ANy tricks on getting tank raised clowns to host??

Xirxes23

New member
I have heard that a picture of similar clownfish hosting in similar anemones may provide "training" for tank raised clownfish?

I have been through 7 tank raised clowns that will not host anything. 5 b/w occelaris and now have 2 pink skunks. I currently have 1 RBTA and 1 purple tipped H. Crispa. I also currently have about 8 pictures of b/w occelaris and pink skunks hosting in all sorts of anemones on the sides of tank.

I understand its a crapshoot, but i have to try!!

Anyone have any positive experience with this method or any other method? Thank you for your input
 
How long have you been keeping your Clownfish in the same aquarium with those anemones?
How long have you had the anemones? (Do you have a pic of your H. crispa?)
The picture thing cracks me up. You sound pretty desperate.
Next thing you know, people will be renting 'Nemo' to show their Clownfishes!
 
the one surviving b/w occ. has been in tank for 5 months, the two new pink skunks are 2 days new. My RBTA is about 4 months and the leathery anemone is about 1 week. Pics of new anemone are in the "what is the difference between H. Malu and H. Crispa?" thread

Its not that hard a stretch to believe the "monkey see monkey do" idea. They learn to host anemones in the wild because they 'see' their parents and siblings doing it. I am no expert, but i do not believe a fish will know the difference between a picture and a nextdoor tank. now if the fish recognizes another clown hosting, why not host itself? same technique as nature.

the nemo bit was quite outlandish.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8133097#post8133097 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Xirxes23
the one surviving b/w occ. has been in tank for 5 months, the two new pink skunks are 2 days new. My RBTA is about 4 months and the leathery anemone is about 1 week. Pics of new anemone are in the "what is the difference between H. Malu and H. Crispa?" thread

Its not that hard a stretch to believe the "monkey see monkey do" idea. They learn to host anemones in the wild because they 'see' their parents and siblings doing it. I am no expert, but i do not believe a fish will know the difference between a picture and a nextdoor tank. now if the fish recognizes another clown hosting, why not host itself? same technique as nature.

the nemo bit was quite outlandish.
Crazy, eh? So is the picture thing.
But if you believe it works.... go for it.

Only 'Nemo' learned to hide in an anemone from his parents and/or siblings.
In real life, Clownfish larvae hatch out at night and drift off away from the spawn site to join the endless parade of zooplankton. They never meet their parents or siblings.
It is presently believed that they settle out of the zooplankton (once metamorphosis occurs) and locate their proper host anemone species by smell.

Try giving your fish some more time with the anemones.
Pink skunks naturally host in H. crispa, but yours haven't been together very long.
 
Hey,
After 10 months of my occelaris clowns and anemone together, FINALLY!!! Finally!! the clowns have realized what they had! I was so excited! Sorry if I am so excited, it just happened two days ago! They are finally together

I have 2 maroons in a different tank but I didn't have good enough lights to make the anemone happy. So I just waited it out...

It just takes patience!
 
I'm having similar issues trying to get these TR onyx to host. I to wonder if there are any tricks or suggestions. I can't get these clowns to go near the anemones...
 
After a few weeks of QT in a ten gallon tank I slipped my LTA in with them and took out the flower pot. It took about 6 hours before the pair jumped in. I know it is probably overkill to QT captive-bred clowns but they came from a LFS and you never know what they can pick up while they are there.
 
I once took a CB clown I had and put him in a plastic fish store bag with a anemone that I had just bought, he freaked out for a little bit, but then settled down.
 
****, monkey see monkey do... i agree..

I jumped into my fish tank and showed my clowns how it was done and they did the same. 2 bad i dont even have a anemone. :D
 
My clowns are true percs, so an LTA is not their natural host but they took to it without any problems.
 
Imho its up to the clowns in the end. I have had a TR ocellaris alone with a bta for 5 months and it never hosted. Just a few weeks ago, I got a smaller clown to pair with the original and it hosted immediatley. The female watches the male in the anemone but still has no desire to host.

PS. I tried the picture thing with no positive results. It actually upset the female quite a bit.
 
after 3 weeks of waiting, the Pink skunks are now in the Crispa... the b/w occelaris is not hosting his RBTA tho
 
When I introduced 5 of my CB nigripes to a gigantea, it took about 5 minutes for them to jump in. No other fish in the tank, except a jawfish, and he wasn't going to demonstrate anything (snooty cuss).

Dan
 
A tactic i heard was to leave an LED pointing at the anenome at night and apparently the clowns are attracted to it. Haven't tried it myself yet as don't have an anenome but planning on it...

Anyone tried?
 
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