Blackfoot Clowns

[chgries]

I recently purchased a pair of Blackfoot Clowns. I would like to know from someone who has experience with this species, what type of anemone will they host?

 

[Winwood]

Great species! They are very difficult typically in the beginning, being very susceptible to the stresses of shipping. Be sure to keep a really close eye on them to make sure they are not showing signs of disease like heavy breathing, cloudy eyes, clamped fins etc.. If they do start showing signs, I recommend a hospital tank that you can properly medicate them in that is seperate from all your other animals.

As far as anemones go they are almost exclusively found in Heteractis magnifica in the wild. I have seen footage of a lone inividual found in Stichodactyla mertensii though. In captivity I have seen them in several different species including E. quadricolor, M. doreensis, S. gigantea, and H. crispa as well as H. magnifica. I hope this helps.

 

[phender]

+1 to the above.
The only thing I have to add is that some taxonomists put them in the skunk clown complex. After looking at their adult body shape and behavior, they act and appear to be more like tomato clowns than skunks, at least to me.

 

[BonsaiNut]

+1 to the above.
The only thing I have to add is that some taxonomists put them in the skunk clown complex. After looking at their adult body shape and behavior, they act and appear to be more like tomato clowns than skunks, at least to me.

+1

I always think of them as small tomato clowns.

 

[velvetelvis]

When you say "blackfoot", do you mean A. melanopus or A. nigripes? I've heard both referred to by that name.

A. melanopus (tomato complex)

A. nigripes (skunk complex)

 

[Mongo77]

Can you post pics of your clowns?

 

[chgries]

Thanks, they are my favorite. They are nigripes for Maldives. I have had them for about a month now. Looking healthy and feeding well. They weren't a mated pair but one is more dominate and the other is submitting well. They are sleeping together at night. My research for anemones said Ritteri, but I have also heard that in captivity they will host a lot of different types of anemones. I would like to get a nice red or purple carpet for them if they will host it. I will get some pics and post them, they are really cool species of clowns that you don't see everyday.

 

[Big E]

I have a tank bred pair that are living in an H. Malu.............like mentioned they'll take to any nem.

Here's a quick vid when I first got them.............I'll try a post something current later