Clown takes food from anemone

jcmjoe

New member
Everytime I try and feed my GBTA the clownfish that it hosts will aggressively pull the food away from the Anemone and either eat it itself or spit it away from the Nem? She actually will bite at me when I drop the bits of clam or shrimp into the Anemone? Has anybody else experienced this? The Anemone has kinda shrunk over the last couple weeks but it stays put and its footing seems to be solid.I am concerned because it hasnt been as full like it was the first month or so that I had it and its tentacles are more stringy. The clown is super affectionate, almost overly affectionate. I have moderate flow and Hydra 32 lighting.The tank is over a year old at this point and my Soft corals and LPS do great including a Rock flower Anemone. My parameters are as follows.
Salinity 1.025 refractometer
Alk 8.3-8.6 salifert
Calcium 420 salifert
magnesium 1300 salifert
Nitrate 0 salifert
phosphate 0 salifert

Any input would be helpful!

Thanks
 
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Although I've read it's great lighting, a single Hydra 32 still may not be strong enough for a GBTA, depending on the depth of your 50g.

Clownfish (it sounds like you have a maroon clown?) are noted for taking food from their 'nems, but they also feed them, oddly enough. Perhaps the clownfish needs to be fed more, and first? They'll quit eating when they're full.

The GBTA's I've had all went through an adjustment whereby their tentacles would get "stringy," but they also would grow and the tentacles would lengthen. A nem can mostly get all it needs from the water column and appropriate (really strong, sps-level) lighting, and they can be quite moody, shutting up for several days when irritated. I'm going to predict your GBTA is fine.
 
I have the same problem but it's not just the clown. My Sailfin does it as well. I just feed them first and quickly feed the Nem with a long pair of tongs and I use the tongs to keep the thieves away until the Nem has a super solid hold on its food. It works most of the time.
 
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