Saddlebacks in BTA or other artificial hosts?

[debatecoach]

Hi all,

I've been considering purchasing a pair of black saddleback clowns. I wanted to hear people's experiences with these clowns hosting in BTA's or other artificial hosts like Green Star Polyps or a torch coral, etc... I know that e. quads aren't their natural host, and I also know that every clownfish is different, but does this species have a predisposition one way or the other on their likelihood to host?

Thanks all, I did a quick search before posting the thread, and it seems like they're more likely to host than say false percs, but I wanted to hear some first hand accounts...thanks in advance!

Michael

 

[ransomed4ever]

I have an LTA and my saddlebacks were hosting it before it even hit the sand when I dropped it in.

 

[chuckdallas]

I had a Yellow Carpet Nem (Gig) and the pair of Saddlebacks jumped into that Nem before it got to the bottom of the sand. After that, we liked the Carpet so much, we got a Green Carpet (hadoni) and they moved back and forth since they were pretty close. The Hadoni wasn't well when I got it and I didn't have all 6 T5s back then, so between the move to the LFS, the move to my tannk and my lack of sufficient lighting, it passed. The Yellow Carpet passed shortly thereafter and I figure it was because the clowns moved from one to the other and spread the disease we figured the Green Carpet had. I knew Carpets needed lots of light, but I didn't know that meant Space Shuttle blast off-type lights such as MH or LEDs so I think the lack of light through a thin piece of glass and 24 inches of water may have been the primary cause. We got 2 LTAs from the LFS after the Carpets died and they wouldn't go into the LTA. On Black Friday, I got up at 4 am to go to the larger local LFS that had all livestock 25% off and bought a Rose BTA. The Saddlebacks were in the LTA when I came home from the store with the RBTA, but now don't go into the LTAs and live in the RBTA.

Does moving from one species of LTA to a BTA or RBTA cause trouble for the other type of Nem? Can a Clown transport the stinging power of one Nem to cause a second type of Nem to be affected?

 

[level65druid]

I am trying to catch my black saddleback pair and go with a perc. Main reason is they are not very interested in my H mag and it's been about 6months now. They probably prefer a haddoni or a gig. I don't think they will host a bubble tip or any other corals that percs usually do.

 

[xtlosx]

I have a black saddleback, and have 2 BTAs, he doesn't really care about either of them... Neither does my perc though. They're buttheads.

My tank is only 60G, and I don't think that I should attempt a carpet nem, I'd love to.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have a black saddleback, and have 2 BTAs, he doesn't really care about either of them... Neither does my perc though. They're buttheads.

My tank is only 60G, and I don't think that I should attempt a carpet nem, I'd love to.

What type of "carpet" ? Are you referring to an S. Haddoni (( a natural host ))?

What lights do you have?
Do you have a sandbed? If so, how deep?
What is the flow like in your tank?
What other fish do you have?

IME, S. Haddonis and E. Quads in the same tank don't work well -- the S. Haddoni never settled in/started to move shortly after the E. Quad was added. Consider that S. Haddoni can easily get 20" across, and larger. They can/will eat anything that touches it.

 

[xtlosx]

What type of "carpet" ? Are you referring to an S. Haddoni (( a natural host ))?

What lights do you have? A LOT of LEDs.. Lighting is not worry in this tank.

Do you have a sandbed? If so, how deep? Yes, it's about 2" on average and smoothing out now with the help of our CUC.

What is the flow like in your tank? a LOT of flow, and the wave maker helps alternate it from time to time.

What other fish do you have? Firefish, Watchman Goby, Lawnmower Blenny, Fairy Wrasse.

IME, S. Haddonis and E. Quads in the same tank don't work well -- the S. Haddoni never settled in/started to move shortly after the E. Quad was added. Consider that S. Haddoni can easily get 20" across, and larger. They can/will eat anything that touches it.

Yea, the Haddoni isn't an option, I'm more or less looking at either a Ritteri or Sebae, but more than likely the Ritteri. We have 2 BTAs in the tank, but I also don't want to just add the Ritteri for the Clownfish ya know. It'd be nice if he hosted the multiple LPS or BTAs that we have, but it is what it is....

I'm not lookig into doing this for quite some time, but in in 6 months time there is nothing in terms of hosting, I'll start looking at it. I was just curious.