New method of getting clownfish to host.

[ptomoson]

Ok, well maybe it was just a coincedence but I would like to hear your thoughts!

I purchased two juvenile tank raised maroons two weeks ago hoping they would host my BTA. They appeared to want nothing to do with the anem. Many reefers here on RC said it was hit or miss. I had to go out of town for three days so I asked my wife to feed the fish and keep an eye on the tank, especially the temperature.

It was rather warm for November here and when she saw the temp at 83 she shut off the power strip to the lights (halides & VHO's) which also was the powerstrip that ran the powerhead I use for flow.

So for two days the tanks lights were out and there was minimal flow. On my drive home my wife called to say that both clownfish were "in" the anemone. Coincedence?

 

[garygb]

My guess is, they just took to the anemone like maroons do to BTAs naturally. I bought a tank-raised one and it was in an RBTA in a day or two. With my tank-raised ocellaris, the same thing happened with my magnificas. I don't think being tank-raised has anything to do with it. I do think that clowns are more partial to species of anemone that are their natural host. I have read, and I believe the current thinking regarding what attracts clownfish to anemones is the scent of the anemone. This is an instinctive behavior and explains why tank-raised clowns that might have never seen an anemone often quickly are attracted to them.

 

[ptomoson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13672299#post13672299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by garygb
My guess is, they just took to the anemone like maroons do to BTAs naturally. I bought a tank-raised one and it was in an RBTA in a day or two. With my tank-raised ocellaris, the same thing happened with my magnificas. I don't think being tank-raised has anything to do with it. I do think that clowns are more partial to species of anemone that are their natural host. I have read, and I believe the current thinking regarding what attracts clownfish to anemones is the scent of the anemone. This is an instinctive behavior and explains why tank-raised clowns that might have never seen an anemone often quickly are attracted to them.

Good point. My wife did say they were just on the outside of the BTA for an entire day like they were "smelling" it. The next day they were hosting!

 

[garygb]

Yeah, we can only assume that's what they were doing--sniffing out their new digs. Glad that they found he anemone for you. It makes for a much more interesting display.

I can't recall where I read the article about sense of smell being the way clowns find anemones, maybe someone posted it in here. I'm sure it's on the internet somewhere.

 

[garygb]

Here is an article, not sure if it's the same one I read before, regarding how clownfish find anemones:


http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/29/nemo-clownfish-smell.html