clown n' anemone

[bluefishyjoe]

today i bought a long tentacle anemone (about 5" wide when open) from my local fish store. It seems to be doing good.

In my tank i have about 10lbs of live rock and two 13 1/2- 14 month old percula clowns (tank bred i think)

The fish will not go in or even get too close to the anemone, is there any way that i can get them to go into the anemone?

Also, recently i noticed that one of the clowns has grown noticably larger than the other, why? And they have been folowing each other all of the time, which is something that they didnt usually do, why?
55 gallon

 

[Marc118]

Not really, If they host it they will host it. The larger clown has most likely turned into a male.

 

[melosu58]

There is no guantee that the clown will host the anenomie. I have two clowns and the totally ignore my bubble tip and host a bubble coral and pagoda cup.

 

[Hara]

The larger clown has most likely turned into a male.

no, the larger one is typically the female I believe.

 

[Marc118]

The larger clown has most likely turned into a male.

no, the larger one is typically the female I believe.

Right, I meant to say the largest male usually goes female.

 

[xkenneth]

At that age it's more just dominance. I don't believe the sex change will actually occur until later. Also I think the female has to become a male and then a female finally, with the change to female being permanent. How big are yours? I've got two baby true perculas right now (1/2") but I don't know how old they are. As for the anemone, just wait and see. Clowns can be very particular about which anemone to host in. They might just take a while getting used to it or they might just never host it at all. Do a bit more research and see what you can dig up.

Regards,
Ken

 

[Devilishturtles]

At that age it's more just dominance. I don't believe the sex change will actually occur until later. Also I think the female has to become a male and then a female finally, with the change to female being permanent. How big are yours? I've got two baby true perculas right now (1/2") but I don't know how old they are. As for the anemone, just wait and see. Clowns can be very particular about which anemone to host in. They might just take a while getting used to it or they might just never host it at all. Do a bit more research and see what you can dig up.

Regards,
Ken

Pretty much, except all clownfish are born male. The more dominant one in the pair will turn into the female and be significantly larger and more agressive. When she dies at all, and you get another clownfish, always get a smaller one. IF a pair forms again (which is not a given) the largest male will take the female spot.

Also, yes, there is no guarantee they will host it at all. Some people never get their clowns to host anything. Mine on the other hand, will host anything I put in the tank. They current host a torch coral.

Good luck.

 

[xkenneth]

Pretty much, except all clownfish are born male.

Nope. "Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning they are hatched as sexually immature fry. Based on signals from their environment and being physically mature (12–24 months) they will either remain sexually immature, change into a male or change into a male then female."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clownfish

 

[bluefishyjoe]

re:

i think u guys are right about the larger clown, it is significantly larger than the other, and though they follow each other around, i have noticed that the larger one seems to control the other.

Also i am pretty sure that my clowns will eventually host the anemone because they are very, i guess i could say territorial, the best example is the first thing i added to the tank was a ceramic treasure chest that was hollow. for about 6 monthes it was entirely controlled by a peppermint shrimp and the clowns never went near it. After the clowns killed the shrimp when it was molting, they immediatly took over the treasure chest almost like a host. every time i entered the room they were both in or very close to the treasure chest and were very protective of it. when i put the anemone in my tank i decided to take out the chest and my fish did not want to leave, my fish are very very very cautious about everything that enters the tank and that was the closest that i ever got my hand to the fish. for that reason i think that there is a better chance that they will host.

also, i used to have a vibrant colorful background that was covered in anemone pictures. when i put my first clown in the tank for some reason, i dont know if it saw the anemone pic or if it was a coincidence, the clown swam very close to the anemone pic for a while until i got another clown.

 

[seaham358]

can you post a pic of the anemone. If its a Condi they will not host with it.
It can take days, weeks or months for the clowns to host thats even if they do..
A BTA might be a better

 

[bluefishyjoe]

it is a long tentacle anemone

 

[Marc118]

Yea my clowns hosted my BTA within a few days.

 

[bluefishyjoe]

my clowns are slowly getting closer and closer to the anemone, is that a good sign?

 

[roka64]

There are many species of LTAs. One species comes from the Atlantic Ocean and have never "seen" clownfish, and usually won't host clowns. One like this:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=630

My LFS has these, sometimes.

 

[bluefishyjoe]

i am pretty sure it will host clowns , a trustable worker at my lfs assured me that it will host

 

[xkenneth]

that's foooony.

 

[JM]

You would have a better chance of getting your clown to use a carpet or bubble tip anemone. I have never seen one in a LT.

 

[bluefishyjoe]

i think it will host, it says in dr. fosters an smith catalogue that long tentacles host, but mine does look just a bit different than the one in the pic, i think i can trust my fish store, they are pretty knowledgable

 

[Marc118]

Well there is nothing saying that it will host anything at all, some do, some dont. You will just have to wait and see. If it starts to graze then it will likely host.

My clarkii was in my tank for about 6 hours before he hosted my BTA.

 

[xkenneth]

I really think it's up to the clowns, give them a while. Apparently according to the picture in another post they'll host feather dusters as well as frogspawn. I personally have seen them host large clumps of hair algae in favor of an anemone. Just give them time.