Clown Fish Hosting

Flucker · #1 09-11-2009, 04:07 AM

My Clown fish are paired but they arn't hosting in anything i have one GBTA and a Condy Anemone. They also just swim in one spot in my tank, although theres only one bi colored Blenny and lots of live rock.

Very Intresting

Any thoughts ?

mike31154 · #2 09-11-2009, 04:23 AM

What species of clownfish and how long have they & the anemones been in the system? Sometimes it can take a while for them to host and in rare cases I've read that they may not at all. I have a Maroon pair and it didn't take too long for the original of the pair to take to the BTA I got for it. A week or two if I recall correctly. It was still a juvenile at the time and without it's current partner.

Sounds like your pair has more or less staked out a territory they are comfortable in for the moment. Depending on the species, they may just one day decide to jump into one of your nems. There are anemones that are more likely to host certain species than others. BTAs are natural hosts for Maroon Clowns, not sure about others. No idea what a Condy is supposed to be compatible with. I've read posts where hobbyists have been successful in getting their clownfish into a nem by sticking a photo of a clown in a nem on the side of the tank.

Abe · #3 09-11-2009, 05:35 AM

I also heard, not sure if its right or wrong, but tank raised clown fish don't usually host in an Anemones. I have a pair of maroons, they hosted in BTA 2 days after I got them but they were wild caught.

Leah · #4 09-11-2009, 11:28 AM

Mine just hang out in the back corner of my 95 and don't seem to venture far from that spot. They have never attempted to host in anything.

Flucker · #5 09-11-2009, 02:34 PM

I got my two Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish yesterday, The two anemones just about a week ago. I believe that you are right they are slowly moving around the tank scouting there territory, At least they are doing it together as a pair.

Thanks for the posts

FitoPharmer · #6 09-11-2009, 07:37 PM

condy's are not host anemones, but some clowns do take to them. but it could prove fatal :P

sitandwatch · #7 09-11-2009, 07:49 PM

I have two true percs and they hosted the front glass of the tank for about 5 months.

I got a hammer coral about 3 months ago and they ignored it until about 2 weeks ago and started to host that.

I think that is just takes time, I also think they are true to there name "clown fish" as they are truly strange

Flucker · #8 09-13-2009, 05:11 PM

Do Clownfish that dont host still lay eggs?

WuHT · #9 09-13-2009, 06:50 PM

mine do.

However they lay the eggs right by my overflow.. so it's pretty much GG for the new-borns when they hatch

Stevey87 · #10 09-21-2009, 02:43 AM

Flash light directed at the anemone when all the lights off worked for my tank raised ocellaris clowns.

Before they hosted they sleep together and always swim together but since 'they' hosted, the bigger one won't let the small one go in the anemone, only under it.

I fed my anemones today and when I put the food on the anemone, the big guy tried to bite me.

The flash light method didn't work for BTA tho. I'm assuming that's because the BTA I have is very small right now and it's not their natural host. Some websites say BTA is natural host to most cownflish species but actually BTA is natural host to Tomato and few others, not ocellaris or percula.