Goofy clowns

[Bob I]

So I decided to set up my 20H, and take down the 15. I figured my true percs were doing to much digging, so I went barebottom. Since the clowns were not hosting with anything I thought a RBTA would be in order. The tank also housed an Open Brain because my Flagfin Angel was too fond of it. So the clowns had two choices for a host. WhenI put them into the tank they right away had a look at the RBTA. The following pictures show their choice.

[Delphinus]

I'm sorry but boy that figures...

PS. In the first pic it looks like the boxfish/cowfish is hosting in the RBTA ...

[Bob I]

You are right Tony, I saw that cowfish in there, so that is the picture I published. Before anyone mentions the obvious. I am not done with them yet. This is actually perfect in that it will allow the anemone to settle in. When that is done I will of course remove the brain to lessen the choice. I know the RBTA is not a natural host, but the brain is even less so.

[danny zubot]

What does host RBTAs? I've had mine for 5 days now and I've never seen my ocellaris pair even look at it.

[Delphinus]

In captivity, the answer is "it doesn't matter." Clownfish may take to non-natural partners.

My ocellaris hosted in BTA's for a few years when they were in the same tank. It did take some 6-7 weeks (or more; I don't remember anymore, this is going back some 6 years ago!) for them to go into them.

But to faithfully answer your question, in the wild, the following species are associated with Entacmaea quadricolor:

• 
  Amphriprion akindynos
  A. allardi
  A. bicinctus
  A. chrysopterus
  A. clarkii
  A. ephippium
  A. frenatus
  A. mccullochi
  A. melanopus
  A. omanensis
  A. rubrocinctus
  A. tricinctus
  Premnas biaculeatus
  

Source: Fautin & Allen

In a pinch, clarkii clowns pretty much host in all of the hosting anemone species.

Maroons and BTA's always make a nice display IMO.

It's too bad that most of the species associated with BTA's tend to be larger, more aggressive clowns. You have to really like clownfish!

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by danny zubot

What does host RBTAs? I've had mine for 5 days now and I've never seen my ocellaris pair even look at it.

Five days is nothing , I have had one RBTA for more than a month, and the Ocellaris still host with the Closed Brain, and Caulastrea.

[danny zubot]

Well, as Bob said it probly best for the anemone that its left alone for a while. I'm not worried about it, I was hoping that they'd pick the RBTA over my bleached GBTA that lives under a rock.

[Delphinus]

My guess is that the odds are that if they pick one, they'll likely pick both, and swim back and forth between them. In my case anyhow that's what happened.

[danny zubot]

In Richtg's tank they have chosen a torch coral over both his RBTA and GBTA. The torch was there first so that must account for some of their bias.

[Delphinus]

They obviously haven't read the books. Silly illiterate fish.