Questions about clowns/anemones pairing

[marietrg]

I bought a green tipped anemone and a pair of oscallaris clowns from the LFS. They've been in the tank for 4-5 days but they don't pair. The clowns just swim around the top of the tank. Will the clowns eventually discover the anemone or do I need to train them in some way? Thanks.

 

[elegance coral]

We need to know the species of anemone. Can you post a pic? "Green tipped" really doesn't tell us what species it is.

 

[marietrg]

 

[marietrg]

When I was at the LFS there was a clown of the same species that liked this anemone. The clown tried to defend it when it was removed from the display tank.

 

[ocellaris123]

You have a macrodactyla doreensis, or long tentacled anemone. They do not naturally host ocellaris, but that doesnt mean they wont in captivity. May take some time to start hosting.

 

[Mbachota]

I put my anemone where the clowns seemed to hang around at in my tank. Later that day they started hosting it. Some people say you can do the basket trick and that works.

 

[bues0022]

FWIW - I personally don't like the "basket trick" as it forces a clownfish to be in too close proximity to an anemone, potentially before they can build a slime coat robust enough to protect from said anemone. I've heard stories of this ending in the anemone eating the clownfish.

 

[Ron Smith]

If your anemone is a green bubble tip, it is he natural host for maroon clowns. When I put my maroon in with my bubble tip it was in it within seconds and has been with it for 5 years. I don't think other clowns will so readily pair with it.

 

[marietrg]

Update: I tried putting the two clowns into a small floating basket with the anemone for 2 days. The clowns seemed to swim and rest on the anemone. When I put them back into the display tank, they didn't seem to pair. The clowns just swam away. What advice do you have?

 

[psusocr]

That looks like a brand new tank which isnt going to end well for the nem,, unless you just happen to have amazingly white sand and rock.

 

[marietrg]

That looks like a brand new tank which isnt going to end well for the nem,, unless you just happen to have amazingly white sand and rock.

It's pretty new, not brand new. Been up an running 4-5 months. Cycled 40 days prior to adding fish. Waited another month before adding the clowns and anemones. Have a number of corals in there. Everything is thriving. Any ideas about the clowns? Thanks.

 

[elegance coral]

What advice do you have?

Just have patience. Leave them alone and let nature take its course.

 

[psusocr]

+1 .

 

[cet98]

Just have patience. Leave them alone and let nature take its course.

+1 .

+2.... "good things come to those who wait"

 

[garygb]

When clowns don't take to anemones, I think it is almost always because the anemone isn't a natural hosting species for that clown. I'm sure there have been exceptions, but I've observed very quick pairing between natural symbiotes. And, I've also seen that when someone posts that they're having trouble "getting" their anemone to host it's usually (maybe always) an unnatural pairing (e.g., Macrodactyla doreensis and ocellaris).

And on the subject of natural pairings, often times H. crispa and A. percula are listed as natural symbiotes. I think that sometimes happens in aquariums, but I don't think I've ever seen a pic from the ocean with a perc in a crispa.

 

[BubbaBoBobBrain]

From what I have read and been told oscallaris clowns especially captive bred which most are don't usually take to anemones. Your best bet on clowns to host an anemone, especially long tentacle or bubble tip would be maroon clowns. Even captive bred maroons are naturally drawn toward those anemones. Good luck with them. Hopefully you will get lucky with yours. Let us know if they take to your anemone.

 

[garygb]

Bubba, that information about captive bred clowns not taking to anemones has been debunked so many times I can't believe it's still being passed around. It doesn't matter what species captive bred clown one has, if you put it in the tank with a natural host for that species the clown will take to the anemone. The attraction is instinctual, not learned.

 

[cet98]

Bubba, that information about captive bred clowns not taking to anemones has been debunked so many times I can't believe it's still being passed around. It doesn't matter what species captive bred clown one has, if you put it in the tank with a natural host for that species the clown will take to the anemone. The attraction is instinctual, not learned.

<----- hence, the 6 month old tank raised Snowflake (A. ocellaris) being hosted by my BTA in my avatar

 

[boombox3]

I dont know if this will work for you but there have been some who have placed a photo on the glass showing a clownfish inside a anemone. Maybe this might work...

 

[D-Nak]

Since this thread was linked to another thread, I thought I'd add an update.

I dont know if this will work for you but there have been some who have placed a photo on the glass showing a clownfish inside a anemone. Maybe this might work...

Clownfish find their anemone via smell, not sight.