Clown Bootcamp?

[jeremyjoslin]

Trying to digest the wealth of information here on clowns and anemones. I have a RBTA and a pair of ocellaris who have never gone into the anemone. They've been hosted by the frogspawn (favorite), hammer, duncans, and torches, but never the anemone.

I'm wondering what "tricks" people have used to "pair" their clownfish with their anemone (albeit an acknowledge non-pairing species set in the wild) besides showing them a picture.

My thought was to remove the RBTA and the clowns and place them into a basement tank that is connected to my water circuit (right now acting like a refugium). If I keep them alone with nothing else to do but get to know each other, do you think that will help them meet? I would then transfer them back to the DT.

 

[Josh_Canada]

i'm not looking into tackling one any time soon, but that sounds about as good a chance as you will get. I have read of other people finding photos of their species of clown hosting the same type of anemone and taping it to the tank, (for tankbred who may have never seen an anemone before).

Good luck!

 

[jeremyjoslin]

I'm trying the picture method now. It just makes them mad to see another clown, and they retreat into the frogspawn.

 

[WDLV]

I have used tiny clarkiis before. They see the little fellow in the anemone and decide to kick him out and take it for themselves. You then remove the clarkii.

 

[xtlosx]

Where did you get that picture? I need to do that on my tank today, as stupid as it sounds!

 

[cgauer5]

A quick google image search found these...

 

[xtlosx]

Alright... here I go! I'll report back Thanks man

 

[jeremyjoslin]

I have used tiny clarkiis before. They see the little fellow in the anemone and decide to kick him out and take it for themselves. You then remove the clarkii.

That's a great idea. I wonder if it would work better or worse with a more dominant personality like a maroon...

 

[WDLV]

I just used clarkiis because they naturally associate with all ten host anemones and will jump into any anemone as soon as they spot it. Ocellaris are probably the least permiscuous next to marroons.

 

[Josh_Canada]

maybe put them and the anemone in the sump with the picture? or if all else fails, a frogspawn is pretty close to an anemone, maybe get a porcelain anemone crab to sub in for the clowns? they may slo try to take the anemone from the crab.

 

[jeremyjoslin]

Great ideas.

- If I can source a clarkii in the near future, I'll try that. I like the theory...
- I have a porcelain crab who lives on the other side of the tank in the xenia patch. Can't catch the litte guy so far to relocate him. Maybe it's time for a better effort there.

 

[RoganTerrance]

Put the clowns and the rbta in a bucket with tank water and slowly take water out intall they host the rbta

 

[jeremyjoslin]

Another great idea. Will try this first.