Clown Bootcamp?

[jeremyjoslin]

I started a thread in the Clownfish & Anemone sub-forum, but thought I would ask my club's advice as well.

Posted: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2008393

Summary: trying to get my clowns out of my frogspawn and into the RBTA where they should be (note to reef police: defined as a behavior with which I'd be more pleased since the behavior is known to frequently occur in vitro even if it admittedly does not occur in the wild).

 

[NirvanaFan]

Want to hear my theory why the picture method works (sometimes)? I believe it "scares" or stresses the fish into finding a suitable, comfortable spot to be hosted by. They feel the need to be protected from the larger clown picture, so they jump into an acceptable host.

I don't think the picture is going to work for you, but I have been wrong before. I would think your best bet is to get them away from the frogspawn by moving it into a different tank, or blockading it with something. Maybe a piece of plexi or a strawberry basket?

 

[jeremyjoslin]

Good theory... and seems to be preliminarily validated in my experiment. I would consider the strawberry basket idea more but I have about 5 different colonies of LPS or whatever that I'd have to cover (not just one).

 

[NirvanaFan]

Just because they are hosted by one frogspawn doesn't mean they'll take to a hammer, or any other LPS over the BTA. They very well may get irritated and try to move the basket though. Or they may just sit on the basket and act like nothing happened.

 

[farlsincharge]

It was my novice experience that feeding my RBTA a krill did the trick. I was frustrated that my clown only seemed to be interested in my return nozzle and wouldnt host my RBTA then by chance I fed my RBTA a krill to perhaps give him more of a redish color (the whole you are what you eat thing) my clown decided that he wanted said krill. He went in for the kill a couple tentacles touched him and the rest was history there is no separating him.

Hey I figured it's worth a shot. it worked for me!

 

[jeremyjoslin]

@NirvanaFan: The 2 clowns are hosted by the 4 or 5 other colonies, too. Depending on the time of day, or immediate preference I can find one of them in any of the other LPS. In other words, they go from one to the other to the other all day.

@farlsincharge: I've tried doing this on a number of occasions with varies pieces of food without any luck.

 

[NirvanaFan]

lol, good luck then. Keep feeding the clowns near/in the anemone. There isn't much else you can do.