Cali Kid Corals

How important is it for clowns to host something?

jepoy

jepoy

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My two new clowns sleep at the very corner of my tank (and stays around that area for most of the day as well). The last few days I've noticed one of the clowns (i'm assuming the female because its the bigger of the two) going bonkers swimming against the glass on the side opposite where they sleep. Same spot every night and always when only the blue lights are on. At first I thought it was due to the recent heatwave and maybe the fish was uneasy with the tank temp, but it kept happening despite the cool down recently.

After doing a little googling, some folks think it's attacking it's own reflection and that it should stop eventually. Totally makes sense. Others say that clowns really need somewhere to host where they can feel safe, otherwise they'll act all crazy.. also makes sense. I just got an RBTA last week but the clowns are more afraid of it and the dumb anemone can't make up it's mind and is at the back of the rockwork at the moment.

I'm about ready to go to homedepot and buy a flower pot for them to host. It's going to look awkward in the tank but maybe i'll just cover it with GSP lol.

So from those who've owned clowns (which is pretty much everyone here i think), how important is it for this fish to have something to host?
 
Not at all important. I've got three in one tank and one in another that have never hosted a thing and are perfectly happy and healthy. Lot's of folks keep them in frag tamks wit nothing to host -- no biggie. Most clowns these days in stores are captive bred and it seems that a large portion of them just don't have the instinct.
 
If they don't find someone to host with, they end up hanging out near my pumps. Now it's hanging by my frogspawn. Maybe next week it will be somewhere else. In any case, he seems super happy and healthy over a year now.
 
Mine hang out back corner of the tank. It would cruise around and sorta show interest in other spots but always end up back there. It has been almost a year.
 
Mine did the same, they hung out in the top corner of my tank. They slept inverted and every morning I thought they were dead. I got a BTA hoping they would go right to it, but it didn't happen. I even tried taping a picture of clowns in a BTA to show them what to do. My clowns eventually found the BTA and it was a happy day. It took them about 6 months before this happened.
 
Grrrrrr! Sorry kind of a pet peeve.

Clownfish don't host anything. Except maybe parasites n diseases.

Clownfish can choose a host. An Anemone is a host and HOSTS the clownfish. An unglazed clay pot can serve as host. They clownfish may accept it as host.

Clownfish do not need a host to survive . But they are happiest with a host.

Clownfish may never pick a non natural host anemone.

Eg, Percula or Occellaris with a BTA.


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<=== see picture. Hosting in Colt coral.

Although that is very old. I now have some anemones, and new clownfish that host in them.
 
Vhuang168 said:
Grrrrrr! Sorry kind of a pet peeve.

Clownfish don't host anything. Except maybe parasites n diseases.

Clownfish can choose a host. An Anemone is a host and HOSTS the clownfish. An unglazed clay pot can serve as host. They clownfish may accept it as host.

Clownfish do not need a host to survive . But they are happiest with a host.

Clownfish may never pick a non natural host anemone.

Eg, Percula or Occellaris with a BTA.


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Hahaha. Used to be my pet peeve too. I've finally let it go and just gnash my teeth when I see the question.
 
Oh - as to the topic:
They seem a bit skittish to me unless hosting something, but do fine.
They host in many anemone like things.
 
Vhuang168 said:
Grrrrrr! Sorry kind of a pet peeve.

Clownfish don't host anything. Except maybe parasites n diseases.

Clownfish can choose a host. An Anemone is a host and HOSTS the clownfish. An unglazed clay pot can serve as host. They clownfish may accept it as host.

Clownfish do not need a host to survive . But they are happiest with a host.

Clownfish may never pick a non natural host anemone.

Eg, Percula or Occellaris with a BTA.


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Haha, believe me it took me a few minutes trying to figure out the correct terminology, but I guess I still got it wrong lol. Noobs are people too! Haha Thanks for the correction though [emoji1360]


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justjohno said:
Mine did the same, they hung out in the top corner of my tank. They slept inverted and every morning I thought they were dead. I got a BTA hoping they would go right to it, but it didn't happen. I even tried taping a picture of clowns in a BTA to show them what to do. My clowns eventually found the BTA and it was a happy day. It took them about 6 months before this happened.
Click to expand...

Ha! I've tried something similar to taping a picture to the glass, I actually played a video of clowns in an anemone on my phone in front of the glass. The funny thing is it looked like they were actually watching!


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Bruce Spiegelman said:
Not at all important. I've got three in one tank and one in another that have never hosted a thing and are perfectly happy and healthy. Lot's of folks keep them in frag tamks wit nothing to host -- no biggie. Most clowns these days in stores are captive bred and it seems that a large portion of them just don't have the instinct.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've seen your clowns, very healthy and happy. Hope mine turn out the same even if they never find a host


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Sort of related question. So my anemone has finally shown itself, not completely but peeking from behind a rock, I've noticed that it retracts when the lights go out. If this is so, does this mean the clown can only host anemones during the day? Or is it not normal that my anemone retracts at night? Btw, my clowns have still yet to come close to my RBTA.. I was just wondering.


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