Clown molesting BTA

[Kelley]

I just got a BTA today... My black and white clown is molesting it, head butting and forcing it open when it closes. (kind of funny to watch actually) Is it normal for the clown to do that? I will see what I can get as far as pictures go. The anemone seems fine with it, and stays open for the most part.

 

[thedigitalimager]

The behavior you are observing is normal, but it can be a problem if your anemone is small. It not uncommon for clowns to kill very small anemones with their aggressive butting and rubbing. If this is the case, adding a second anemone can help take the pressure off one individual.

 

[v80s]

totally normal behavior,nothing to worry about, part of bonding process.

 

[Kelley]

Ok, thank you both for the replys. I just took a few shots, I will try to find the best one and post it in a few minutes so show general size, though the anemone was not fully open.

 

[Kelley]

 

[Kelley]

umm, wrong picture, sorry.. this is the right one...

 

[thedigitalimager]

It's hard to tell from the pic, but the anemone appears to be okay size wise. Sometimes clowns are over zealous and will irritate anemones to the point that they will not inflate which can lead to their demise. It could be that your clown is just adjusting to the anemones presence. BTA's are relatively easy to keep as long as your water parameters are in order. It's important to keep your salinity in the 1.025 to 1.026 range.

 

[SEAFLOWERS]

In Joyce Wilkerson's book I believe she states that the anemone should be 2 to 3 times the size of the clownfish