alternative host besides anemones?

[JennaH]

i'm setting up my 1st reef which will prob be home to a pair of clowns (not sure which kind yet) . i am intimidated by the idea of having an anemone until i have experience with some easier things... so i'm looking for suggestions on what i could have that clowns may consider hosting?
12gal w/ 78w t5HO, still cycling

 

[Nano Chris]

I used to have a lta (long tentical anemone), than i had a rbta (rose bubble tip anemone), but now my pair of clown fish host in my xenia. But they could do without till than till you get experience.

 

[arioch]

They'll "be hosted by" pretty much anything including your in-tank equipment. Some corals, like euphyllias (torches, frogspawns, hammers), are great visual substitutes, if you actually plan to have any of those in your tank.

 

[cdsheid]

Dont forget about mushrooms. Ive seen quite a few host mushrooms. Most of the time its the common purple mushroom you see overgrowing tanks.

 

[stevetcg]

Lets see... my clowns host a powerhead, flower pot, BTA, overflow and one of them favors a large rock... so really anything. Put them in a tank and they will find a home.

 

[discocarp]

Mine host in a big chalice coral. A long time ago I had a pair host in a toadstool leather. I think it is a great choice in a first reef. It is a very hardy coral and it looks good with clowns hosting in it.

 

[What The?]

I have 2 that host the heater, and my cleaner shrimp. ( I wish i had a camera so i could post pic's )

 

[enduserferg]

Mine went from hosting mushrooms which i removed to staying in between my Paly's. They ignore my frogspawn RBTA and hammers completely.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

Another vote for Xenia. She loves it.

 

[jupiter]

They'll "be hosted by" pretty much anything ...

It's funny that you made this correction yet every post after it makes the same mistake.

 

[JennaH]

haha thanks everyone. i love hearing about the heaters and powerheads. i think i'll look into starting with some xenia and see if they want to be "hosted by" any of that.:beer:

 

[Neoz]

My pair host in my Duncans.

 

[velvetelvis]

Anthelia is another good one, although it will spread everywhere. A friend of mine has a female tomato clown who guards a huge patch of anthelia as her own personal anemone substitute (and her owner has the bites to prove it!).

 

[reef321]

My clowns always find something to host them, a powerhead, almost any soft coral or lps, a corner of the tank. Anywhere they find comfortable.

 

[NaClCrocodile]

I've seen frogspawn and some longer necked palys. The female hogged the anemone and the male would dart into the patch of palys.

 

[invertaman]

Mine hosts a feather duster worm and a large colony of anthelia.

 

[Saltcity]

Mine is in love with my Toadstool Leather!

 

[kingfisherflesh]

Any soft or LPS coral...my one baby (clarkii or allardii) actually goes between a couple different lps's...but he definitely has one favorite that I think he is going to stick with now.

Gorgeous tank Saltcity.

 

[velvetelvis]

+1

That picture makes me want to get another toadstool and try to get my clowns interested in it...maybe then the little varmints will quit picking at my scolymia.

 

[vt_snowman87]

what about full SPS tanks? with angelfishes, so what would be a good and appropriate host? any experiences or links or photos?