I have a question...and just wanted to share a milestone in my life as a reefer!

[reefman13]

Well, after nearly completely giving up that my clowns would never host the anemone I have in my tank, I went down after lights out, and saw this with the larger of the two clowns...

Now, I have never really noticed, but, I am pretty sure it has never happened before, but she could have been doing this a little while back. Now, today, when I went to feed, she was just hanging out, swimming around, and around my face knowing food was coming, and she showed no signs of being hosted by the RBTA.

Now, here's the question, is it a possibility that she will only be hosted by the 6" RBTA at night to help keep protected from potential predators? She is a w/c clown, and her mate, a captive bred clown, has shown no interest in the anemone...So is it her natural instinct to hide in the anemone for protection only at night?

I will see tomorrow when I go to feed if she is still hanging out near it.

BTW, the major milestone, is that, this is the first clownfish/anemone symbiotic relationship that I have ever bared witness to in MY tank!!!

 

[Jamie1210]

yay! congrats! yeah, she might only take to it at night, kind of like how certain fish have their favorite spots to sleep at night. But hey, she may gradually start hosting in the daytime soon, and that may induce her mate to follow too. baby steps

 

[reefman13]

Thats what I am thinking...

Oh, and thanks!

 

[prickles]

ours just started the same thing about a week ago. Sometimes in, sometimes not. It's kinda like 1/2 time hosting. She knows to "brush" though. Isn't instinct cool?

 

[Jamie1210]

I guess I've always just been lucky, but every single pair of true percs that I've owned have always dived straight toward my BTA and rarely leave it except to eat! Not to brag or anything

 

[rssjsb]

They're probably just getting used to the idea. Mine waited for nearly a year to take to their BTA. At first, they mostly just went into it at night, and kind of hovered under or around it during the day. Now they're always lolling around in it.

 

[Dustin1300]

Your situation is about like mine but with a med. mushroom...Anyways, I've got a mated pair and the male first starting swimming in it at night, then it turned to day too and the female soon followed. They now are within a foot of it every minute of the day...The mushrooms about 10 inches in diameter and they are in it every second of the night...I LOVE IT!

 

[reefman13]

Thanks guys!

 

[GSMguy]

kewl

 

[Arati]

looks like the red nem is surrounded by aptasia. congratz though that nem is sweet!

 

[OranguTang]

Sweet, at first my clowns only went in at night or when "threatened" but now they just roll in it like dogs in a field all day long.

 

[reefman13]

Yeah, saw her hanging out when I got home, so it may just be some time needed.

On the apastia issue, yeah, I have it bad, and I am awaiting a CB butterfly, and then all will be well

 

[jkrentz2515]

Congrats!

 

[ssavader]

It took my pair of Percs a year to get the message that the BTA was for them. Before they hung out in the Green Star Polyps and the Finger leather coral. Now, they don't wonder more than 6" from the BTA.

 

[ssavader]

P.S. Arati is right- you have lots of small aptasia around your Nem. I might plan on addressing this before they really get out of hand.

 

[reefman13]

P.S. Arati is right- you have lots of small aptasia around your Nem. I might plan on addressing this before they really get out of hand.

This was something I addressed in my earlier post. I am waiting for a healthy specimen, and then I will have her bagged up and I will bring her home. I understand its a problem, and its something I am working on correcting.

 

[prickles]

I would think twice about the copperband perhaps. My LFS won't even order them because too many die in shipping and at home. They say they have only ever had one successfully live more than a couple of months. If you are waiting for a healthy one, how many are they taking out of the reef to try to get you that one that stays healthy in the collection process? Peppermints work great for me along with joes juice for the big ones.

If you get a good CB quick then great, but if they bring in 3-4 that die and you are still "waiting for a healthy one" you might want to consider the big scheme.

 

[57vert]

Way to go Reefman!

 

[reefman13]

Well, I actually have a LFS in my area that is VERY upmarket so everything is quite expensive, BUT even the copperbands the have FS ALL eat at least brine and most eat mysis. So, at this point, it is not so much waiting...it is more getting to the store.

 

[OranguTang]

Come on guys, lets celebrate the clown fish! You are making out the aiptasia problem to be of major concern, IMO it really is not at all. more of an eye sore than anything. I had a reef that was plagued by them for years.

Are your clowns paired up?