Switching Hosts

[Donkeykong]

My brother in laws tank has a pair of ocellaris clowns and they have taken a liking to his frogspawn. If he gets an anemone will they switch over or have they already planted there flag in the frogspawn?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Nobody can answer that question as it is 100% up to the clowns. He could try it and if they don't move to the anemone, then he could cover the frogspawn with something (like a bottle) so the clowns can't get to it. That may get them to try the anemone. I have a mated pair of perculas that have 2 RBTA, a good size frogspawn, 2 big hammer and several other big LPS corals they could use, but they show no interest in any of them. They spend their nights down by the sand in a corner of the tank.

 

[Whip316]

Most likely they won't go into it for a long time or ever. Once they find a host they like. They are stubborn.
If you want to get them to host rather quickly. Buy a black basket that is used in ponds. It's about 6x6x3". Clip it in your tank and put the nem and the clowns in it. They will go in the nem and start hosting. Might take a few minutes to a few days. I do this for all new clowns I ever bought. Learned this trick from a lfs.


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[devildog999]

I'm in the same position. About a week and half ago or so, my Sebae Nem they hosted with perished (got lost in some LR and somehow ended up with a huge wound on the tube), so they started hosting with my Goniopora. I have introduced a new nem and covered the Goniopora so they don't have access to it and they are starting to come around to the nem. Just hope they don't go right back to the Goni when I uncover it

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm in the same position. About a week and half ago or so, my Sebae Nem they hosted with perished (got lost in some LR and somehow ended up with a huge wound on the tube), so they started hosting with my Goniopora. I have introduced a new nem and covered the Goniopora so they don't have access to it and they are starting to come around to the nem. Just hope they don't go right back to the Goni when I uncover it

I doubt they will. They may be stubborn and not want to change. But once you force the issue, they'll be just as stubborn with the new host.

I think clowns take a bit of time to acclimate with a new host. I don't have a lot of experience with this, but I Have had to get clowns to use a new host twice in the past. Both times it took the clowns 2-3 days of gradually getting more and more involved with the new host.

 

[devildog999]

Good to know, I will likely keep it covered for 3 more days (just to be sure), it has been 1 already.

 

[D-Nak]

I think it also depends on the anemone you choose. If you find a natural host -- IIRC for occs it's Ritteri (Heteractis magnifica), Giant Carpet (Stichodactyla gigantea), and Merten's Carpet (Stichodactyla mertensii) -- you have a much better chance for them to use as a host.

This is true even with CB clowns. My Rod's clowns were hovering over the magnifica as soon as it hit the water. It was the strangest thing. Later, when I introduced a gigantea they were literally "feelin' the love" -- darting between the two nems.