Confused Clownfish

[benjoss]

I just started up a Salt Water tank for the first time and I bought a Tomato clownfish. I also bought an anemone for the guy. Later on a traded the big guy for a percula clownfish. But now the clownfish won't go anywhere near the anemone. I was wondering if anyone might have an idea why or is there anything I can do to help him go into the anemone.


Thanks
Ben

[Jack]

I'm not sure Ben. I have a percula clown as well and he doesnt go in the anemone either. images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif

[George]

What kind of anemone? You can't just throw a clownfish and an anemone in a tank and hope they will bond. here are a couple links to start: http://www.wodonga.tafe.edu.au/private/kgw/af/home.htm http://biodiversity.bio.uno.edu/ebooks/intro.html

HTH
George

[Aquattro]

When I have a frag that won't go where I want it to I use glue. Maybe you could superglue the clown to the anemone images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

sorry, couldn't resist hehe

[George]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Reef_Raf:
When I have a frag that won't go where I want it to I use glue. Maybe you could superglue the clown to the anemone images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

sorry, couldn't resist hehe<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hehehe, maybe you should reserve the joke till the next time someone asking how to prevent an anemone from "moving".

George

[DJ88]

Welcome to the board Ben.. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

If you don't mind me asking.. how old is your tank? What kind of anemone did you get?

[benjoss]

I am pretty sure it is a heteractis crispa. I just went and checked it out. Also my tank is about four months old. My Tomato Clown loved the anemone but the new guy doesn't seem to like it. I was just wondering if there is anything wrong. Thanks so far.

Ben

[Samw]

Before my Kalk accident (which took out a significant number of livestock), my ocellaris clownfishes switched between the Long Tentacle and Sebae Anemone before finally settling into the Sebae. It took them 1 day to accept the Sebae anemone and 2 days later, they switched to the Long Tentacle. Then for a few weeks, they switched back and forth. After they permanently accepted the Sebae Anemone, they became very territorial and would lunge at my hand whenver I stuck it near the Sebae Anemone.

Now, they live happily in the Bubble Tip Anemone (which I found to be really hardy). It survived the Kalk accident and at that time, I've never before seen an anemone move around in a tank so fast. The other anemones sadly shrivelled up immediately.

My tank is relatively small so maybe that's the secret to the clowns accepting a host.

[ 11 January 2002: Message edited by: Sam W ]

[DJ88]

BEn,

My sister has two ocellaris clowns and a BTA and they dont' go near the anemone at all. That is after almost two months. Where my Perc's saw my saddleback and went crazy in it. They still do. Sometimes a clown will go to an anemone sometimes they won't, expecially if the anemone is not the clowns natural host.

Are your clowns perc's or ocellaris clowns? I am assuming perc's. Amphiprion Percula and Amphiprion Ocellaris are two different breeds of clowns. If they are in fact Ocellaris are they tank raised? if so they may never take to your host. If they are Percula then give it time. Sometimes they need to get the courage up. More specifically they need to adapt to the host anemone. Each anemone is different with it's "sting" and they need to get used to it.

As for your anemone. Can you find out for sure what it is you have? If you have a H. Crispa you have one of the more difficult anemones to keep. I won't even think of getting one. I won't get anymore period but that is my decision. What color is it right now? What does it look like? Are its tentacles short and fat? or long and extended? What color are the tips? DO you have access to a camera to get a pic?

I do need to know how much lighting you have on your tank. Lighting is crucial to an anemone's survival. To little and it will waste away. There is a great discussion on Reef Central right now about anemone keeping and one consensus' they have is that they need light. Without a doubt. Personally I feed mine as well. Not all the time and not heavy foods like solid fish or shrimp if it is a smaller anemone. When tehy can handle the larger foods I will give them some then.

You have chosen one of the hardest things to keep alive in the salt water world IMO. Sebaes aren't the easiest to keep so I wish you luck.

Right now I am fighting a losing battle trying to save my BTA that expelled its zooxanthellae after my tank crashed. It's not looking good. Hopefully yours is full and healthy so you don't need to fight with it as I am right now.

[DJ88]

Ben(and anyone else thinking about getting an anemone),

read this article written by Rob Tonnen. It is a great read about anemones.

Anemones (http://members.shaw.ca/montipora/pictures/anemone.doc)

[benjoss]

Hey Darren thanks for the advice so far. the Clown is a percula. I am not sure if it was tank raised or ocean caught. I guess I should have asked when I got him. My lighting is good. I just recently upgraded it. I am not 100% sure if my anemone is a H Crispa. He has long, thin almost clear arms but white tips. He seems do be doing OK. This my first time starting up an aquarium. My good friend Jack who also posts messages here got me into it. So any adive would help a lot images/smiles/icon_smile.gif thanks

[Samw]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by benjoss:
I am not sure if it was tank raised or ocean caught. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My observation so far has been that tank raised ones are less bright orange. If you go to J&L, you can see the tank raised ones are less colorful. This has also been documented on various websites. Ex.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clownfis.htm

"Percula (ocellaris), sebae (clarkii) and tomato (frenatus) clowns are produced in commercial numbers. These may be initially smaller and less-colorful than wild-caught specimens; but they do live. "

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

The colour is a key indicator in determining it's health. The brighter colours means better nutrition and health. Usually, selcon helps brings back the colour in fish.

I have seen this in my goldfish too...

- Victor.

[DJ88]

Sam,

Just so you know, Ocellaris and Percula are two different fish.

Look them up on Fishbase.org and you will find the differences if you are interested.. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Samw]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DJ88:
Sam,

Just so you know, Ocellaris and Percula are two different fish.

Look them up on Fishbase.org and you will find the differences if you are interested.. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Darren, yes. I knew that. I have a pair of Ocellaris at home. True Percs are captive bred too aren't they? I think J&L had some captive bred true percs which were also less colorful than the wild caught ones.

BTW: The above quote was from the website, not my words. I know it may be misleading the way they said "Percula (Ocellaris)".

Victor, yes I agree its probably something missing in their diet. I would assume some sort of crustacean/amphipod/copepod. When I use to raise large Red Oscars, they would turn brown when fed live guppies or dry foods but they turned bright red after feeding them live prawn/shrimp.

[ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: Sam W ]

[DJ88]

Well it was the misleaading part from the web page that got me.. images/smiles/icon_wink.gif lol.. I think I need a coffee..

I am not sure if the ones J&L sell are Tank raised(or if the are Percual clowns. I'll look into it.. I will probably be dropping by at some point today or tomorrow.. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Samw]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DJ88:


I am not sure if the ones J&L sell are Tank raised(or if the are Percual clowns. I'll look into it.. I will probably be dropping by at some point today or tomorrow.. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Darren, I picked up my fireshrimp on Sunday otherwise, I would have gone with you to get the group price.

When I bought my wild-caught Ocellaris at J&L about 2 months ago, John told me that they also had a tank full of captive-bred true black perculas. But that was 2 months ago. What they have advertised on their website now is for tank-bred Ocellaris. So, I'm sure you'll find out tomorrow if they still have tank-bred true percs or ocellaris or both.

[ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: Sam W ]

[canadawest]

Hey Darren, let me know when you are going to head to J&L. If I can I'll swing by your place and we can head over together.

I want to look at the Wrasses again, and we can get the group buy rate on those Blood Shrimp when we're there.

PS.. Anyone else who was interested in Blood Shrimp, J&L has a tonne of them for only $29.95. If you buy 4 or more they are $2 less each. So if you only want a pair, come buy them at the same time as Darren and I to get a bulk rate!