How many fish, which ones get along, and the clownfish myths — plan the stock list before you buy.
7 questions, answered honestly and water-first.
There's no honest inch-per-gallon rule for marine — it comes down to each fish's minimum tank, adult size, swimming room and your filtration. Under-stocking is far safer for a beginner. Plan the whole stock list up front instead of buying on impulse.
Peaceful reef fish mix well; the classic clashes are two tangs (keep one per tank), mixing clownfish species, and two dwarf angels. Add the pushier fish last, and give everyone rockwork to break up sightlines. Check any combination before you buy, not after.
No. Captive-bred clownfish thrive without one and often never host — an anemone is an advanced animal that needs a mature tank and strong light, not part of a clownfish starter kit. Enjoy your clown first; consider an anemone much later, if at all.
No — clownfish are marine (saltwater) fish and cannot live in freshwater. The mix-up comes from how common they are in the trade and on screen. They need a cycled saltwater tank at reef salinity.
Big. Tangs are active grazers that need real open swimming length — commonly 90–125+ gallons depending on the species, not a nano. Swimming room is a welfare need, not a luxury, and most tangs are ich-prone, so quarantine matters just as much.
Keep one clownfish, or a single bonded pair of the SAME species — never two different clown species, which fight over territory. A pair naturally sorts into a larger female and a smaller male; add them together, ideally as juveniles.
Least aggressive first, most aggressive last, so no one gets to "own" the whole tank before the calmer fish settle in. Add a few at a time, never all at once, and quarantine each batch. The stocking checker flags the aggression order for your list.
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Short answers from the Coralkin team — kind, general guidance, not a diagnosis. When something looks wrong, test your water first, and for a serious case ask an experienced reefer or an aquatic vet.
