Good evening every one I hope this read from my experience helps someone along their Clownfish / Anemone struggle.
1rst I did a lot of research on what anemone I wanted and settled on a electric green S. Haddoni. My conclusion came based on health, price, ease of care and of course color. I have a Red Sea Max 250 which has been modified for a refugium / sump. My tank is Branching LPS and Zoa dominated. My water spec stay in check as I do not run a skimmer and do multiple water changes a week. I believe in the the heavy import and export of nutrient therory. ( it help that I have a few NPS corals that require extra feeding )
Next came location and placing the Haddoni. After some reaserch I found that if you dig a little of your sand bed next to a rock in the preferred location that the anemone would be less likely to move. So I did so close to the front of the tank. After placing the anemone she immediately set her foot on the Rock and began to dig in and settle. I waited around 48 hrs to allow for movement and there was none.
Then came clown fish choice ( with my wife's strong opinion Nemo style was a must in her eyes ), however I wanted a more natural host. So ..... We went with the damn Ocellaris. After weeks of the clowns completely ignoring the anemone I tried multiple ways of encouragement. You name it I probably tried it. Mind you I bought 5 clowns in hopes of one little dude would just jump in for sure. NOPE! So back to the drawing board and more reaserch. I had read that the anemone will have to want to host them as much as the clowns will want to be hosted. ( in my mind the was a bunch of BS ) how could the anemone dictate wether the clowns would want to be hosted. Then I read an article where by clown fish were reintroduced to anemones in the wild some up upstream and some downstream. The ones downstream had a higher success rate of pairing up with the anemone. This got my gears turning.
So I removed the Ocellaris clowns and added 3 Clarkii clowns the natural species for S. Haddoni. After 1 hour I was amazed the anemone shriveled up some and dumped the contents of her stomach. ( light bulb turning on now). She was baiting the new correct clowns. Within 10 minutes all 3 Clarkii started flirting with her. Another hour and they were tasting the tentacles. By the 4th hour 2 had successfully started hosting. While I await the third clown ( not likely they'll let him in) I am reminded that a symbiotic relationship requires both parties mutually in peaceful harmony.
So take your time choosing your anemone first based on your requirements. Then pick the natural host clowns you and your tank mates will be happier in the end.
Thanks for reading Dale.:spin1:
1rst I did a lot of research on what anemone I wanted and settled on a electric green S. Haddoni. My conclusion came based on health, price, ease of care and of course color. I have a Red Sea Max 250 which has been modified for a refugium / sump. My tank is Branching LPS and Zoa dominated. My water spec stay in check as I do not run a skimmer and do multiple water changes a week. I believe in the the heavy import and export of nutrient therory. ( it help that I have a few NPS corals that require extra feeding )
Next came location and placing the Haddoni. After some reaserch I found that if you dig a little of your sand bed next to a rock in the preferred location that the anemone would be less likely to move. So I did so close to the front of the tank. After placing the anemone she immediately set her foot on the Rock and began to dig in and settle. I waited around 48 hrs to allow for movement and there was none.
Then came clown fish choice ( with my wife's strong opinion Nemo style was a must in her eyes ), however I wanted a more natural host. So ..... We went with the damn Ocellaris. After weeks of the clowns completely ignoring the anemone I tried multiple ways of encouragement. You name it I probably tried it. Mind you I bought 5 clowns in hopes of one little dude would just jump in for sure. NOPE! So back to the drawing board and more reaserch. I had read that the anemone will have to want to host them as much as the clowns will want to be hosted. ( in my mind the was a bunch of BS ) how could the anemone dictate wether the clowns would want to be hosted. Then I read an article where by clown fish were reintroduced to anemones in the wild some up upstream and some downstream. The ones downstream had a higher success rate of pairing up with the anemone. This got my gears turning.
So I removed the Ocellaris clowns and added 3 Clarkii clowns the natural species for S. Haddoni. After 1 hour I was amazed the anemone shriveled up some and dumped the contents of her stomach. ( light bulb turning on now). She was baiting the new correct clowns. Within 10 minutes all 3 Clarkii started flirting with her. Another hour and they were tasting the tentacles. By the 4th hour 2 had successfully started hosting. While I await the third clown ( not likely they'll let him in) I am reminded that a symbiotic relationship requires both parties mutually in peaceful harmony.
So take your time choosing your anemone first based on your requirements. Then pick the natural host clowns you and your tank mates will be happier in the end.
Thanks for reading Dale.:spin1:
