived with a couple of other marine animals including fishes, a starfish, and a shrimp.
Unlike the other animals in his aquarium, Nemo was not born in an artificial tank. Instead, he belonged to what they called the Big Blue aka the ocean, where various marine animals live in peace and harmony. That said, can a clownfish like Nemo really live in a tank like that?
That’s what we’ll find out in this article.
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Can a clownfish live in a 5-gallon tank?
If you’re planning to have a clownfish off your own you need to make sure that he gets the right size of tank for his needs.
Clownfish like Nemo are actually very small, and they generally stay small even when they’re adult fish which means that their requirements for tank size aren’t that big.
However, it still doesn’t mean that they can live in a 5-gallon tank. Actually, not a lot of fish can live in a 5-gallon tank especially not a clownfish. That is because they need a lot of space to move around just like in their ocean homes.
They also need to have their required decor like rocks and hiding places in order to simulate their natural homes in the ocean. That is why you can’t put clownfish in a 5-gallon tank.
How many clownfish can you put in a 5-gallon tank?
Again as previously mentioned you shouldn’t put any clownfish in a 5-gallon tank, even if it’s just one adult clownfish.
However, there is one kind of clownfish that can live in a 5-gallon tank. That is a baby or a juvenile clownfish. Baby or juvenile clownfish are a lot smaller than adult clownfish which means they can still fit inside a 5-gallon tank.
That said, you should still make sure that you only put one clownfish inside a 5-gallon tank. Even putting two juvenile clownfish inside one 5-gallon tank will make it to crown for them.
Also, clowns generally want to have one area for themselves so if you put two clownfishes in a 5-gallon tank they won’t be able to have their own territory. This can affect them healthwise.
What is the smallest tank for a clownfish?
The smallest tank for a clownfish is at least 20-30 gallons. This is especially true if the clownfish that you’re planning to house is already an adult.
Additionally, the tank must’ve enough space for the clownfish to not only move about but also to have areas to hide and play. If there are more clownfish, add at least 10 gallons more.
What are the best clownfish tankmates?
Clownfish are great additions to any community tank. They are not aggressive fish and they even tend to do well along with other fish species.
Many clownfish are fine being cool habitus with other clownfish and other fish species. They also don’t harm invertebrates like shrimps and snails.
That said, be careful because due to a clown fish’s size they can be easily harmed by larger tank mates. If you don’t choose your clownfish’s tankmates carefully, they might end up causing some damage to the smaller fish.
Stick to small or similarly-sized fish if you want to host other fish species with the clownfish. Some examples are the yellow tang, butterflyfish, dartfish, and shrimps like the blood-red fire shrimp. They can also be housed with a hermit crab as well as sea anemones.
Clownfish care requirements
It’s actually pretty easy to take care of clownfish. As mentioned previously, they are very hardy and they make good beginner pets to people who know nothing about aquariums.
Just make sure that your tank has sufficient space for your clownfish and add rocks and woods. There should also be filtration ready to keep the aquarium clean. Remember, in the ocean, all biological waste gets naturally filtered and sorted out. In an aquarium, however, you’re going to need a filter in order to make sure that the water is clean at all times.
Tank conditions for clownfish
However keep in mind that just like any other fish species, clownfish have their own care requirements as well. For instance, their tank should have a pH balance that is between 7.8 and 8.4. Also, keep the temperature anywhere from 74°F to 79°F.
As you can see, clownfish make good pets, as long as you don’t put adult ones in a 5-gallon tank. Instead, put them in a tank that is big enough for them to play around and have some fun. That’s the best way for you to have a happy and healthy clownfish!
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