Clownfish/Anemone ideas for finding each other

[buffalobunch]

I bought 3 clownfish from Carlos. 1 davinci and 2 snowflake clownfish. All from ORA and tank raised. I bought a RBTA for them, however since they have never seen an anemone, they cruise right past it. Any ideas how to get them to notice the anemone or get them to host it? Or since they are tank raised is it a mute point to even try? Thoughts or ideas? Maybe reefstew has some insight?

 

[Dre59]

Some might think its bad but has worked for me..

By using a critter keeper large enough to keep both enclosed with circulation.. Once hosted it will be easy from them to find it again once removed from critter keeper.

But Im sure you will get more ideas

 

[Rippinfrags]

All you can really do is give it time. It makes little difference that they are tank raised. Ocellaris clownfish do not naturally host e. quadricolors, so it is always hit or miss.

 

[tatuaje08]

Any ideas how to get them to notice the anemone or get them to host it?

Clownfish don't host anemones. Other way around.

 

[Rippinfrags]

Some might think its bad but has worked for me..

By using a critter keeper large enough to keep both enclosed with circulation.. Once hosted it will be easy from them to find it again once removed from critter keeper.

But Im sure you will get more ideas

I am one of those people that would not suggest your method. It can be harmful to the clownfish and the anemone. Clownfish can take a while to build there slime coat to an anemone. If you rush the process and the clownfish has no where to escape too, he/she will be stung and potentilly killed.

 

[tatuaje08]

Some might think its bad but has worked for me..

By using a critter keeper large enough to keep both enclosed with circulation.. Once hosted it will be easy from them to find it again once removed from critter keeper.

But Im sure you will get more ideas

You can't force something that's unnatural. It either happens, or it doesn't.

 

[Tschupe]

Yeah just gotta wait. It took mine about 9 months, then one day the lights came on and they were all over it. Now they try and bite me if my hand gets near it.

 

[Dre59]

I am one of those people that would not suggest your method. It can be harmful to the clownfish and the anemone. Clownfish can take a while to build there slime coat to an anemone. If you rush the process and the clownfish has no where to escape too, he/she will be stung and potentilly killed.

I did this a few times with no problem at all! My clowns were young and not grown clown fish.. I used the biggest critter keeper I could find and had way enough room to stay away from the nem.. But a was just a method that was passed down to me and worked for me..

 

[sweet2004r1]

I say let nature take its course. Took my clowns 6 months to finally host.

 

[MelloYellow]

Worked fine as in they were painfully stung enough times to build up an immunity. Equate it to walking outside barefoot. It's gonna hurt until you build some callouses. If you tread lightly and its not prolonged it's still gonna hurt, just with no physical sign of injury....that's what your fish is going through. I've seen some nasty welts on Clowns who aren't used to hosting.

 

[Team Freddy]

Give it time.. I've seen it take a few weeks with mine.

 

[reefstew]

Just wait. It took some of my clownfish over 6 months to figure it out. A lot of times the clowns will hang out in a section of the tank no where near the anemone so try feeding the tank in the area of the anemone to draw the clownfish close to it.

Also a lot of snowflakes in the lfs are breed local so it might not be ORA.

 

[buffalobunch]

Thanks guys. I was wondering about the time frame for how long it took other. Its a 300g tank so it might take a bit. I'll try feeding closer to the anemone.

 

[zibba]

Just wait. It took some of my clownfish over 6 months to figure it out. A lot of times the clowns will hang out in a section of the tank no where near the anemone so try feeding the tank in the area of the anemone to draw the clownfish close to it.

Exactly. Our clowns drifted around the tank ignorant to any coral remotely resembling an anemone (I don't have any anemones, but I do have duncans and hammers). About 5-months in, the female started rubbing up against the duncans and now they literally bounce between every coral that sways in the current (duncans, hammers, acanthrophyllia, trachy, and even a leather) -- it's good and bad as some corals can put up with the rubbing while others can't. I love to watch them frolic around though. Just be patient and let them sort it out naturally. When you come home one day from work and see them in the anemone, it will be impossible to wipe the grin off your face!

 

[tatuaje08]

I used to have a perc that would suck on my bta's tentacles. It was weird.

 

[buffalobunch]

I used to have a perc that would suck on my bta's tentacles. It was weird.

My percs that are in my avatar used to do that.

 

[tcamos]

I feed them close to the anemone, a little closer each day, then pretty much write on top of it. That's worked for me every time.

 

[DaddyMav]

It might be too late for this method

It might be too late for this method

I've had the best luck by keeping them in my sump for a while before introducing into the main tank. The only reason for this is that my sump is much smaller than the display and there's not much in there so it's real easy for the clown to find the nem. Now if they choose to host is another story, but I've personally had luck with this method.

 

[Fig70g]

My clown hosted in a colony of duncans. I introduced an RBTA to the tank and it has split many times. 4 years later (and a couple tanks later) the clown will go loco if I go near the duncans where he stays, I have 8-9 RBTAs and he doesnt take a second look at them!