Question about feeding RBTA...

[Blazer88]

I actually haven't feed my RBTA in a few months and the Anemone is thriving. I was wondering if I should feed my anemone even if my false-percs are hosting in it? Is there any harm from not feeding if it continues to grow and hold its color? Any help is appreciated, thanks.

-Rick

 

[ezhoops]

The anenome should be fine as long as the tank gets fed things like mysis and cyclopeeze and even rotifers, basically just so something can drift into it not matter how small. The best thing is also good water quality which sounds like what you've been doing. keep it up.

BTW the fish will not feed the anenome, just a common myth

 

[Blazer88]

Interesting.....I've heard the myth that the clown's will feed the anemone before, good to know it's not true. I do put some Mysis and Cylo-peeze and feed my LPS so I imagine it is getting something to eat. I guess why change anything if it has been doing so well for the past six months. Thanks for the reply.

 

[tag]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7057052#post7057052 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezhoops
The anenome should be fine as long as the tank gets fed things like mysis and cyclopeeze and even rotifers, basically just so something can drift into it not matter how small. The best thing is also good water quality which sounds like what you've been doing. keep it up.

BTW the fish will not feed the anenome, just a common myth

clowns will actually steal food from their host if they are hungry enough. watching my clowns, i think the myth comes from when a clown has had enough food, it starts to play with it...like spitting it out. i've seen my clowns do this often and sometimes it just happens that they are near the host when they spit food out.

 

[dzovi]

Once my clowns get their fill of the food they spit the food at the anemone's mouth and feed it. They will grab the food in their mouth and swim directly to the anemone and spit it at the anemone's mouth. They won't feed all of my anemones but they will feed the anemone that is their favorite at the moment. If feeding the anemone isn't the clownsââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ intention it sure is a giant coincidence.

 

[Anemone]

Clowns, like other damsels will take larger pieces of food and spit them into the rocks (for damsels) or an anemone (for clowns). The intention, if one can judge intent in a clown/damsel, is to save the food for later and/or eat it in peace (away from other food competitors). The result is that clowns put their food in the anemone, and the anemone consumes it (often while the clown is chasing down other food in the tank).

It appears to be an unintended consequence, as in many cases, when the clown is full, they often start pulling food out of the tentacles of their host and spitting it back into the water column (dang clowns are very exacting about what can be in their anemones! :lol: ) - in essence accomplishing the exact opposite of feeding the anemone (unfeeding?). Again, an apparent unintended consequence due to other natural behaviors being played out.

FWIW,
Kevin

 

[allen00se]

I would disagree, my clowns will take larger meaty pieces to the anemone and spit it directly into its mouth. It will then leave and go find smaller pieces for itself to eat. If it comes back and the food has drifted away from the mouth it will pick it back up and stick it right on the anem's mouth.
If the clowns were just looking for a place to store their excess food I would think it would bring smaller pieces that it could eat itself. Also why would it only spit it directly into the mouth. The anemone is about 8 inches wide why would it target directly for the mouth every time?

 

[Anemone]

Ever watch a damsel do the same thing (only with a crevice in a rock, rather than an anemone)?

Kevin

 

[iku]

yeah im pretty sure my clown feeds her anemone too..

 

[ezhoops]

Funny cause I've had clowns host in clay pots and they grab a piece of mysis and rush back to the pot and spit it out, so they must be feeding my clay pot.

it's just a coinincidence that the clown "feed" the anenome and sure it happens and sure the anenome takes and eats the food. But I assure you, knowing how most clowns are pigs they want that food all to themselves. As mentioned I've had clowns actually steal food from anem's.

 

[IslandCrow]

Yeah, I'd agree that clowns probably aren't actually trying to feed the anemone. Mine brings food to the anemone all the time, but puts it on the outer edges, away from the mouth. If the anemone starts moving it towards its mouth, the clown will pull it back away. Every once in awhile, the anemone wins, though. Sometimes symbiotic relationships aren't on purpose.

 

[SEAFLOWERS]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7065635#post7065635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezhoops
Funny cause I've had clowns host in clay pots and they grab a piece of mysis and rush back to the pot and spit it out, so they must be feeding my clay pot.

it's just a coinincidence that the clown "feed" the anenome and sure it happens and sure the anenome takes and eats the food. But I assure you, knowing how most clowns are pigs they want that food all to themselves. As mentioned I've had clowns actually steal food from anem's.

EZHOOPS

I have seen clowns do the same kinda of things over the years,
kinda puts to rest the clown purposely feeding the anemone myth.IMO

 

[allen00se]

Im sure that there is some instincts that are in the genetics of clown fish that make them spit food into the anemone, I wasn't trying to say that the clown is completely aware that it is providing nutrition for another living organism, but also my clowns are not storing the food for themselves, they do not go back to eat it later, and it is always pieces that are to big for themselves. Guess we will never truly know until someone learns to speak "fish".

 

[gussy]

The clown feeding anemone only happens in captivity...NEVER been observerd in the wild. This goes the same for little clownfishes herding together at night.