New to clownfish. Common clown pair distancing from big RBTA

[karimwassef]

I got a mated pair of common percula clownfish a couple of weeks ago. They came from a local reef keeper taking his tank down - no anemone. No history.

I got a large 10" RBTA last night from another reef keeper. It found a good spot, rooted itself between rocks and showing well with great tentacle expansion in moderate light and flow.

I've never had a clownfish-anemone in my tanks so this is a first for me.

So the clowns seem to avoid the anemone like a threat. It's an 8ft tank so they have room, but they won't get within 4ft of it.

I landed it right where they used to hang out to make the bonding go faster but it's not happening?

Too soon? Drop some flake next to the anemone? Create a disturbance at the far end to give them reason to seek shelter in its tentacles?

 

[Scubareefman]

I have had a pair not take to a GBTA, they avoided it. I added another to the tank and they took to it within minutes. I don't think its a guaranteed thing and dependent on both animals excepting the symbiosis.
I may be wrong, I am not an expert but have had a few pairs hosted by BTA's over the years.
Hope they move in soon dude, cheers
Tom

 

[karimwassef]

You added another clown or another anemone?

Could a stressed anemone (due to the move) look good, but put off a 'stay away' chemical signature?

 

[hotelbravo]

have you heard of the "tube" method. I would try that. catch the clowns at night and put in a container within the tank that has holes in it for flow. then make a tube out of multiple old 2 liter soda bottles or something and put it around the anemone and add the clowns. they will be forced into the anemone and see it is not a threat.

 

[Coelli]

I don't know if this is at all applicable, but I have two tank-bred baby clowns in an acclimation box in the DT (they are too small to have free run of the tank). I used to keep the top of the box above the waterline so they couldn't escape from it. I bought a small BTA (small rock and all) and put it in the box with the clowns. They not only ignored it, they stayed near the surface at the other end of the box. After a couple of days I went into Mom mode and chased them into the anenome with my finger for a minute or two. You could almost see the lightbulb go off and they started loving all over the nem. They haven't left it since and the box is under the waterline now (better flow since there's no top) because they won't stray too far from the nem.

After 5 years of trying to teach my kid to swim underwater I tossed him into the deep end one day (with my friend waiting for him). From that day forward he swam like a fish. This felt very much the same.

 

[karimwassef]

They need time to get the anemone slime coating to avoid getting stung, right?

I thought they could be killed if they're forced prematurely in.

 

[hotelbravo]

They need time to get the anemone slime coating to avoid getting stung, right?

I thought they could be killed if they're forced prematurely in.

there are videos on youtube of people using the tube method on many clownfish including a large batch of matured clownfish fry. none i saw were eaten.

 

[addictedreefer]

They need time to get the anemone slime coating to avoid getting stung, right?

I thought they could be killed if they're forced prematurely in.

The sting of a BTA is very mild, so I would not be concerned. Different story if we were talking about a carpet nem.

 

[karimwassef]

Ok. Thanks.

They looked like they were interested this morning. Hanging out about a foot from its reach.

Then I put some flake food and the RBTA grabbed some and closed up. They went after the flake too and now they're 4 ft apart again. DOH!!

 

[jpa0741]

Just need to be patient. Sometimes it takes 10 mins sometimes it might be 18 months later or never seeing a bta is not natural for it to host in.

 

[ThRoewer]

I got a mated pair of common percula clownfish ...

I got a large 10" RBTA ...

Do you have pictures of the fish?
If these are true percula with a lot of black you may actually want them not going into the BTA as they would loose most, if not all of their black with this type anemone.

Though id doesn't matter much with ocellaris.

 

[karimwassef]

Success!!
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/0D34585F-4A39-4BDB-87A2-05B25166BA37_zpsbmpoojoj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/0D34585F-4A39-4BDB-87A2-05B25166BA37_zpsbmpoojoj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0D34585F-4A39-4BDB-87A2-05B25166BA37_zpsbmpoojoj.jpg"/></a>

Unfortunately, the RBTA opened up huge and its tentacles are touching my sps and favia. Should I move them or will it move away?

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6A79A213-2322-4FF7-BA6C-DC3B08995CE0_zpsnrjqyoae.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6A79A213-2322-4FF7-BA6C-DC3B08995CE0_zpsnrjqyoae.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6A79A213-2322-4FF7-BA6C-DC3B08995CE0_zpsnrjqyoae.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B8E515EF-78BE-49D3-8C65-0809A95F1F53_zpsua9apkip.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B8E515EF-78BE-49D3-8C65-0809A95F1F53_zpsua9apkip.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B8E515EF-78BE-49D3-8C65-0809A95F1F53_zpsua9apkip.jpg"/></a>

 

[ThRoewer]

Congrats!

Those are ocellaris, not percula.

Ocellaris are in my experience easier to accept BTA.

 

[karimwassef]

Thanks. How bad is an RBTA sting? Do I need to rescue my corals or will it be ok?

 

[karimwassef]

Arghh !! It's foot is on my coral's face!

Move it or leave it??

 

[ThRoewer]

Really depends on the corals and what you care more about. BTAs are not the worst stingers.

 

[karimwassef]

Favia.

 

[ThRoewer]

That half dead green one? I'd move rather that than the anemone.

 

[karimwassef]

Half dead = half alive. It was a rescue from a buddy's tank teardown and looking better every day.

I waited till dark and the RBTA scrunched down to near nothing into the cave (clowns following in), and moved the favia away.

 

[karimwassef]

So all was going well until two nights ago. The RBTA disappeared completely. It's been opening up well and even eating some mysis.

Then, it pulled itself deep into the rocks. Foot against the back glass (so I can see it from the back), but hidden from light and motion. The clowns still hang out where it used to extend its tentacles, but it's not there any more.

The foot is still large and well attached to the back, but it's tentacle look a little wilted, even compared to its usual pulled in look.

I haven't kept one before... All corals until this one.

Should I be worried?