Alternative host for Ocellaris

[Brian DeGolier]

Hi all, first time posting on the RC Anemones and Clownfish forum. I have had my 2 wonderful Ocellaris clowns for well over 7 years now and they have happily hosted with the pulsing xenia and have mated over 50 times. The xenia is not looking well, in fact it's the only coral in my tank that is not doing well, everything else is great. The fish are actually helping along with its demise, they're pecking at it and stressing it out, while there's a clutch of eggs on the usual spot just inches away. If this behavior continues, I would need to either replace the xenia or find an alternative coral or anemone. I just don't know what would happen to the fish if the xenia slowly disappears, would it stress them out too much, or perhaps the demise happening over a course of several months now, may not even be an issue?

Has anyone ever experienced a similar situation? I do not really want an anemone, although, I really have not researched or thought about buying one until now.
I am certainly open to a replacement LPS, I've heard that elegance corals have been known to host clowns, I have several different hammer corals on the other side of the tank which I could relocate. BTW, the water parameters are fine and steady, I have built an ATS which is still in the infancy stage right now but perhaps it's doing too well of a job and consuming the DOC that the xenia (supposedly) uses. The ATS is the only thing I can think of as far a major change to the aquarium. I am still skimming, not running any GFO the past few weeks, no peroxide for killing hair algae. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[celamb89]

thats a tough one!

I currently have an ocellaris hosting my frogspawn, the coral does not like it, its growing and all but polyp expansion is not the same...

I got a new nem since I really like them that should arrive tomorrow but even with nems or other hosts for the clown it is not certain it will move... if you dont want a nem I wouldnt recommend adding one since its not certain the clowns will move, you might end up with the same problem and a nem you never wanted

 

[seamonkey84]

Well my usual suggestion would have first been Xenia or anthelia corals. My oce pair will break off bits of Xenia (they natural do that anyway) but the Xenia still grows like a weed, and spreads like a plague at times in my tank, thankfully peroxide dips have helped me control that. I've also seen Duncan corals that tolerated/got use to clowns living in them.
If you look into anemones, check out bubble tips. Depending on your rockwork and how dense your corals are, a bubble tip anemone should do fine and not mess with too much in your tank as long as the spot it chooses is too close to corals. I personaly love bubble tips in all their array of colors, and easily cloned.
Otherwise a Long tentacle anemone (a bit more difficult than bubble tips to keep happy) that lives on the sandbed can also be fine as long as you have strong lighting and a decent depth to the sand.

 

[ssgtgonzo]

Toadstools have been known to host. A clown in a big umbrella leather is awesome!

 

[Brian DeGolier]

Well my usual suggestion would have first been Xenia or anthelia corals. My oce pair will break off bits of Xenia (they natural do that anyway) but the Xenia still grows like a weed, and spreads like a plague at times in my tank, thankfully peroxide dips have helped me control that. I've also seen Duncan corals that tolerated/got use to clowns living in them.
If you look into anemones, check out bubble tips. Depending on your rockwork and how dense your corals are, a bubble tip anemone should do fine and not mess with too much in your tank as long as the spot it chooses is too close to corals. I personaly love bubble tips in all their array of colors, and easily cloned.
Otherwise a Long tentacle anemone (a bit more difficult than bubble tips to keep happy) that lives on the sandbed can also be fine as long as you have strong lighting and a decent depth to the sand.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the plague of the xenia, i've made a lot of $$ selling frags to the LFS. I'll check into the bubble tips, I really like the one's at the LFS. Thanks.

 

[OrionN]

BTA tend to wander anc cause problem. I would get one of the sand bed anemone if you have sand, otherwise BTA.
About Xenia, they don't do well with pH shock (when add kalk or alkalinity) or high temperature especially if temp increase quickly, espeically when you have high peak temp during the day and no heater at night and temp drop down too low. Other than those, Xenia can thrive like a weed even in fairly dirty, or spotlessly clean tank.