my platinum-picasso wont host anemone.. or?

[grabbit]

Hey guys..

Here is long story short.. Have two clowns - one is platinum, bigger one, the other one is picasso, smaller one.

Have them in my 90G tank with two different anemones.. One is red bubble tip on small rock I can move around, the other anemone is Sebae anemone which is much larger and also host anemone crab.

My two clowns are not yet mated.. they show some signs of it and it looks like at some point they will get there

Problem is, they do not want to host in anemone. I did some research regarding that issue and I still have my hopes it will happen.
Both of them like to hang in upper part of my tank. Before them I had a pair of black and white ocellaris and they would host my Sebae anemone.. It wasn't easy with them either, but I did the "picture on glass" idea.. as well as when tank lights went off, I put flashlight on top my tank cover and shine it thru on anemone, which some way worked well and these black white clowns start hosting it.

With my platinum clown is a different story.. He decided to host overflow vents/holes.. It was funny to watch him literally to get stuck to it and sleep there every single night.. During a day he was swimming and being happy all over tank. I start noticing that his fins are tearing apart due to water movement around/thru his body and then to overflow. I had to do some small modifications and now he lost his HOST = OVERFLOW.. so he is hanging just in upper part of tank.

I also decided to put him and his little buddy picasso in small breeding net, and with them that small rock with red bubble. In such a small area there is more chance for contact between those clowns and anemone - it did work, they were kinda forced to touch it!

I noticed that my platinum is hosting it now and dominate over it.. I also do the flashlight thing again and seems like it is working.. That platinum is not letting picasso get any closer though.. At some point I will have to let them go back to main tank, but makes me wonder if there is finally some type of bond forming between my platinum and anemone? Anyone has any experience with it? Or maybe similar story?

I am just afraid that when I released them back to tank, there is going be no interest in hosting that anemone..


Thanks..

 

[jonnybravo22]

Hi grabbit. i see a few different issues here, hope this is helpful.

1. never force clownfish to touch an anemone before they are ready. it can lead to dead clownfish, and IMO is really an insensitive approach. According to one scientific theory, they need to develop the right coating to safely touch the specific anemone which can take time.

2. the type of anemone offered makes a difference. the two types you describe are not natural hosts for A. percula. even though it is fairly common that people get a hosting relationship between BTAs and perculas or sebaes and perculas, as far as i've read neither is a native host in the wild for these fish. you increase your chances by introducing a native species (but i would not suggest simply adding it to your current setup as you have a lot going on already)

3. mixing anemones can have negative consequences. i would reconsider whether you want / need to have mutliple species of anemone in the same tank (sometimes they can wage chemical warfare, etc.)

4. with all that said even with a native host in a species tank, it can just take time. for instance my onyx clownfish used to be "hosted" by the return line nozzle in my tank. i introduced an s. gigantea (native host) to the tank and they ignored it for weeks!! they got nervous at first and stayed away. i was disappointed and started to think they may never go into the anemone after the "picture trick" and other recommendations failed. what i did try and what may have helped is that i changed the flow conditions so that there was more flow aimed towards the return line nozzle to sort of urge them to "not rest there" a subtle hint to look for a new place, and ultimately they moved across the tank to the anemone on their own a few days later. after the male when in first, the female stayed at the return nozzle for another week or so, in all it took a month before both were hosting.

5. not sure what to say about 1 fish not allowing the other to enter the anemone, other than that i've heard of this pretty commonly when the fish first begin hosting and are not yet mated. i think that's a matter of time.

so in summary offer the best environment you can for the species, try small making small changes to the tank setup but dont force them, and be patient.

how long has it been since you added the fish / anemones?

 

[grabbit]

Hi grabbit. i see a few different issues here, hope this is helpful.

1. never force clownfish to touch an anemone before they are ready. it can lead to dead clownfish, and IMO is really an insensitive approach. According to one scientific theory, they need to develop the right coating to safely touch the specific anemone which can take time.

2. the type of anemone offered makes a difference. the two types you describe are not natural hosts for A. percula. even though it is fairly common that people get a hosting relationship between BTAs and perculas or sebaes and perculas, as far as i've read neither is a native host in the wild for these fish. you increase your chances by introducing a native species (but i would not suggest simply adding it to your current setup as you have a lot going on already)

3. mixing anemones can have negative consequences. i would reconsider whether you want / need to have mutliple species of anemone in the same tank (sometimes they can wage chemical warfare, etc.)

4. with all that said even with a native host in a species tank, it can just take time. for instance my onyx clownfish used to be "hosted" by the return line nozzle in my tank. i introduced an s. gigantea (native host) to the tank and they ignored it for weeks!! they got nervous at first and stayed away. i was disappointed and started to think they may never go into the anemone after the "picture trick" and other recommendations failed. what i did try and what may have helped is that i changed the flow conditions so that there was more flow aimed towards the return line nozzle to sort of urge them to "not rest there" a subtle hint to look for a new place, and ultimately they moved across the tank to the anemone on their own a few days later. after the male when in first, the female stayed at the return nozzle for another week or so, in all it took a month before both were hosting.

5. not sure what to say about 1 fish not allowing the other to enter the anemone, other than that i've heard of this pretty commonly when the fish first begin hosting and are not yet mated. i think that's a matter of time.

so in summary offer the best environment you can for the species, try small making small changes to the tank setup but dont force them, and be patient.

how long has it been since you added the fish / anemones?

Hi there.. First of all, thank You for taking your time to respond.. I really do appreciate that. Here are some more info...


1. Never really force them to anemone... the only thing I did was put them and anemone in smaller area where there is more chance to get them together in contact at some point.. which already happened.

2. I read about clowns and what kind of anemones they host.. but due to having those two anemones for a LONG time (I would say about 2-3 yrs)... I simply did not want to introduce 3rd kind in already existing system with twho anemones already in.

3. I have those two anemones for a looooong time and there was never an issue. Wont be able add another one though even is the other two are not natural host for my perculas.

4. corrected that issue by blocking some of the holes in overflow.. My platinum got hint then thats not a great spot to host and move to other corner, but nowhere near anemone.

5. yeah there is still a way to get them fully mated.. I know platinum one will be/is female.. bigger one and dominates over smaller picasso.. picasso like to "lay/swim" on his side and shake from time to time in front of platinum..

I have had my anemones for 2-3 years... Clowns were added about 4 months ago..

 

[grabbit]

so small update.. after 48 hrs having both clowns in breeding net with red bubble tip anemone.. I let them go back to tank and put rock with anemone in the same place where clowns are hanging out.. and nothing.. my platinum clown went from being in love with anemone (in net)... to total ignorance of it once back in tank...

So I decided to give up on trying have them together.. oh well.


Now, one more thing.. placing 3rd clown.. let say Clarki ( juvenile - which like to host any anemone.. ) with pair of perculas... do U think that would help any way and give them clue that this is their home ??? Any ideas?

 

[nemoboy1]

I have same problem with my Picasso males which I thought was a pair at first... They would stay on top even with my h. Crispa aka sebae and yes sebae h crispa is a natural host to percula. Once I figured they weren't a pair and would not host I split them up added a large for sure female who knows how to host and bam she taught one of my Picasso to host... The other Picasso still hasn't host yet need to find him a mate... Before he turns. I'm not sure how big your Picassos are but you can try that method by introducing another larger percula has to be a female... By the way I think from what you describe both of your Picasso are still male larger might be on his way but it will take some time before they start to show any signs of bonding if he doesn't beat up the other one too badly then once bond they will breed if conditions are right. Good luck

 

[grabbit]

I have same problem with my Picasso males which I thought was a pair at first... They would stay on top even with my h. Crispa aka sebae and yes sebae h crispa is a natural host to percula. Once I figured they weren't a pair and would not host I split them up added a large for sure female who knows how to host and bam she taught one of my Picasso to host... The other Picasso still hasn't host yet need to find him a mate... Before he turns. I'm not sure how big your Picassos are but you can try that method by introducing another larger percula has to be a female... By the way I think from what you describe both of your Picasso are still male larger might be on his way but it will take some time before they start to show any signs of bonding if he doesn't beat up the other one too badly then once bond they will breed if conditions are right. Good luck

hey there...

I have 1 platinum which is around 1.5" and picasso which is around 1.25" size. When I introduced my picasso, my platinum was kinda "attacking" picasso. Picasso learn quickly whos the boss.. so he started his "shaking ritual" whenever my platinum bump to him.. Picasso I got, would never start fight with platinum.

As I mentioned above.. if I put them both in breeding net with red bubble tip anemone, then my platinum will host it and kinda protect it from my picasso. But when I let them go back to main tank .. then quickly my platinum forgets about anemone and is hanging out on the upper side of my tank.

 

[nemoboy1]

Putting them into a net with any anemone isn't the solution... They are both scared being in the net but platinum is bigger and is more dominant male so he gets to hide in the anemone for protection from predator... When he gets out of the net he goes back to being normal... Like I said give them time and maybe introduce a 2" or more percula into the tank.... May sure she has host before or else you might have the same problem... Time will tell....