Will clowns adopt a frogspawn coral and protect it against butterfly?

[ntropics]

I have all of my corals in my refugium because the butterfly fish make short work of everything. I was wondering if A) Clownfish will adopt a frogspawn coral, and B) even if they did, could they/would they protect it against a six inch C. falcula, and semilarvatus butterfly? I tend to think it's a no go but I was still wondering!

Bruce

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

They 'may'...if they did they would then protect it.

 

[usatennisfan]

That's a tough one. All depends on what the clowns would find homey. At one point I had gotten a long tentacle plate to entice my clowns into that to keep away from my hammer because they were getting too frisky. They spent one day in the plate then went back to the hammer. And when I took the hammer out they had no interest in the plate. Clowns will sometimes host a coral in the lack of an anemone but may kill the coral in the process of their loving/biting the coral. If it were me, I would re-home the butterfly.

 

[ntropics]

OH NO! I cannot rehome the butterfly. It's a butterfly tank with a C. auriga, semilarvatus, falcula, and miliaris. I think I will just have to have the coolest refugium in town for a while longer. That's where I keep all of my corals. they actually do quite well there. Thanks for the help though.

Bruce

 

[madweazl]

Our clown hung out in the frogspawn for a while, and the green star polyps, and the Duncan coral, and finally the bubble anemone. He still frequents the Duncan.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Do not count on the clowns protecting it. I had an S. haddoni that hosted a pair of clarkii - that didn't stop a blue face angel from nipping and causing damage to it.

 

[SDguy]

I agree with Todd. My percs didn't stop a saddleback from munching on my euphyllia.