What have you tried to get anemone to host clowns?

[rishu_pepper]

Got my pair of juvenile Onyx clowns more than a week ago. They're beautiful fishes and we love them. They are already paired before we got them from the breeder so they hang out together all the time.

Thing is, most people would like to see anemone hosting clownfish, and I am no different.

In my 90g tank, there's a 1' wide sebae anem, 1" RBTA, 1" Haitian anem. Both the sebae and Haitian have hosted tomato clowns in separate occasions. My wish is to have the Onyx being hosted by the sebae, since it's really the centrepiece of our tank.

Of course, being new additions, the clowns just mostly swim around the top. Sometimes they would eye the sebae, even within an inch, just to troll my wife and me, it seems, but never go inside. The sebae is definitely healthy to host, I remember adding the tomato clown (now sold) and it immediately went to the sebae and never left it.

What are some of the methods that have been successful to help along clowns to be hosted? So far we've tried using food to lead them to the anem, taping a picture of clown+anem onto the glass, even looping a video of clown+anem, but no success. I realize that more patience is required but any non-invasive method that could help them out and teach them, I am all ears.

(I am not willing to take out the anem and clown and put them in a container, even if it works 90% or what have you)

Water params: all normal
Tankmates: small hippo tang, starry blenny, moray eel, 2x chromis, YW goby, various inverts

 

[garygb]

A gigantea or magnifica would probably become an almost immediate host for your fish, as they are natural combinations. Although some sources list crispa as a natural host for percs, that's very likely a mistake. When you look at percs in the wild, they're not in crispa. All that said, in time your percs may settle in to one of your anemones, but I don't think there is any trick, just time.

 

[N9BX]

A gigantea or magnifica would probably become an almost immediate host for your fish, as they are natural combinations. Although some sources list crispa as a natural host for percs, that's very likely a mistake. When you look at percs in the wild, they're not in crispa. All that said, in time your percs may settle in to one of your anemones, but I don't think there is any trick, just time.

I am Waiting for the same thing with a Pair of Black Snowflake clowns... But there is Hope. They have been in the tank with a RBTA for 6 Months Now, and Look at it every once in a While. But never ventured in. About 2 weeks ago the mail started to host the Hammer coral, and the female soon followed suit. It figured as this Hammer coral was in the back of my tank.

But for the last two days, they have now decided to move up a Notch to the Torch Coral and it's enticing Movement. I too an hoping that this chain of events will finally lead them to the RBTA. One which has been bubbled up from the Start and the other one which has never bubbled up, but waves in the Current, very enticingly like the torch coral. I'll keep you updated. Bruce

 

[chris_88]

i took a larger cheap gladware container drilled some holes in it and let it float around in my display, keep the cover on if you try it

 

[msmith619]

Ocellaris (and I assume Perculas) are hit-and-miss on hosting anemones that are not their natural host.
I have kept Ocellaris for many years with BTAs and LTAs and they never hosted. I added a Gintantea (their natural host) to a new 56 gallon that had my 2 Ocellaris and they were almost in before it was out of my hand!
These are tank raised but, they still have an instinct for their natural host.

That being said, many times Ocellaris will ignore other anemones for months, or even years, and then one day decide to host in a BTA, LTA, or tentacled coral, etc.

 

[Gmerek2]

Grab the iPad turn all the lights off in the house and most in the tank. Pull up YouTube and show the clowns videos of clowns hosting sabea nems. It's like clown porn video for them and gets them in the mood.

 

[rishu_pepper]

I'm holding out hope that they will one day host in the crispa. I don't think I could find a magnifica or a gigantea easily locally, unfortunately. I'd be down for a gig though, they look beautiful.

I did leave the laptop with clowns hosted by anem in the video looped overnight, but they didn't get it on :crazy1: Will try again, couldn't hurt I guess. I also borrow some books from the library with clown/anem pics, gonna clamp the book on with the MagFloat and see if they get the right idea.

 

[rishu_pepper]

So one of the Onyx started being hosted tonight. But the other one hasn't shown much interest. Should I be concerned or will they eventually both be hosted? They've been paired ever since the breeder brought them together and since they've been introduced to my DT.

 

[Rippinfrags]

Grab the iPad turn all the lights off in the house and most in the tank. Pull up YouTube and show the clowns videos of clowns hosting sabea nems. It's like clown porn video for them and gets them in the mood.

Lol, I assure you this does nothing to help a clownfish find an anemone.

So one of the Onyx started being hosted tonight. But the other one hasn't shown much interest. Should I be concerned or will they eventually both be hosted? They've been paired ever since the breeder brought them together and since they've been introduced to my DT.

Perfectly normal, generally the female will find the anemone first and slowly allow the male to share the host.

 

[DirtinLa]

Mine (ocellaris) didn't go into my RBTA until I completely cut the flow... for some reason ... like overnight they went in and hardly ever come out accept to eat LOL

Not saying that will work but for some reason that was when they went to it...

perhaps the bubbletips slight motion with no other flow encouraged them to go in

 

[rishu_pepper]

Perfectly normal, generally the female will find the anemone first and slowly allow the male to share the host.

Good to know. The smaller (male I'm guessing? they're both rather young so maybe haven't changed sexes yet) IS taking baby steps like swimming near the anemone and occasionally/accidentally get whacked by the tentacles. I hope he finds it soon, it's an amazing sight to see one hosted already, she looks so happy!

 

[rishu_pepper]

Well, it only took an hour after the last post, and both are happily being hosted by the H. Crispa!

Pics to follow

 

[JG777]

My Ocellaris Clowns took 4 months.

 

[BPevito]

My snowflakes took a year to host my RBT