55semireef
Moved On
*Note that there are only ten species of anemones that will naturally allow clownfish to host them in the wild.
One of the most remarkable symbiotic relationships between two organisms is the mutualism that takes place between clownfish and clownanemones. But one of the most frequently asked questions is "Why are clownfish not harmed by the stingers or nematocysts of the anemone?" Well, even with all of our studies, experiments and hypotheses, there is still no proven answer. There have been a plethora of attempts to clarify this abstruseness by hypothesizing and conducting experiments with detailed observation, but no answer has yet to be found.
Clownfish and damselfish are the only species of fish that can avoid the detrimental stings of anemones. Currently, there are several theories to support this phenomenon.
There are some basic theories out laying on the surface as an explanation. One is that the slime coating of the fish may be be based on sugar rather than proteins so anemones ultimately fail to recognize the fish as food and do not fire their nematocysts. Another, is the mucus coating on the clownfish may mimic the anemone's own coating by careful acclimation of the clownfish so it thus becomes invisible. This is called the hypothesis of camoflauge by Schlichter. However, in my past experiences, I have had a female Tomato Clownfish hosting a purple LTA and a Condy anemone at the same time. How could a clownfish have the ability to host both anemones? Based on the hypothesis of camoflauge, my female Tomato clownfish could not truly have the mucus of the LTA and Condy since it would be a mixture of the two mucus'. That means the mucus that my female Tomato clown possessed worked for both my Condy and LTA therefore my Tomato had somehow developed a mucus that could work on her own.
A possibility in my mind that might allow clownfish to host anemones is that the clownfish may give off pheromones, chemicle signals. These chemical signals may let the anemone know not to react to a clownfishes presence. What I find interesting though is when I feed my Blue Haddoni my female Clarkii still hosts it without being visually stung. This means that either my female Clarkii is completely immune even when the Haddoni is firing its nematocysts or the Haddoni can pinpoint where to fire its stingers without harming the Clarkii. From my observation, I tend to side with the former possibility just because many times I have seen my female clarkii in the same area where the carpet is stinging and grabbing on to its food. Apparently, my female Clarkii is not being stung or else it would move.
Yesterday, I purchased a Heteractis Malu anemone and right away my smaller Clarkii took to it without any evidental acclimation process. Going by this examination, there must be some type of mucus already present on the clarkii that neutralizes the stings. I am not purposely trying to discount Schlichter's hypothesis of camoflauge, I am just simply saying this is now three times where I have seen my Clarkiis immediately "dive" in new anemones. Another time was when I purchased my Clarkiis my female Clarkii that I have now literally dove right into my Bluecarpet. Unless she was able to acclimate herself in the matter of .002432 seconds, it seems irrelevant that Clarkiis need an accimation process.
Acclimation to the tank.
Her immediately in the Carpet
Now with all 28 species of clownfish, this may not be the case with them as with the Clarkiis. Clarkiis seem to host anything from a Condy anemone to the soft coral Xenia.
Not only do I believe pheromones may be involved in the mutualistic relationship, but I think that texture has a play in it as well. It seems to me that anemones will stick to certain things with certain textures and not so much others. If anemones really stick to certain textures, than the texture of the clownfishes mucus might also have a small role in the symbiosis. An anemone would be able to tell the difference between a blenny being caught in the tentacles and a clownfish rubbing up against an anemone.
I am not by any means any expert on this material. All I have done is read articles, take the advice of others, observed and pieced it all together...somewhat. The mutualism of the clownfish and the anemone is still one of the great mysteries on this wonderful planet. Yet so simple but so complex.
One of the most remarkable symbiotic relationships between two organisms is the mutualism that takes place between clownfish and clownanemones. But one of the most frequently asked questions is "Why are clownfish not harmed by the stingers or nematocysts of the anemone?" Well, even with all of our studies, experiments and hypotheses, there is still no proven answer. There have been a plethora of attempts to clarify this abstruseness by hypothesizing and conducting experiments with detailed observation, but no answer has yet to be found.
Clownfish and damselfish are the only species of fish that can avoid the detrimental stings of anemones. Currently, there are several theories to support this phenomenon.
There are some basic theories out laying on the surface as an explanation. One is that the slime coating of the fish may be be based on sugar rather than proteins so anemones ultimately fail to recognize the fish as food and do not fire their nematocysts. Another, is the mucus coating on the clownfish may mimic the anemone's own coating by careful acclimation of the clownfish so it thus becomes invisible. This is called the hypothesis of camoflauge by Schlichter. However, in my past experiences, I have had a female Tomato Clownfish hosting a purple LTA and a Condy anemone at the same time. How could a clownfish have the ability to host both anemones? Based on the hypothesis of camoflauge, my female Tomato clownfish could not truly have the mucus of the LTA and Condy since it would be a mixture of the two mucus'. That means the mucus that my female Tomato clown possessed worked for both my Condy and LTA therefore my Tomato had somehow developed a mucus that could work on her own.
A possibility in my mind that might allow clownfish to host anemones is that the clownfish may give off pheromones, chemicle signals. These chemical signals may let the anemone know not to react to a clownfishes presence. What I find interesting though is when I feed my Blue Haddoni my female Clarkii still hosts it without being visually stung. This means that either my female Clarkii is completely immune even when the Haddoni is firing its nematocysts or the Haddoni can pinpoint where to fire its stingers without harming the Clarkii. From my observation, I tend to side with the former possibility just because many times I have seen my female clarkii in the same area where the carpet is stinging and grabbing on to its food. Apparently, my female Clarkii is not being stung or else it would move.
Yesterday, I purchased a Heteractis Malu anemone and right away my smaller Clarkii took to it without any evidental acclimation process. Going by this examination, there must be some type of mucus already present on the clarkii that neutralizes the stings. I am not purposely trying to discount Schlichter's hypothesis of camoflauge, I am just simply saying this is now three times where I have seen my Clarkiis immediately "dive" in new anemones. Another time was when I purchased my Clarkiis my female Clarkii that I have now literally dove right into my Bluecarpet. Unless she was able to acclimate herself in the matter of .002432 seconds, it seems irrelevant that Clarkiis need an accimation process.
Acclimation to the tank.
Her immediately in the Carpet
Now with all 28 species of clownfish, this may not be the case with them as with the Clarkiis. Clarkiis seem to host anything from a Condy anemone to the soft coral Xenia.
Not only do I believe pheromones may be involved in the mutualistic relationship, but I think that texture has a play in it as well. It seems to me that anemones will stick to certain things with certain textures and not so much others. If anemones really stick to certain textures, than the texture of the clownfishes mucus might also have a small role in the symbiosis. An anemone would be able to tell the difference between a blenny being caught in the tentacles and a clownfish rubbing up against an anemone.
I am not by any means any expert on this material. All I have done is read articles, take the advice of others, observed and pieced it all together...somewhat. The mutualism of the clownfish and the anemone is still one of the great mysteries on this wonderful planet. Yet so simple but so complex.
