Getting Tankraised clowns to host

[Akaash]

I have 2 Black Ocelaris Clowns in 90 gallon tank, they were (obviously) tank raised. Recently put a large green and white carpet anemone in the tank, because the clowns were -trying- to host in an Open Brain. The clowns wouldn't touch the anemone though. We taped a picture of my friends black saddleback clowns in their anemone on the side of the glass where the anemone is.

Long story short, it worked! Taping a picture of similar clowns in a similar anemone to the glass actually 'taught' the clowns to host in the anemone. Might sound crazy, but it really worked.

 

[Akaash]

Prior to putting the picture up we removed the brain coral from the display tank.

 

[Mishap]

shenanigans!

 

[AquaReeferMan]

Maurer, youre only hating cuz you said it wouldnt work.

 

[Mishap]

The only reason the clowns started using the carpet is because you removed the brain. The fact that they started using the carpet after you put the picture up is just mere coincidence.

So yet again I say...


Shenanigans!

 

[Akaash]

Had to remove the brain because they would have never left it after they made it their home. To go from the brain to the anemone in less than a day is crazy. The picture helped. No doubt about it in my mind. You have to at least admit that.

 

[Akaash]

And by less than a day I really mean less than 5 hours. I pulled the brain around 10:15 when I got to work. They were hosting by lunch time.

 

[rkelman]

No they were BEING hosted by lunch time

Congrats.

 

[2_zoa]

I have a pair of tank raised false percs and they went into my LTA within about 3-4 hrs after adding them. That was yesterday afternoon and they are still getting used to it.(doing the rubbing thing saying I am home).

On a side note I have had another false perc host a seabea and the current LTA.(I didn't do my home work and bought a sick seabea)

 

[kobesan]

I read about taping a picture to the tank and tried it but took it off after a few hours. I find that it is actually stressing the fish thus they try and find a place to hide and so happens to go into an anemone. Mine all went and hid behind rocks and unfortunately not in an anemone.

What I learned from taping a picture to the tank was that all fish not only the clowns will go into hiding. Doesn't even have to be a picture of a clown /w anemone, even a book or newspaper will cause them all to stress and hide. Just think about the size of a picture compared to the actual fish, would you think they will learn from a supersized clownfish in an anemone or would they get scared and stressed out?

 

[68551]

Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't...... the piont is you got them to do it!!!!

 

[Akaash]

68551 - As your signature says "Because inquiring minds NEED to know". I really want to know if it worked, and if so for what reason. It could have been the stress factor, but if it was I would assume the clowns would have been on the opposite side of the tank NOT 3 inches away from the picture. Also, the Flame Angel and the Pseudochromis were in that corner of the tank. Again, if fish are stressed/scared they hide, as far away as possible.


As for the picture size it was only like 4"x3". I didn't use a sheet of paper sized picture.

Yes the important thing is they're in their anemone now, but again, I'm really just curious if this actually works, and for what reason. It seemed to work for us, and the fish were NOT stressed by it.

2_zoa - Congrats to you for yours hosting. My point with the time however was, after taking their old 'home' (the brain), you would think they would have been trying to find their 'house' still after only 5 hours.

I wish we could just ask the fish what was going through their minds!

 

[68551]

Very cool & great idea....I like when people "think outside the box!!!" Only the clowns know for sure!!!!

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13572651#post13572651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Akaash
Had to remove the brain because they would have never left it after they made it their home. To go from the brain to the anemone in less than a day is crazy. The picture helped. No doubt about it in my mind. You have to at least admit that.

No. Not really. By removing the brain you removed their home and security. In the wild the race would be on to find a new home before becoming a meal. This drive to find security is still very strong in our captive clowns. You could have hung a pic of a dog on the side of your tank and the clowns would have still moved into the anemone, and very quickly.

If the clowns viewed the pic as something real, they would not be playing monkey see monkey do. They would most likely view the new clowns as a threat to their territory and the female would attack.

I have to agree with Mishap on this one.

 

[Akaash]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13575549#post13575549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elegance coral
No. Not really. By removing the brain you removed their home and security. In the wild the race would be on to find a new home before becoming a meal. This drive to find security is still very strong in our captive clowns. You could have hung a pic of a dog on the side of your tank and the clowns would have still moved into the anemone, and very quickly.

If finding a host is such a strong trait in tank raised clowns, then why did they only start trying to live in the Open Brain after being in the tank with it for a few weeks? Wouldn't it have happened sooner?

I do however agree with they would have seen the clowns as a threat.

 

[2_zoa]

This is a very interesting approach to do two things.

1. Give the fish a home and safety net.
2. Give us what we want in an aquarium.

The funny thing to me about this is from what I understand the best nem for a tank raised clown is a carpet. The most hardy of the clowns with a fragile nem. While they will host others I was told they will pretty much go straight for the carpet.

 

[1fishkeeper]

I have taped a picture on my tank for over a month with no luck. I tryed different clowns in different anemones even but to no luck.

 

[1fishkeeper]

Oh yeah I forgot to add I placed a new anemone in the tank and in less than a hour they were in it. So what gives on that?