Anyone use ceramic pots for clowns?

[iFisch]

I've seen it a few times, and when I bought my pair, they were "hosting" or sleeping in a ceramic pot you'd normally get at a hardware store, I'd assume.

Is there any precautions or some sort of "special" technique/process to clean the ceramic before putting it in a SW tank?


I planned on getting a small ceramic pot for my clowns to sleep in, since they're active during the day, and sleep together in the front corner of the tank. Then I plan on putting 3 zoa frags ontop of the pot, to seed and cover the pot in zoa's, so the ceramic color is negated and no longer an ugly color.



Good idea? Any ideas? Any suggestions?

 

[MarinaP]

soak pots overnight in a bucket of tap water and clean them well with a brush

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15369587#post15369587 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarinaP
soak pots overnight in a bucket of tap water and clean them well with a brush

Its just one pot I plan on adding.

May I ask why with tap water? Or does it not matter?

Clean them well with what type of brush, and what am I "cleaning"?



Just trying to find out why, that's all.

 

[iFisch]

Would plastic pots work as well? If so, would they need any sort of soaking/cleaning?


I know a few clown breeders who use small ceramic pots, but what about the use of plastic? If so, any sort of specific plastic?

 

[Arati]

Just get the 4" ceramic one ( I get mine at ACE) and use a hammer to punch out the back so it has a rear entrance. I rinse mine in whatever water is closest and chuck em in..

I dont know about plastic but something about the texture of the clay pots has a big effect on clownfish. I have wild and tank bred fish who love thier lil houses and to bite it and wiggle on it and lay in it just like an anenome.

I have tried pvc and I dont notice the same respose. even though the fish "hide" in the tube they dont really act the same. It maybe just me..:lol:

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15370509#post15370509 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Arati
Just get the 4" ceramic one ( I get mine at ACE) and use a hammer to punch out the back so it has a rear entrance. I rinse mine in whatever water is closest and chuck em in..

I dont know about plastic but something about the texture of the clay pots has a big effect on clownfish. I have wild and tank bred fish who love thier lil houses and to bite it and wiggle on it and lay in it just like an anenome.

I have tried pvc and I dont notice the same respose. even though the fish "hide" in the tube they dont really act the same. It maybe just me..:lol:

Ooops. I got like a small 2" one. I was anticipating putting the whole thing in a corner right above a piece of rock I have. It has about a 2" wide gap, and I was going to slide the ceramic pot in the gap.


I didn't get plastic, because I've seen threads about using special plastics for SW use. So I didn't bother. I'll just seed this one with some zoa's for a little eye candy.



Before my Picasso's, I bought an ORA grade "c", who enjoyed the PVC pipe at the LFS, but I know it's only there for display purposes. And he was there for 1 solid month, and had gotten used to it. The LFS QT's all fish for 1 month before sale to the public.

 

[iFisch]

The pot must not be 2" then. I got the smallest they had at Walmart. I need to go to a craft store to get a smaller one.

No biggies.

 

[Chelsey]

I suggest clay and the ones that I get are from Walmart. I buy the 6" pots. If you're placing the pot on the bottom (instead of up on the rocks) try putting dabs of silicon about 3" apart on the rim to prevent the pot from rolling around. I soak mine in a 5 gallon bucket of RODI water/vinegar for a few days with a powerhead to make sure there are no chemicals, residues, "cooties" on the pot. It's probably overkill but I haven't nuked my tank with anything either

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15371846#post15371846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chelsey
I suggest clay and the ones that I get are from Walmart. I buy the 6" pots. If you're placing the pot on the bottom (instead of up on the rocks) try putting dabs of silicon about 3" apart on the rim to prevent the pot from rolling around. I soak mine in a 5 gallon bucket of RODI water/vinegar for a few days with a powerhead to make sure there are no chemicals, residues, "cooties" on the pot. It's probably overkill but I haven't nuked my tank with anything either

Thanks for the tips.

I need a small one. Maybe 1". I had thought I had a 2" pot, but its just so big in my 14g, there's no way it's 2".


I just want to provide them a place to sleep and hide. Do they really need a big pot/space?

 

[Chelsey]

They don't need a pot at all. If you've got rockwork in your tank they'll be fine with that.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15371938#post15371938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chelsey
They don't need a pot at all. If you've got rockwork in your tank they'll be fine with that.

But they've decided to sleep in the front corner of my tank.

An anemnoe would be the obvious choice, but it's not going to happen anytime soon in my 14g. I thought a small - teeny tiny size would make them feel a bit more comfortable.

The lay together in the corner after a solid 30min of lights off.

I just thought by providing a little sort of "home" they'd feel more comfortable, not that they are at all stressed. Just going for that more "natural" feeling, and I see quite a few breeders use a types of "man-made" things, and was thinking of bringing that thought process into my tank. But I don't think it's going to work...

 

[Chelsey]

Do you have any "poofy" corals like xenia, frogspawn, hammer, or GSP? There have been cases of clowns hosting in those types of corals as well. I wouldn't necessarily be too concerned about your clowns sleeping in the front corner of your tank, if they were unhappy or uncomfortable they'd sleep elsewhere

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15372061#post15372061 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chelsey
Do you have any "poofy" corals like xenia, frogspawn, hammer, or GSP? There have been cases of clowns hosting in those types of corals as well. I wouldn't necessarily be too concerned about your clowns sleeping in the front corner of your tank, if they were unhappy or uncomfortable they'd sleep elsewhere

True. Maybe I'm being overly sensitive about these little guys. I love them so much! Both their personalities are great. It's funny to watch the female feed chunks of food to the male. She'll drop it near him, and he'll pick it up off the sand. Not that he relies on her for feeding, he eats just as well as she does.


No corals. Just some Ric's and Zoa's.

I'm taking it slow this time...


Had Xenia and a frogspawn. Both grew, fairly well. I started with one stalk of Xenia and two heads of frogspawn. Both doubled size very easily. I knew I had the water conditions nailed. Except I am battling a slight phosphate problem at the moment.

Ready to spend the big bucks on corals once I get my phosphates controlled.

I plan on Duncans, pink hammer, and purple/green frogspawn as my "swaying" corals.

Rest will be zoa's, Ric's and clams.

 

[Arati]

Give the clowns some time I have seen them host featherdusters, mushroom,frogspawn,xenia,coltcoral, clams ect ..

I think they will eventually move to a better home, without any help.

 

[iFisch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15372932#post15372932 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Arati
Give the clowns some time I have seen them host featherdusters, mushroom,frogspawn,xenia,coltcoral, clams ect ..

I think they will eventually move to a better home, without any help.

I am in absolutely no rush. Just thought, for the time being, I'd give them some sort of temp. housing. That's all.