Clownfish hosting the powerhead?

[timmyliauw]

My clownfishes are swimming near the protein skimmer's powerhead. Is that mean that they are hosting the powerhead? If so, How do I make them stop hosting it? Can I just remove the protein skimmer until they are hosting coral? Also I will renovating my room and will relocate the whole tank to my living room. I was thinking since I'm going to relocate the tank down stair, maybe it is a good time for me to force them to host coral. Is that the best time to do it? I still haven't bought any coral yet because I will relocate the tank to my living room. My tank has been running for 6 months. What is the best coral to get for hosting the clownfish? Is it good time to get anemone?

 

[WiDataTech]

1. Fish do not host, the anemone hosts the fish. You would not host a hotel, the hotel would host you.
2. Do not try to "force" your fish. If they are content, leave them be.
3. 6 months is probably still too soon to introduce an anemone. They need a very stable tank, which usually takes about a year.
4. Depends on which type of clowns you have.

 

[MondoBongo]

you're never going to be able to force them to select anything as a host. my clowns have gone from a powerhead, to a mag float, to one of my overflows. i have loads and loads of lovely corals in the tank that they could make a nice home in, but they're simply not interested.

 

[Grkgod36]

They are crack heads, mine hosts my torch in the day then at night he hosts my frogspawn

 

[ThRoewer]

Give them a ceramic flowerpot - for some reason clownfish love them.

They are crack heads, mine hosts my torch in the day then at night he hosts my frogspawn

That must be hilarious to watch a fish swimming around with a corral hanging on it.:debi:

 

[hogfanreefer]

My tank bred clowns are mentally challenged. In the 3 1/2 years I've had them they have used for a host....1) my overflow 2) a large gonipora 3) a zoa colony 4) a rock with GSP covering it 5) an alveopora 6) and their latest choice a medium sized duncan colony.

They do the choosing, we just enjoy the ride.

 

[GimpyFin]

Clowns are pretty eccentric. Mine uses a mushroom as a host during the day and then swims facing downward in the back corner at night.

 

[jd371]

Clowns are pretty eccentric. Mine uses a mushroom as a host during the day and then swims facing downward in the back corner at night.

My pair do the same thing with the front corner. I was hoping they would go for the BTA right below them but they like the corner.

 

[ThRoewer]

They will look for any form of substitute if you don't give them an anemone - but often they are even picky about that.

I have a pair of percula that rejected many anemones (malu, crispa, BTA) and rather chose a ceramic flowerpot as home. Only when I gave them a gigantea they finally accepted that one and left the pot.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

Although I have not placed an anemone in my tank yet. I have two perculas, one has taken to the corner of the tank like the others have mentioned, and the second perc has made a home where my power head cord meets the surface of the water. He sleeps and hangs out underneath/around that cord all day and night. Out of all the money that is sitting in that tank to make him a home, he decides to go with the one item I didn't provide .

 

[OrionN]

......
That must be hilarious to watch a fish swimming around with a corral hanging on it.:debi:

Some reefers are soooo illogical.

 

[OrionN]

A lot of the clowns are slow swimmers and weak small fish that will not last very long in a natural reef without their host. They need natural host to make them comfortable. Without a natural host they will find things that they cuddle to to watch their back side. It is a smart fish that look for inner things, rather than something unnatural that could eat them.

I disagree with a lot of experts that some clown fish do just as well in aquarium without their natural hosts. This may be true with large agressive species like Tomato clowns or Clarkii, but not for smaller species like Percula, Ocellaris or Pink Skunk. Their behavior are so different with and without their natural hosts in a community fish tank. In a species tank without other large fish, they are comfortable with a flowerpot, but not in a large tank with large tangs, angels and Harlequin Tusk and the like.

Once you see Percula clownfish with Gigantea or Magnifica interactions in a community reeftank, nothing even come close, even if they use a BTA as host.

They are crack heads, mine hosts my torch in the day then at night he hosts my frogspawn

My tank bred clowns are mentally challenged. In the 3 1/2 years I've had them they have used for a host....1) my overflow 2) a large gonipora 3) a zoa colony 4) a rock with GSP covering it 5) an alveopora 6) and their latest choice a medium sized duncan colony.....

IMO, it is the reefers, not the clowns that is mentally challenge here. Not able or not willing to provide the best care for their animals. This does not mean that we should go out and purchase a Magnifica or Gigantea and put it in our reeftank if we have Percula. Better do our research and read up, so we can also provide the best care for our anemones. I do have a very soft spot (more likely spots) in my heart for clownfish and anemones, so please forgive me if I offended anybody here.

Many of us call a fish or an anemone stupid for not doing the things we want in our tanks. I tend to think of it a little different. It is us who are stupid for not provide them with what they need to thrive.

 

[ThRoewer]

Clownfish need an anemone to be well. The Actinicola complex anemonefish percula, ocellaris and biaculeatus can also be satisfied (to a degree) with a ceramic flowerpot. I tried that also with clarkii but they wouldn't accept a pot and rather hang out in a cave. IMO the larger ones need an anemone even more than the Actinicolas - at least that's my experience with them.

I try to keep all my anemonefish with the right anemone, and the fish thank me for it with natural behavior. There is really nothing more unnatural and sad than a homeless anemonefish pacing through a tank or seeking refuge in a corner - it's the anemonefish equivalent to sleeping under the bridge.

If you cannot keep an anemone for them, at least offer them an appropriately sized flowerpot as home.