Elegance Coral w/ Clown Fish

[The Saltwater Kid]

I am thinking about getting an Elegance coral but was wondering if my clown would bother it too much? I have one Ocellaris Clown (Nemo) who is currently host in an open brain coral but I'm wondering if the lure of the Elegance would be too much and he'd try and host in it and damage and/or kill it?

 

[Lockhartia]

It really depends on the fish. I had my pair of percs in with an elegance for over a year and they never even looked at it. Then one day I came home from work and they were both in it. I watched them for a bit and when it became clear they weren't leaving, I moved the clowns to a different tank.

I was AMAZED at how big the elegance got. It was huge before, never looked stressed or shriveled, but once the clowns were gone, it almost doubled in size. Made me realize they were probably bothering it longer and more than I had initially thought.

So again, they may, they may not. You have have them together for a long time then wake up one morning and they're in it, or maybe they'll never even look at it. Either way, if they do decide to host in it, you'll unfortunately have to choose one or the other

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

actually I don't have a pair of clown fish...just the one.

 

[catfisher]

I had problems with my Foxface nipping at mine but the False Perc never touched it...

 

[catfisher]

Good luck with the Elegance, I failed miserably with mine...

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

What about other fish that like to perch in/on corals, I have a Starry Blenny and a Flame Hawk both of which love to perch in, around or on top of corals...would they know enough to stay away from the Elegance or might I lose a fish or two?

 

[Sandeep]

You just have to decide what your priorities are. I got rid of my clown and my perching clown goby to protect my elegance and replaced them with yellowtail damsels which never bother any of my corals.

 

[Thhitman]

My clown has never bothered my elegance at all.

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

I can't get rid of the fish...they've been in the tank for months now...my wife would kill me if I got rid of Nemo (her fish) unless he was absolutely killing corals.

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

bump

 

[Lockhartia]

I know you said you had one clown, I was just using my pair as an example.

It's certainly a risk, and just in my opinion, I think the clown will eventually find its way over to the elegance. If finding a new home for the fish is not an option, then you may have to be prepared to find one for the elegance.

Again, this is my experience and my opinion only, you may be luckier than me! I thought I was in the clear as the fish and elegance lived happily on opposite sides of the tank for a year. Then one day...

Just from my reading on this forum, if your clown does decide to take up residence in the elegance, it could almost certainly spell out destruction for the coral. For the price you'd pay for a healthy elegance, I wouldn't risk it.

I doubt a hawk/blenny would go in an elegance. My fish stay clear of it, they do have a potent sting. Could the elegance catch one of them if they swam through it? Probably not, they don't work quite like anemones. Then again, my elegance eats snails like there's no tomorrow...

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

Hmmm...this Elegance would cost me around $65 (my LFS reduced it from $80 for me since I am a very good customer). It's such a beautiful coral and if it were me I'd get rid of the clown but when you try to get your significant other involved in the hobby so she's not so prone to flipping out when you buy a $80 coral and she picks out a fish she likes...well, it would be awfully hard to convince her to get rid of her most favorite part of the aquarium. I don't know now if i should take the chance...this is a Biocube 29 we're talking about so there really wouldn't be an opposite side of the tank for it to be out of sight of the clown. Decisions, decisions...lol.

 

[The Saltwater Kid]

Anybody else care to chime in? I'll be making my decision this Sunday as I am headed to my LFS. I'm still torn .

 

[Mental1]

I have one naked clown and it never bothers my elegance. I have had the coral since last August -- I think one versus two may be the trick. Mine was hosting in a hairy mushroom until I had to get rid of it because it was killing another coral. Now my silly clown has gone back to hosting in a Stephanocoenia which is a Caribbean coral! You just never know.

 

[rcypert]

I would be more concerned about the elegance surviving at all. The clown will only make it more difficult if it decides to host. I have an elegance that has a false perc hosting in it and it does not bother it. But when I first got the elegance it had been at the store 4 weeks and was looking great. (4 weeks is a minimum to observe at the LFS). Then I moved the clown to let the elegance get settled in for a couple months then I released the clown and watched closely. Taking proper precaution is the most important thing.