Hosting my Black Perculas

[calvertbill]

Over the years I've had a high mortality rate with various species of carpets. Finally I have one that seems to be happy, eats well (although my Tangs love to steal shrimp from it's maw) and it's definitely growing.

Now to me an anemone w/o hosted clowns definitely creates an unfinished canvas so I went out and bought a pair of black Percula youngsters.

They spent all of about three minutes in or around the carpet before rejecting it in favor of.... a clam.

They've lived in the clam for the last two days even venturing into the clam's vent.

Go figure!

 

[calvertbill]

I guess I should have asked what I wanted to know when I posted the thread. Is this activity as unusual as I think it is?

 

[Toddrtrex]

The clowns are actually ocellaris, and either they are the smallest clowns I have ever seen, or that clam is huge.

What type of "carpet" ?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've seen clowns that use a clam as a host. the clam ended up dying. It's not really good for the clam as they can damage the mantle with their "snuggling". I'd suggest placing a mesh crate around it until the clowns find something else.

 

[calvertbill]

The clowns are actually ocellaris, and either they are the smallest clowns I have ever seen, or that clam is huge.

What type of "carpet" ?

Not sure what type of carpet but here's a shot of it.

Thanks for the clown correction.

The clam measures 28" end-to-end.

 

[Toddrtrex]

It is an S. haddoni, which isn't a natural host for ocellaris, but that doesn't mean that they won't be hosted by it in the future; it just might take longer.

Also, if you end up with a missing fish, wait a day or two and see what the anemone spits back out -- they are notorious fish eaters.