suggestions on getting TR clowns to host??

[COreefer]

I have 2 anemones in my 54, a H Crispa and a RBTA. I have had one clown for a month now and he just hovers at the very top of the tank. I bought two more rod's onyx this week and they seem to like the euphyllia sp in my tank and don't go near the anemones. Should I take out the Hammer corals?? What do most of you do to encourage your TR clowns to host to an anemone?

Also does anyone have thoughts on why this one individual clown stays at the top of the water? Is this typical of very young clowns?

 

[dantodd]

There are a number of strategies to try and get your clowns to host. None are proven particularly effective. You will almost certainly end up with aggression in your tank with more than 2 clowns in it.

Strategies include the following (remember none are guaranteed to work)

1) put a picture of a clown fish on the outside of the glass near the anemone. (variations include pictures of clowns hosting anemone and the little clown-looking veggie clips inside the tank near the anemone)

2) Remove the fish and re-arrange the tank. Leave the fish in QT for a week or two and re-introduce to the re-arranged tank. (variation includes introducing other fish in the interim so the clowns feel the need for protection when they get in the tank)

3) Wait until the fish are asleep at night and "corral" them toward the anemone with a net or your hand. Do this a number of nights in a row relatively gently, not all in one night.

 

[Noise]

I used pics of clowns hosting anemones, and it worked for me. I left them up for a couple of weeks, until I was tired of looking at them. A few weeks later the clowns started hosting.

I have heard of this method working for many others, but this is all anecdotal.

 

[matttaylor]

I also had good luck with the picture stratagy, but it took almost 2 weeks. Or it could have been the introduction of a maroon clown in the tank that caused my TR perc's to host in my hadonni. Either way i think the pictures of perculas hosting had a lot to do with it. Put the pictures near wherever your clowns spend most of their time and see what happens.

 

[mbunaman]

Or you can put this picture next to the tank

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

:lol: