My Ocellaris experience

[wayside]

After reading the thread WTB tank raised Ocellaris, I decided to share my story (it's been less than a week) and also ask questions to other false percula keepers.

We decided to buy from the Petco on Saratoga Ave. I am usually strongly against Petco's because I have many pet reptiles but their saltwater section was large and looked clean. They had a good number of clownfish. We chose a pair, one dark and one light colored. We put them in our 90g reef tank and they are looking very good and healthy.

This was on Thursday of last week. The darker one has already started hosting our 2 RBTA's. The anenomes are kinda close together and he likes to jump in both. Now my question is this - for the first few days they seemed like a happy pair, bickering a little bit but for the most part staying and swimming together. Now that the darker one has hosted, he seems to sort of chase the lighter one away if she gets close to his 2 anemones. They should eventually pair up and share the same anemone right? Is it possible that they are both female already? I call the darker, hosting one "he" and the lighter one "she" because she is a little bit larger and definitely eats more. But "he" is starting to become aggressive territorially.

I may just need to give them some time. He just started hosting last night, on the 4th day we had them. This is very exciting though - my wife loves them! (she named them after our names, but "he" may turn out to be "she" and vice versa the way things are going).

 

[dantodd]

Based on the apparent size and source I'd say there is almost no chance they are both female.

Sounds like pretty normal dominance behavior. If they are really fighting one will need to be removed to prevent it from being killed.

 

[Vincerama2]

How much were the fish? I might pop by there to check out them out.

V

 

[racrumrine]

At this stage of the game, just be happy they are eating, interested in anemones and each other, and haven't brought some disease in your tank from lack of using a QT.

Nothing against Petco; but, I see sick and dead fish at my local ones all the time. It goes with the territory of their their high volume business model.

For lots of great info, check out the Anemones & Clownfish forum.

So far, all the behaviors you are describing are normal.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[gfk]

in my experience. the female hosted, wouldnt let the male in. then at night she would let him in. then during the day she let him in, then they were in together all the time.

it just takes time. she is just being dominant which females are (for clowns and in real life so they think)

youll be fine

 

[wayside]

Hey Vince,

I think they were $13 each, with a good selection of tomatos, perculas, and clarkii's. I agree with you Roy, most Petco's I see have lots of sick and dying fish, but this one looked clean enough for me to purchase. I've been going to a lot of aquariums lately before picking up this pair and I saw more sick/dying fish at some fish speciality stores which is disappointing.

 

[dantodd]

I think that's the Petco that Mobert whipped into shape.

 

[Vincerama2]

Actually, I found someone that lives really close to me who is selling his pair of ocellaris (he's selling off his livestock). They are at least 3 years old, but they host in his rbta and they are paired up, so I thought I'd go with a known healthy, rbta hosting pair! Also, since he's selling them off, I'd rather help give a home to fellow reefer's fish!

V

 

[dantodd]

Do you have the lighting etc. to be able to take the RBTA too? I'm sure they'd like that! Are they spawning?

 

[Vincerama2]

I actually have two fairly large rbta in my tank already! They are about the size of an outstretched hand and VERY bubble tipped. They are great. I hope they don't grow any larger though! I was at Aquatic Gallery last week and Dr Li has a few RBTA in his tank, I swear the size of a large pizza!

The RBTA in his (Daniel's) tank are the size of golf balls, I'm sure the clowns would love mine! (not too often you can upgrade to a larger place to live in the Bay Area for so cheap!)

He said he's never seen them spawn, but if they do, I will definitely go through the effort of trying to get the fish grown up!

V

 

[dantodd]

LOL. I wish I could upgrade like that.

I think that BTAs get a little ugly when they are that big and spread out. They have a huge tentacle-free area around the mouth and it just looks strange. Mine does that sometimes but usually the 'naked' part is sort of in the crevice he calls home.

I've been looking for someone to go to Jackson Arms with so if you want to go sometime let me know, I'd love to meet up.

 

[Vincerama2]

Off-topic, I've been to Jackson Arms a few times, not bad. I've not been to the Coyote Point range yet, ever been there?

OK, that was too off topic!

I really look forward to the clowns. I was soo completely disappointed when my "wild caught" guys got sick real fast. I wonder how the other clowns are doing in the LFS tanks.

I think I'll still give them a very short freshwater dip (like 2 minutes) before putting them in the tank. Though since they've been heathly in his tank (and his other fish look healthy too) I think they'll be safe to put into the main tank, rather than sitting in my QT. (Yes, I know, that's might not be the best, but the QT didn't really help my poor wild caught guys either!)

I agree that the humongous RBTA are kinda ugly looking. And I really hope the clowns don't feed the anemone! There is already a "radius of death" around the rbtas (the monti caps and some other sps are all dead wherever the rbta tentacles reach!)

V

 

[dantodd]

I use my big BTA for xenia control. I move xenia rocks near the anemone when they get overrun. Works pretty well.

 

[mobert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7296375#post7296375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
I think that's the Petco that Mobert whipped into shape.

???? I've no association with Petco but there is at least one employee there that I've talked to that is pretty knowledgeable.

 

[dantodd]

I thought that is the Petco you go to. I was suggesting that you probably educated the staff enough to be better than the usual Petco standard. Didn't mean to imply that you worked there or anything.

 

[mobert]

Oh, I thought maybe you thought I sold fishies to them. That IS my local Petco though. One of their employees there is a real reefer and I'm sure he's doing the best he can under the circumstances.