Clownfish steals food from anemone

[Tanthaitrung]

Dear all,

I'm from Vietnam. I have two Picasso Clownfish fishes and one Pink Carpet anemone. But one of them always steals food from anemone, even after meal. What can I do?

Thanks in advance
Khanh

 

[fcmatt]

Have you ever witnessed the clowns doing the reverse? As in feeding the anemone?

Maybe feed the clowns until totally full and see if they then feed the anemone second?

 

[Deefish714]

Have you ever witnessed the clowns doing the reverse? As in feeding the anemone?

Maybe feed the clowns until totally full and see if they then feed the anemone second?

+1 I always feed my clowns before I feed anemone. The real crook in my tank is the cleaner shrimp!!!

 

[Tanthaitrung]

Thanks for your reply fcmatt

No, I have no witnessed this but heard somewhere about that.

Yes, I feed the clownfishes first with dry food then feed the anemone with fresh shrimp. After meal, he steal fresh shrimp but this food is big for him to eat, he throws away then steal another one

 

[jah hoeva]

Do you have any pictures of the pink carpet? Sounds lovely.

 

[fcmatt]

Thanks for your reply fcmatt

No, I have no witnessed this but heard somewhere about that.

Yes, I feed the clownfishes first with dry food then feed the anemone with fresh shrimp. After meal, he steal fresh shrimp but this food is big for him to eat, he throws away then steal another one

Perhaps the fresh shrimp is just too inviting a target for the clowns? Could you cut up the fresh shrimp to clown sized pieces, feed them, and then the anemone when they are full?

 

[m0nkie]

I cut the fresh shrimp/scallops into huge pieces so the clown/cleaner shrimps have a hard time dragging it away. Also helps putting it by the mouth and let it swallow within seconds

Sometimes I need to stand there for a few minutes with the feeding stick to fight off critters.

feeding chalice is much more work... constant fight against cleaner shrimps

 

[Tanthaitrung]

Perhaps the fresh shrimp is just too inviting a target for the clowns? Could you cut up the fresh shrimp to clown sized pieces, feed them, and then the anemone when they are full?

I think you are right. I wil cut the fresh shrimp for the clowns first

Thanks again fcmatt

 

[Tanthaitrung]

I cut the fresh shrimp/scallops into huge pieces so the clown/cleaner shrimps have a hard time dragging it away. Also helps putting it by the mouth and let it swallow within seconds

Sometimes I need to stand there for a few minutes with the feeding stick to fight off critters.

feeding chalice is much more work... constant fight against cleaner shrimps

I always have to fight against the clown when feeding anemone

Thanks for your advice

 

[Tanthaitrung]

Today, I feed the clowns with fresh shrimp then feed the anemone. He comes back, eat the food from anemone, I feed the anemone again, he pick the food and throw away (he is full).

I don't know why. Maybe, I will pick him to sump

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

My clowns will steal the food and spit it out into the water column.Maybe it's their way of keeping their home clean.

 

[fcmatt]

Well time to get out the stick then.

Feed the clowns, feed the anemone, use the stick to keep the clowns away, forcefully if necessary until they get it. Bonus points for making the end of the stick look threatening to a clown in some way ;-)

 

[Tanthaitrung]

Well time to get out the stick then.

Feed the clowns, feed the anemone, use the stick to keep the clowns away, forcefully if necessary until they get it. Bonus points for making the end of the stick look threatening to a clown in some way ;-)

Yes, I'm using the stick to keep them away. I'm so tired about this

Thanks for your advice

 

[ThRoewer]

+1 I always feed my clowns before I feed anemone. The real crook in my tank is the cleaner shrimp!!!

My clowns will steal the food and spit it out into the water column.Maybe it's their way of keeping their home clean.

Well time to get out the stick then.

Feed the clowns, feed the anemone, use the stick to keep the clowns away, forcefully if necessary until they get it. Bonus points for making the end of the stick look threatening to a clown in some way ;-)

My percula pairs like to steal/remove food from their anemones as well.
The worst offender is the female of pair #4.
Feeding them before doesn't matter. Feeding them at the same time doesn't help either. Another offender in this is the Philippine regal angel in that tank who also loves to pick the food out of the carpet anemones.
The only thing that helps against these guys is the stick, and even that is only of limited effect.
My cleaner shrimp stopped stealing food out of anemones when the clowns got larger and more defensive of their space.

 

[m0nkie]

or you can feed your anemones mysis shrimp. squirt a bunch onto it. The clown can only take a couple away.

 

[ThRoewer]

Guess what I feed my anemones... doesn't help much if the clowns steal the food off the mouth.

 

[rt67ghy]

I would cut the shrimp into very small pieces( maybe 15-20) and drop them all onto the nem at once; the clownfish will steal some but won't be able to stop the nem from eating about half of them.