Getting clowns to host...

[gordie72]

I have to admit, I'm pretty skeptical about this. And yet, I'm going to try it anyway. I've read about people "forcing" their clowns to move into a nem by taping a pic of a clown living in a nem to the glass of the aquarium next to the nem. (Jeez, that was the least eloquent piece of prose I think I've ever put together.) Anyhoo, here's the pic I'm going to try.

Has anyone REALLY had this work? Any thoughts? BTW, it's an RBTA and a pair (2 at least, hardly a pair so far) of a. ocellaris

 

[sedor]

Getting your clown to host is simply a toss up. Sometimes they go right away, sometimes it takes a long time and sometimes it never happens at all. All you can really do is wait and see what happens.

 

[gordie72]

You're right, Sedor. That said, I thought this would be something to try. I've had the clowns in the tank about 2 weeks longer than the nem, about 3 months at the moment. I just figured "What the heck!"

 

[aleonn]

Good luck, hope it works! I also read somewhere about people pointing a laser pointer at night to the anenome, and hoping that the clownfish follow.

 

[Drews89]

well I've tried to host my clown fish with my anemone all ready for about 8 to 9 months and till now no no good results any ideas ?

 

[Toddrtrex]

well I've tried to host my clown fish with my anemone all ready for about 8 to 9 months and till now no no good results any ideas ?

What type of clowns? What type of anemone?




Minor thing -- the anemone does the hosting, not the clown.

 

[garygb]

Natural hosts with natural clown symbionts seems to make a big difference in how quickly the clownfish takes to the anemone. Captive bred doesn't seem to make a significant difference. For instance, a tomato or maroon will quickly be hosted by its natural host, Entacmea quadricolor. Percula and occelaris also quickly go to mags, in my experience. Having unnatural combos is where things get more complicated. If an anemone/clownfish bond is a top priority, I would suggest having a setup specifically for E. quadricolor and any of these three species of clownfish: clarkii, tomato, maroons. The BTA would need to be of adequate size (~3 times wider across from tip of tentacles to tip) than the length of the fish. Starting with a medium sized anemone and a small clownfish or pair would be ideal.

 

[velvetelvis]

Good luck, hope it works! I also read somewhere about people pointing a laser pointer at night to the anenome, and hoping that the clownfish follow.

:lol:

I actually have a pair of CB black ocellaris who were being hosted by a BTA at the LFS. The staff said it took them about a week to get the idea. I really think it's just an individual thing. I've also heard of clowns being kept in systems with their natural symbionts, but persistently choosing a coral or a powerhead or a cleaner magnet as a host instead. You just never know...

 

[Silfer]

I have 2 Maroons which host a bit of rock on the left hand side of my tank. I put in a bubble tip anemone near there and they showed some big interest in it for about 15min, but never touched it.. you could tell they were taking specific interest in it.

However, they lost interest and went back to their rock. That was 5 days ago.. they haven't even bat an eyelid at it since.

They are still young clowns, female 1.5", male 1inch or so.

 

[level65druid]

"Natural hosts with natural clown symbionts seems to make a big difference in how quickly the clownfish takes to the anemone. Captive bred doesn't seem to make a significant difference. For instance, a tomato or maroon will quickly be hosted by its natural host, Entacmea quadricolor. Percula and occelaris also quickly go to mags, in my experience. Having unnatural combos is where things get more complicated. If an anemone/clownfish bond is a top priority, I would suggest having a setup specifically for E. quadricolor and any of these three species of clownfish: clarkii, tomato, maroons. The BTA would need to be of adequate size (~3 times wider across from tip of tentacles to tip) than the length of the fish. Starting with a medium sized anemone and a small clownfish or pair would be ideal."


If this is the case, will i not see a result with H mag and black saddlback clowns? its been 3wks now and the female just keeps getting stung and runs away.

 

[gordie72]

So far, no results from my experiment. I absolutely agree it's an individual thing and having unnatural pairings are harder to get together. I my case symbiosis is not a priority. I would love to see it, just not too worried about it. I mistakenly thought that ocellaris would pair up with RBTA when I set it up. Oops. No worries, though. I like both my clowns and nem individually.

 

[garygb]

level65druid wrote: "If this is the case, will i not see a result with H mag and black saddlback clowns? its been 3wks now and the female just keeps getting stung and runs away."


level65, H. mags are not natural hosts for saddlebacks.

 

[deangelr]

One trick that I have seen work in the past is to actually try and scare your clown into the anemone (with your mag cleaner or net or hand)..

Of course the anemone can eat the clown.. and as we all know fish can easily die from stress. so dont try this to liberally

 

[gordie72]

Experiment over. My 18 month old keeps ripping the pic off the tank. It didn't seem to be working anyway. It'll happen if/when it happens

 

[lps1212]

I had the same problem with my clowns but a good friend of mine with platpercs and picassos did the following he got a fish holder from petco I believe or one could probably use a tubber wear put both the nem and clowns in there and place at bottom of tank with a rock ontop to keep down it worked for him and I will b doin the same with mines keepin my fingers crossed

 

[velvetelvis]

I had the same problem with my clowns but a good friend of mine with platpercs and picassos did the following he got a fish holder from petco I believe or one could probably use a tubber wear put both the nem and clowns in there and place at bottom of tank with a rock ontop to keep down it worked for him and I will b doin the same with mines keepin my fingers crossed

I wouldn't advise doing this. You can't force your clownfish to go into the anemone, and the anemone has to get used to the clowns--or they could end up being eaten. Just let things unfold at their own pace, and be patient. Nothing good ever happens quickly in a reef tank.

 

[Toddrtrex]

^^^

Yep, if you attempted that with certain anemones (( S. Haddoni comes to mind )) your clowns would most likely because an expensive meal.

 

[manissen10]

I have two saddleback clowns, what are good anemones for it to host? I just bought a bubble tip. The clowns will go over and look at it but no interest so far

 

[BonsaiNut]

Borrow a wild caught clown of the same species. The wild clown will go into the anemone within nanoseconds of being put in the tank. The captive raised clowns will soon follow - even to kick his butt Then remove wild caught clown

 

[velvetelvis]

I have two saddleback clowns, what are good anemones for it to host? I just bought a bubble tip. The clowns will go over and look at it but no interest so far

Give your saddlebacks time--if they're checking out the anemone, they may be working up to going into it. Given that captive clownfish will adopt non-natural hosts such as leather corals, LPS, mushrooms, zoanthids, xenia, clams, featherdusters, hair algae, and even powerheads and cleaner magnets, I think too much emphasis is placed on whether or not the anemone species is a natural host for that clownfish or the clownfish is wild or captive-bred. Being hosted (the anemone is actually the one that hosts, not the clownfish) is a very strong instinct. Most clowns will take to a bubble tip just fine--just not right away!