Ever hear of this?

[gregr]

Have you ever heard of a carpet (common Haddoni) anemone eating clownfish? It's the only explanation for what's been going on in my tank the last several weeks. About two months ago I got a kinda dull green carpet that looked pretty healthy in the store and is thriving in my tank (supplemental meals aside :lol. Foot went down right where I placed it and it's been open fully since about a half hour of being acclimated. At that time there was a small gs maroon and medium sized skunk clown in the tank. After a few weeks neither fish would go in the carpet so I got a pair of orange skunk clowns- the most orange ones I've ever seen. The female is really big and really mellow. Sadly, that female is the only clown left. All the others have disappeared and I'm convinced the carpet ate them. I know the carpet stung the big female because I saw her go in and zip back out shaking her head like a wet dog. There are no predators in the tank and I've never seen the big female be aggressive at all. I've got a powder blue tang that rules the tank but it never even looks at clownfish.

 

[jt_milstead]

It's very common for carpets to eat fish.

 

[bradleym]

The common "hosting" anemones are only called that because those are the types known to STOP trying to eat clownfish. The clownfish accomplish this by regularly rubbing against the anemones tentacles, eventually dulling the anemone to their touch and "taste" so it doesn't feel the need to attack them. However, this is not always immediate and in rare cases, just doesn't happen at all I guess.

 

[garygb]

Yes, haddoni are known to eat clownfish on occasion.

 

[Big E]

I have only read/heard of haddonis eating non-natural clowns. Never heard of a haddoni eating a saddleback..............so if the clown isn't seen naturally in the wild with a haddoni it's a risk.

Natural combinations from FAQ sticky............


Stichodactyla haddoni (haddon's, saddleback, carpet, or sand carpet)
A. akindynos
A. chrysogaster
A. chrysopterus
A. clarkii
A. polymnus
A. sebae

 

[ocellaris123]

The carpet could have most certainly eaten them, but if you had all of those clownfish in your aquarium at one time it is possible that the lone large female clown killed the remaining clownfish off one by one. Just throwing that possibility out there.

 

[Slickcg33]

If i were to guess, i would say your large female clown fish chased the other clowns around the tank. Out of panic i would say those clowns meet the haddoni before they were ready and became dinner....

 

[gregr]

Thanks for all the info. The big clown didn't chase any of the other clowns- she's just a big beautiful bright orange peaceful citizen. Carpet goes by by tomorrow.

 

[jasonw52]

Yes carpets eat all kinds of fish include clowns, gobys, etc