Making Clowns Host With Anemone?

BigEZ77

BigEZ77

Member
Hi All,

4 days ago I had a small Flame BTA shipped to me with other corals. Upon receiving the bag, it was totally closed and only about half an inch in size (to give an idea of how small it is). Since then it has secured itself in my tank and opened up quite a bit (about two inches from end to end). My clowns were sort of curious for the first day, but since then they don't go near it. Could it be that its too new to the tank or too small?

I'm thinking of getting one of those acclimation boxes and putting the anemone in there with the clowns to see if that works. I've never removed an anemone from a rock before and am a little worried that if I do, I may damage it. Any tips or suggestions on how to do this?

Thanks,
 
give it a little more time, it may host the clowns and it may not. i've never seen the point in trying to force this relationship. if it's gonna happen, it will. since the nem is already apparently happy in its spot, i would leave well enough alone. clowns don't have to have a nem to be happy.

just my 2 cents. :)
 
I have 2 nems in my tank and my clowns don't even go near them. They still prefer the corner of the tank and the return nozzles.

The relationship isn't something you can force. Sometimes clowns just won't host in a nem no matter what you do.

You trying to force them to host in it would be like someone forcing you to live in a house you don't like, yet totally disregard the house your currently in and like.
 
Nina51 said:
give it a little more time, it may host the clowns and it may not. i've never seen the point in trying to force this relationship. if it's gonna happen, it will. since the nem is already apparently happy in its spot, i would leave well enough alone. clowns don't have to have a nem to be happy.

just my 2 cents. :)
Click to expand...

This. Plus at that size the clowns are highly likely to destroy it.
 
IMO...it's no different that adding a goby to a tank with a pistol in it first or vice versa. I know I bought my nem in hopes it would host my clown, but it hasn't in the two months I've had it...it's why a lot of us buy the two to begin with.

I've been muddling over the idea of how to get them together. I've seen the acclimation box setup you're referring to, but came across a video of a guy using a wide tube and hovering it over the nem. He then puts the clown down the tube so it has no where to swim but toward/into the nem. I plan to try this shortly with my own setup.

I don't see this as being a forced introduction. Tank raised clowns have no idea they can hang out it a safe anemone.

Good luck with however you get it to happen...it's worth a shot!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Please DO NOT force the clown into the anemone. You can hurt the anemone, you can hurt the clown. It is dependent upon a few things. First, the type of anemone and the type of clown - certain species of clowns will go to certain species of anemones. Also - if the clowns were tank raised, they may never go to the anemone anyway. If it is meant to happen, it will. It might be today, it might be next week, it could happen in 5 years. Or not at all. Or maybe the clowns will take a liking to one of your corals. It happens all the time. Let them do what they want to do. They're going to do that anyway.
 
the way i understand this, and somebody correct me if i'm wrong, a clown fish develops a "coating" that protects it from nem stings. this coating is built up gradually as the fish rubs itself on the nem so there is limited exposure at first.

if you take a clown never before exposed to an anemone and give it no room to slowly acclimate to an anemone you run the risk of that anemone stinging the clown fish to death just as it would any other fish. so, the idea of confining the fish and nem to a small area (like an acclimation box) doesn't seem like such a good idea.

the clown should have limited exposure to the anemone until it develops this protective coating.
 
I'm kinda dealing with the same thing. I got a BTA last week and he's doing great. I only have one clown in my DT and he hasn't gone near the anemone. He prefers a corner of the tank (not too far from the anemone so I have hope they'll find each other one day). I have another smaller clown in quarantine that came from the same tank the anemone came from and he was hosting in that tank. I'm hoping he'll go back to the BTA when he goes into the DT.

I wouldn't dare move an anemone once he's latched on to rock into a acclimation box. More damage then good can be done doing that.
 
Agree, do not force it, clowns need to adapt to a nem sting cells, and especially important if not a natural host nem/clown match.
I also agree at that size the clowns can torment the nem to death.
Fastest host results from a natural match, what that clown species would be found in the wild, though many may take an alternative to a natural host match, it may take much longer for them to recognize as a potential host.
I'd be patient.
 
Anemones which host clownfish
I get a lot of questions about anemones hosting clownfish. A list of those I know of follows.

Anemone - Compatible Clownfish Species

Bubble Tip Anemone (Rose Anemone)
Entacmaea quadricolor will host:


Amphiprion akindynos - Barrier Reef Clownfish
A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. frenatus - Tomato Clownfish
A. melanopus - Red and Black Clownfish
A. ocellaris - Ocellaris Clownfish
A. percula - Percula Clownfish
Premnas Biaculeatus - Maroon Clownfish


Long Tentacle (Corkscrew) Anemone
Macrodactyla doreensis will host:

A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. perideraion - Pink Skunk Clownfish
A. polymnus - Saddleback Clownfish
Premnas Biaculeatus - Maroon Clownfish


Carpet Anemone
Cryptodendrum adhaesivum will host:

A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. frenatus - Tomato Clownfish
Premnas biaculeatus - Maroon Clownfish


Sebae Anemone Heteractis malu will host:

A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
Premnas biaculeatus - Maroon Clownfish


Magnificent Anemone (Ritteri Sea Anemone)
Heteractis magnifica will host:

A. akallapisos - Skunk Clownfish
A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. melanopus - Red and Black Clownfish
A. ocellaris - Ocellaris Clownfish
A. percula - Percula Clownfish
A. perideraion - Pink Skunk Clownfish


Leathery Sea Anemone
Heteractis crispa will host:

A. chrysopterus - Orange Fin Clownfish
A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. melanopus - Red and Black Clownfish
A. percula - Percula Clownfish
A. perideraion - Pink Skunk Clownfish
A. polymnus - Saddleback Clownfish


Giant Carpet Anemone
Stichodactyla gigantea will host:

A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. ocellaris - Ocellaris Clownfish
A. percula - Percula Clownfish
A. perideraion - Pink Skunk Clownfish


Saddle Carpet Anemone (Haddon's Sea Anemone)
Stichodactyla haddoni will host:

A. chrysopterus - Orange Fin Clownfish
A. clarkii - Clark's Clownfish
A. ocellaris - Ocellaris Clownfish
A. percula - Percula Clownfish


Condy Anemone Condylactis gigantea will as far as I know NOT naturally host any clownfish


Haitian Reef Anemone
Condylactis spp. has no reported hosting relationship with clownfishes


Tube Anemone
Ceranthus membranaceus No reported relationship with clownfishes


Rock Anemone
Epicystis crucifer No reported relationship with clownfishes
 
That's an interesting list, Steve. I was under the impression that the BTA was not a natural host for the Ocellaris or the Perc. My own personal experience with the BTA is that it's 50:50 whether those two clown species will accept it. With mags, it's 100%.
 
On that list you missed one. I had an occelarus host my hammer coral for years. Lol. I have a pair of tank raised darwins. They have been in the tank with my nem for over a year without even looking twice at it. Yeah it's a bummer but if they are happy, so am i
 
My four clown fishes are hosting a sabae anemone, frogspawn, hammer and a torch. Let them do it naturally. They will once the symbiotic relationship build up.
 
WaReefer458 said:
On that list you missed one. I had an occelarus host my hammer coral for years.
Click to expand...

Clowns will associate with anything including corals or equipment.. The list was for anemones only. When they chose corals, they often damage or kill the coral.
 
ca1ore said:
That's an interesting list, Steve. I was under the impression that the BTA was not a natural host for the Ocellaris or the Perc. My own personal experience with the BTA is that it's 50:50 whether those two clown species will accept it. With mags, it's 100%.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty certain you are correct here, BTA is not a natural host to occs or percs.
This list is pretty good but I think it has been brought up before that should be updated.
Anemone's are still so misunderstood, just hard to study an animal that lives underwater and also lives 50-100 years or maybe more.

Fautin and Allen have probably the most current and up to date info on anemones
 
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