is my clown going to host

[grink dude]

ok so i bought a toadstool leather yestaerday, and today when i fed, the clownfish was cruising through the tentacles, then leaving and then coming back and cruising through it again. he dead this around 5 or 6 times. but after i fed, he stopped doing it so often, but my question is, is my clown just curious about the new coral, or is he trying to host in it

 

[Random Aquarist]

Re: is my clown going to host

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8843008#post8843008 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by grink dude
he dead this around 5 or 6 times

OMG

 

[MrMikeB]

At this point he is probably just checking it out. When you will really know is at night. In my experience, when clowns host they will inevitably sleep in their 'anenomes.' I say check hiim out a couple nights and see where he is sleeping. If he moves into the toadtool, there may be a good chance he will host. During the day my clowns rarely venture far from thier hosts.

 

[grink dude]

first of all, i meant did, not dead lol and i will watch him at night to see what he does, i will check it out later, i am at my cousins when i get home i will go and check and tell you whats happens. i have another question though, if he does host, wont my toadstools polyps retract, or will they stay out??

 

[MrMikeB]

The polyps will retract when they notice something foreign is around, reacting to the potential of becoming food. When something is 'normal' they typically will stay open, kind of like when they brush up against a rock. I have seen this with seahorses where toadstools 'get used' to it passing through and will stay open. I have Pumping Xenias who used to close up tight on the first touch of anything nearby, but now just wave about when a fish pass through or poke around for scraps.

 

[grink dude]

ok i just checked, and the clown wasn't sleeping in the leather, thats a bad sign then i guess. oh well, he still has ages to host in it

 

[grink dude]

today when i fed i made a point of putting some in the leather to entice the clown, and since then he has been going to check it out every now and then. every day when i feed, i will put some food in the coral to keep encouraging the clown to go into it

 

[MrMikeB]

Clowns hosting is something they will either do or not do. I have yet to find sure fire ways to entice them to do it that actually work. These things take time and if they do happen occur on their own schedule. I say give it some time and if it does not host, its not a real loss. Clowns do not 'need' hosts and can live perfectly full lives without them.

If you really want them to host, you can get a real anemone, but of course only if you have the right setup (lighting, flow, etc.). Personally I have 3 in my reef tank and love them (as do my clowns). Its actually funny to watch the clowns feed them and take their poop away.

 

[rs]

Look at this video closely and read the Comments and Reponses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyR38NJUaOk&mode=related&search=

 

[grink dude]

i have heard of that idea, does anyone have any pics of their clowns hosting so i can use them to tape to the side of the tank??

Also after i wrote that last post by me, my sixline wrasse went near the toadstool, and my clownfish got into a fight with him, it was like he was defending his territory

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

i have some pics of my clowns hosting my toadstool but they arn't the best. when the polyps open up i will try to take some better pics.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

here are some crappy pics.

 

[grink dude]

i took a picture of what he does, here it is. he does this every 2 mins or so, and he does it for about 2 seconds each time:

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

well it is a start for him. mine stay in there all day long until feeding time. or unless they want to host the torch coral instead

 

[grink dude]

is this is sign that he may start hosting??

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

yep. once they get the feel of it they may stay in it. but mine did the same thing before and then wouldn't go in anymore but when i intoduced another clown it started hosting from the start then the other followed

 

[grink dude]

oooooooh i hope he gets the picture and just hosts it lol